Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking

Introduction

Human trafficking is a worldwide epidemic in which the United States of America is the third most popular destination point for victims. Although it is impossible to give an exact number of people trafficked, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking of Los Angeles (CAST) estimates that approximately 27 million people worldwide are enslaved and 50,000 men, women and children are trafficked into the United States. It is estimated that 80% of victims are female and 50% are minors. The Trafficked Victims Report in 2010 states that 82%o of foreign adult victims and 52% of children victims were trafficked for labor purposes. Higher cases of sex trafficking were found to be the case with United States citizens and although more sex trafficking cases were prosecuted, labor trafficking cases involved more victims. Victims of modern day slavery are used for various purposes in the United States including: sweatshop labor, domestic work, agricultural work, hair and nail salons, hotel services, strip club dancing, and prostitution.

According to Jones, Engstrom, Hilliard, and Diaz (2007), the United Nations (U.N.) Protocol states that threats, use of force, kidnapping, fraud, and other forms of coercion and abuse of power are the means by which traffickers trap people into the vicious web of human trafficking. On October of 2000 the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (Public Law No. 106- 386) was enacted to protect victims and prosecute traffickers as well as combat trafficking at an international level. Prior to this piece of legislation no federal law was in place to both protect victims as well as punish their traffickers. This analysis will focus on national law but aspects of international law will be looked at, as this issue involves the interactions of various borders. More pertinently, this thesis will include an examination of its relevance to the social work field.

Discussion

President Bill Clinton signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act on October 28, 2000 as a response to Congress' finding that trafficking was not deterred due to the light sentences given to traffickers (McClain, 2007). The purpose of this legislation as stated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA; 2000) is to combat modern day slavery by ensuring effective punishment for traffickers and by protecting victims, mostof whom are women and children (Sec. 102. A). The TVPA (2000) states that traffickers could be given sentences up to life in prison. Furthermore, the law provides for treatment and services for victims (TVPA, 2000). This act allows victims of such heinous crimes to be recognized and treated as the victims that they are, not as criminals.

Section A of the TVPA in particular specifically recognizes human trafficking and the critical need to address the issue on both national and international levels (TVPA, 2000). Section B addresses issues of prevention, illustrating that creating economic opportunities in their own countries can prevent people from becoming easy prey for traffickers. It also established the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking. This task force includes: the Department of State, Justice, Labor, ...