World Human Trafficking

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to make an analysis on the world human trafficking. 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 have 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. 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 transnational. Thus, this paper makes an analysis on the world human trafficking and its effects. The paper also discusses the different causes of the occurrence of human trafficking.

World Human Trafficking

Introduction

Human trafficking, or modern-day slavery, is the 21st-century trade in human beings for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. This egregious human rights abuse has proliferated rapidly in today's environment of increasingly connected networks and ease of travel. It exists in virtually every country around the world and is estimated to be an annual $32 billion criminal enterprise (David, 2010). People are trafficked internationally and also internally within their own countries. Although accurate numbers are difficult to determine because of the hidden nature of this crime, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that, at any given time, there are at least 12.3 million people in modern-day slavery. Other estimates put this number as high as 27 million people.

Discussion

Trafficking is characterized by “force, fraud or coercion”. This means trafficking victims may be held in slavery-like conditions by physical force or psychological coercion. Usually, both elements are present. Traffickers may threaten to kill the victims or their family members back home (Tollefson, 2010). They often convince victims, who are isolated in an unfamiliar place, that if they try to escape, the police will arrest them.

How Trafficking Occurs

Human trafficking operates in much of the same way throughout the world. Though some victims are outright kidnapped, more often they are “recruited” by traffickers who falsely promise legitimate employment and educational opportunities. The traffickers earn their victims' trust and in some cases are even relatives of the victims. Traffickers usually arrange for the victims' ...