Human trafficking is the illegal transnational and international trade in people for the purposes of servitude, recognizable as modern day slavery. Drugs, weapons, and murder are all on the top of the infamous crime list. While it is debatable on which is the worst crime, human trafficking is going unseen daily. Around 600,000 to 820,000 people are involved in trafficking yearly. This includes: Men, women, young teens, and children. 70% of those that are trafficked are women, and also 50% of those trafficked are minors. Human traffickers participate in the trade for several different reasons.
Commercial sexual exploitations, bonded and sweat shop labor, forced marriage, domestic servitude, military, and citizenship in the United States are commonly the reason behind human trafficking. Who are the main targets of human trafficking and why? How can people protect themselves? How can people put an end to the unlawful trade? Human Trafficking is the third largest crime in the world, and has become one of the hardest crimes to prevent and seize in action. Human trafficking is such a widespread crime. This crime happens all over the world. Victims of human trafficking differ in age, gender, race, and ethnicity.
While anyone can fall victim to trafficking, young women are mainly targeted. Why is this? Women are able to be entered in the sex trade as young as twelve years of age. The sex trade allows women to be bought and sold for commercial sex. Women are typically targeted by being manipulated or persuaded into a situation they then can’t back out of. Many are offered and promised jobs, money, shelter, protection, and even as far as U. S. citizenship if they are immigrants seeking a better life in the United States. Meanwhile, most women are manipulated without realizing what they really got into, and once they do it’s too late.
Constantly being bonded with a unreasonable debt, mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and even threatened to be killed. Gaining knowledge about human trafficking is a key part when wanting to learn about the steps to take for protection. Human trafficking is a very dangerous industry, and even can be potentially life threatening. First, when traveling internationally always take extra precaution. Registering with the U. S. embassy enables protection while traveling abroad. The U. S. embassy is there to assist American travelers. Giving your address, phone number, booking plans, are all great things to give them incase of an emergency.
Next, always keep private information, as well as your passports, secret and hidden where they can’t easily be found. It is common to meet new people abroad, but watch what you tell strangers. Traffickers can be very deceiving. Avoid situations that could be unsafe. For example, traveling alone, traveling at night, or traveling in an isolated place or street. In addition to information on traveling internationally, human trafficking can happen right in hometowns. Always be aware and alert. Social gatherings, parties, and nights out are big places for traffickers to target. If there is any uncertainty, follow instincts always.
It is always better to be safe than sorry. Talking to adults who know a lot of this subject will help educate. Knowing what to do if human trafficking does occur and having multiple plans in place if need be. Learning how to physically be able to protect is always a good thing. Fighting off a trafficker is something that needs to be practiced more often in case of an attack. Being aware of human trafficking is very important. As well as knowing what traffickers tend to do to abduct. Ending human trafficking doesn’t have to take generations. Working together to put a stop to this terrible crime is the only way for it to be done.
Learning about the dangers of human trafficking and being on high alert already helps lower the accounts of abduction and also future victims. Helping others fight human trafficking including victims currently endangered by it could make a difference. Knowing how to identify a victim also could play a big part in ending this ongoing problem. Victims tend to look very malnourished, dirty, and unhealthy. Also tend to have bruises or signs of physical abuse. Many victims are witnessed to be with older males checking into hotels, and sometimes assisted with other females.
Prostitution is usually associated with some form of human trafficking. Sometimes it is noticeable that they are sticking to a scripted conversation when dealing with the public, and also avoids eye contact with the public. If encountered with a victim what are the actions that should be taken? If the victim begins to act distraught about talking be aware of the trafficker standing nearby. Ask if there is any safe place to take them to or help them find. Most victims tend to blow off that they are in any type of danger in fear of getting in trouble by their trafficker.
They may ask for time to think of a plan to escape and if that’s the case then give them time, but also be aware of the risk of danger. Get in touch with the human trafficking hotline or even police. Be patient and considerate toward the victim. Make sure to notify the police or law enforcement for possible endangerment. Human trafficking is border lining one of the top crimes in the world. It is increasingly becoming worse, but is not commonly heard of. To stop this crisis attacking all over the globe, people need to get educated on this tragedy. The more people fighting against the crisis of human trafficking, the quicker it will end.
Helping victims that have experienced being involved in trafficking and listening to their story will help our law enforcement, government, and everyday citizens help start the process of ending human trafficking. Around $32 billion each year is produced from human trafficking. Commonly one person cost only around $90 to purchase, but ranges with gender, age, etc. With knowledge on human trafficking, learning how to protect, collecting tips on avoiding human trafficking will cause the world to get ahead of this problem and stop it right in its tracks.