HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human Trafficking

Abstract

Human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery or trafficking in persons, is a criminal act and a violation of basic human rights (e.g., right to freedom, right to dignity, right to equal protection of the law) that affects every country in the world. Human trafficking is one of the few crimes that has been pursued from a victim's perspective, with a focus on prevention of trafficking, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers. This entry explores the definition of trafficking and related common misunderstandings, and includes an examination of the size, scope, and patterns of trafficking; sample profiles of traffickers and victims; and responses to human trafficking.



Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION4

HISTORY OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING4

HUMAN TRAFFICKING DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY6

PROFILES OF TRAFFICKERS AND VICTIMS7

TYPES OF TRAFFICKING8

TRAFFICKING STATISTICS9

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS10

ECONOMIC CONTEXTS10

SOCIAL CONTEXTS11

CONSEQUENCES FOR VICTIMS12

STOPPING TRAFFICKING IN HUMANS12

RESPONSES TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING13

CONCLUSION15

REFERENCES17

Human Trafficking

Introduction

In December of 2000 in Palermo, Italy, the world came together on the issue of trafficking in persons, finalizing the drafting of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, commonly known as the Protocol. The Protocol entered into force in December 2003. It defines the crime of human trafficking using three components: the process of obtaining the victim (e.g., recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, harboring), the means (e.g., deceit, coercion, abduction, threat, fraud, deception, abuse of power), and the goal (e.g., violence/sexual abuse, pornography, forced labor, involuntary servitude, debt bondage, prostitution, slavery). It includes human trafficking both for sexual exploitation and for labor. (Kelly, 2000)

History of Human Trafficking

Since the meeting in Palermo, 117 countries have signed the Protocol, but many of them have not yet modified their legislation to incorporate the crime of human trafficking into their penal code or fully implemented the process. This is not an easy task. It takes time, money, and a political will to change. The Protocol was developed through a process of consensus that then must be modified to operate within the various criminal justice systems throughout the world. For example, the United Kingdom legislation mirrors the Protocol, except that the United Kingdom does not include trafficking in human organs as a crime of human trafficking. The lack of full implementation within any country poses a problem for prosecution of traffickers within that country, as well as a problem for cooperation between countries that have differing legislation.

While many countries have signed the Protocol, the level of understanding of human trafficking is limited, resulting in several common misunderstandings. It is widely known that at least 75% of the law enforcement officials around the world are unable to accurately define human trafficking, and the ability to define it is even less common among the general population, who serve as the frontline observers of the phenomenon. Trafficking refers to the act of commerce but is often mistaken to mean the individual must be moved or transported. Because commerce can occur without movement, human trafficking can be domestic as well as ...