Human Trafficking - Modern Slavery and economic exploitation

Human trafficking is a crime that forcefully exploits women, men, and children. According to the United Nations, human trafficking affects every country in the world, but it’s not talked about enough.

The United Nations defines human trafficking as:“The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.”

Types of Human Trafficking

Sex trafficking

Individuals are compelled to engage in commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. When a person under 18 years old is induced to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion.
Yearly, traffickers exploit 1 million children in the commercial sex trade.
Most lack rights and access to basic services such as education which make them particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking.when sex trafficking victims are caught, they might be detained and prosecuted for criminal activity .

Labor trafficking

In short Individuals are compelled to work or provide services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.
A family gives up a child to an adoption agent in Nepal because they cannot afford to care for him. He is then, in turn, sold to a sweatshop owner who forces the child to learn to sew garments without pay for hours each day. The child receives minimal nutrition and does not attend school.

Victim of Human Trafficking

1. Migrant workers
2. Undocumented immigrants
3. Racial and ethnic minorities
4. People with disabilities
5. People with low incomes
6. People with a history of substance abuse
7. Communities exposed to intergenerational trauma
8. Individuals who have experienced childhood abuse or neglect
9. Children and youth involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems
10. People experiencing homelessness
11. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) individuals

Signs of Human Trafficking

An individual who has been trafficked may show signs that their movement is controlled :

1. Have false identity or travel documents
2. Not know their home or work address
3. Have no access to their earnings
4. Be unable to negotiate working conditions
5. Work excessively long hours over long periods
6. Have limited or no social interaction
7. Have limited contact with their families or with people outside of their immediate environment
8. Think that they are bonded by debt

The Traffickers?

Traffickers can be any gender or age — some are strangers, while others are peers, friends, romantic partners, or family members.

Conclusion  

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), it is estimated that profits of nearly $150 billion is earned from forced labour per annum as per 2014 data.The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has engaged itself in continuing efforts against human trafficking by assisting several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The safety of the public as well as the victim is paramount. Do not attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to any suspicions. It is up to law enforcement to investigate suspected cases of human trafficking.