Premium Essay

Human Trafficking In America

Submitted By
Words 1227
Pages 5
Human trafficking has been in existence for since the beginning of America in the 1600s. In the last few years, the human trafficking trade has grown to become the second largest criminal empire worldwide. (14ju) It is modern-day slavery for people around the world. “"Human trafficking is a crime that impacts communities around the world," said Mayor Parker.”” (14ju) People have done many despicable acts to trap the children and adults into this world. There are many factors that cause someone to sell or trade a person to another person. The factors could be poverty-stricken, war, safety, or greed. The sad fact is that the world knows of this problem and yet there are not many things being done to stop this business. Human trafficking has …show more content…
Stacy Khadaroo report “The images of more than 100 men, women, and children held for ransom by suspected smugglers in a filthy Houston-area "stash house" are shocking. But the terrifying ordeal is not surprising, immigrant advocates say.” (khadraroo) The traffickers who move the victims through Houston are known as coyotes. The coyotes are known as dangerous tricksters. The human trafficking victims come to Houston in different ways. Victims walk from Mexico or Canada, while others are shipped on large boats in shipping container by the 100's.The boats go through the Houston Port, where the lack of security is a major problem. Not all containers get searched by security or accounted for on the ship’s log. Another problem is that there are some dock workers who help remove the victims from the containers. Some victims pay the coyotes a lot of money before their arrival. When they arrived they find they owe more money. It is known as a two-part payment. “It's also common for people who pay someone to bring them here illegally to then be threatened and held if they don't pay more than was originally agreed upon, Tomatore and others say.”(Khadaroo) The traffickers trap the people for years and have the victims do illegal activities to pay off their debt. This is another form of kidnapping because they are being forced to work off a fake amount until the coyotes …show more content…
The low prices of knock off handbags, clothes, and shoes sold worldwide on the black market are not worth the pain they cause. The other victims work in restaurants, nail salons, farms and houses. According to U.S. department of state, trafficking also takes place as labor exploitation, such as domestic servitude, sweatshop factories, or agricultural work. (u.s department of state) The sweat shop workers are locked in a hot rooms with 30-100 people to make counterfeit items. The sweat shops or labor mill owners often threaten seriously harm to the victims working for them if deadlines, quantity, or quality is not met. During the horrible working conditions, many of the workers get hurt by fires, faulty equipment, and fights. The sweat shops or labor mills owners usually do not care if the people die while working. The owners feel no one will miss the victims that die and the workers can easily switch out with the next batch of victims. The deceased victims have no funeral. Their bodies are sometimes left in the desert, or on the side of a road, or in abandon homes. The victims are not compensated for their hard and dangerous work they complete. The owners tell the victims that all the money they have earned is used to pay off their debt. If they do receive money, it is not enough to survive living in Houston. The victims of human trafficking is continually tainted by what they see, hear, and

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Human Trafficking In America

...While the 13th amendment wiped slavery from the face of America in the 19th century; today, just under the surface, modern day slavery brews: human trafficking. From domestic servitude, to sex slaves, the number of victims has been rising exponentially each year. The trade of human beings is one of the fastest growing problems facing today’s society; because the United States is “the land of the free,” (Star Spangled Banner) many turn a blind eye to its existence as they don’t believe that such an atrocious violation of human rights could exist where there are equal rights extended to all people, and action must be taken in order to protect the innocents involved. When most people think of human trafficking their minds typically jump to foreign...

Words: 932 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Human Trafficking In North America

...Human trafficking is an organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited (Merriam Webster, 1). There are many devastating statistics correlated with this issue such as the fact that an average of 700,000 women and children are trafficked worldwide earning profits of over $7 billion (Veenstra, para.1). However, the conclusion can be made that females experience the majority of the abuse that is associated with the crime of trafficking which is motivated by the constant perception of women as inferior and insignificant individuals deserving of mistreatment. Despite the advance of women’s right in North America, there are still many countries reluctant to change their values and give girls...

Words: 1372 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Role Of Human Trafficking In America

...Human trafficking is an issue effecting both children and adults across the globe, known as the “slavery” of the modern era (United Nations, 2017). According to the Blue Campaign from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act” and is the second most profitable transnational crime, after drug trafficking (“What is Human Trafficking?”). Focusing on sex trafficking, recent policy changes are helping victims of human trafficking in recovery, however, there are still instances where these victims are criminalized. Policy advocacy focused on helping victims of human trafficking instead of treating them as criminals is necessary....

Words: 669 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Research Paper On Human Trafficking

...Human Trafficking: A Hidden Disease. Human trafficking has never been widely acknowledged in the United States, as many view the issue as an international problem. Human trafficking comes in two ways, international and domestic. International trafficking can be forced child labor or prostitution, whereas domestic is, for the most part, child prostitution (Levy). Close to twenty-seven million people are trafficked in the world, around 14,500 are brought to the United States from other countries (Buffett 116). Meanwhile, many children living in America are taken off the street and forced to become something most people could hardly comprehend. This issue is coming from all sides in America,...

Words: 600 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Human Trafficking

...support specific points in your outline. Human Trafficking in the United States of America I.Introduction I’ve chosen to cover this topic because now more than ever news specials are being broadcast and even though each story as similar as the next they’re very captivating. The statistics on this issue is overwhelming and it involves just about every type of criminal act known. It’s become an absolute phenomenon in the United States of America. Criminal Justice entails the following in a criminal activity; gathering evidence, apprehending the accused, conducting a trial, making defense, judgment after proving the crime and eventually punishment. There are many crimes that deserve criminal justice (Legal-Explanations.com, 2004-2007). Human trafficking which is nothing more than modern day slavery is just one of many heavy crimes that deserve it. II. Body A. Trafficking doesn't happen in other parts of the world somewhere else; sufferers of trafficking are right here in the United States, suffering horrendous human rights infringements. The United States did not set in motion the monitoring of trafficked individuals until 1994; it began being covered in the Department’s Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (Wordpress.com, 2009). Numerous laws have been passed against it in the United States, and the U.S. has been dynamic in advocating against it globally as well (Wordpress.com, 2009). In the United States trafficking became a center of activities and culminated...

Words: 1380 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Rebuttal

...Article Rebuttal NV BCOM/275 July 7, 2014 Article Rebuttal We need a ‘Reparation Superfund’ ( (n.d.). . Retrieved July 8, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/06/08/are-reparations-due-to-african-americans/we-need-a-reparations-superfund), states Mary Frances Berry the former chairwoman of the United States commission on civil rights. Mary Frances Berry believes that ex-slave pension and bounty movement back in 1887 should be followed through. “Whose membership forms stated the number of years they had been working as slaves, along with the names of their slave owners in the plantations on which they lived”. Unfortunately a lot of the ex-slave pension bounty movement individuals have long since passed, “individuals who can prove the identity of slave ancestors, whether they sought reparations in the 19th century are not, could also be eligible.” People who read this article may wonder who will step up to pay these respirations to the individuals who can prove slave ancestry. “Monies could come from corporations that profited from slave labor in from banks and insurance companies that practiced racial discrimination”, states Mary Frances Berry. This ’Reparation Superfund’ is ridiculous and inappropriate. I among millions of Americans are truly saddened by the history of our great country. Tragedy has stung most countries on this planet when it comes to slavery. Slavery dates back to 6800 B.C. “world’s first city grows up in Mesopotamia” (Home - Free the...

Words: 640 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Modern Day Slavery

...foods we eat often intimately connected to human trafficking and slavery? Why is this practice tolerated and who is being affected by it? Were you aware of it? Source 1A & B Personally, I think any form of human trafficking and slavery no matter how minimal it is, is a serious offense against humanity and the greater good of the world in general. In Florida alone in the past years has seen thousands of people working in Florida tomato fields against their will. Additionally, in South Haven, Michigan State, companies such as Adkin Blue Ribbon Packing Company have children as young as five years old working in their blueberry fields (Patel, Hill, Eslocker, & Ross, 2009). Chemicals and pesticides used in these fields are toxic to the workers causing serious respiratory and carcinogenic diseases. Unfortunately, most of these cases go unreported. However, over the years after outcries by human activists and other human rights organizations who are against this kind of labor force, law enforcement officials have worked tirelessly over the last couple of years to free thousands of ‘slaves’ and prosecute those involved in this outrageous crime against humanity. Some of those who found themselves in these unkind working conditions had come seeking better lives for themselves and their families while others were ‘sold’ into slavery. Ironically, most Americans know and ponder over child labor as a problem everywhere else except in America, and shamelessly I fall into that category...

Words: 1313 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sex Trafficking and Slavery in the United States

...Sex Trafficking and Slavery in the United States "She tied up my hands first, and then she put the tape over my mouth. And she put tape over my eyes," Debbie said. "While she was putting tape on me, Matthew told me if I screamed or acted stupid, he'd shoot me. So I just stayed quiet”...” Debbie said her captors drove her around the streets of Phoenix for hours. Exhausted and confused, she was finally taken to an apartment 25 miles from her home. She said one of her captors put a gun to her head”…” Debbie said she was then drugged by her captors and other men were brought into the room, where she was gang raped.” (Teen Girls’ Stories of Sex Trafficking in U.S.). Many Americans hear stories all the time of abduction and sexual slavery all around the world. They feel like something should be done about this injustice but since the acts are happening outside the country they feel disconnected. Unfortunately, most Americans are not as far from this problem as they would like to believe. Sex trafficking happens at an alarming rate in America. Between the years 1996-2000, America had the highest number of victims trafficked illegally into the country (Cullen-Dupont 44). With this high level of trafficking going on, why are many Americans unaware of this issue? They most likely believe that only foreign victims are trafficked into slavery, but the Texas Attorney General states that an epidemic exists of domestic women being forced into sexual slavery as well (Bellows 489). Debbie...

Words: 1871 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Unit 1 Ip English

...Margaret Burnett IP English Human Trafficking Margaret Burnett AIU-Online Pro. Slotemaker Thesis: While Human trafficking is the second and fastest growing criminal industry in the world, we must find ways to stop this brutal crime. This article, “Forced Sex and labor Trafficking,” by Rebecca Clarren, talks about the investigations into human trafficking. The feminist groups plays a large part in helping with human trafficking. In 2000, Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which gives a special “T-vista”, that lets victims of sex and labor trafficking to remain temporarily in the U.S., and agree to assist in the investigation and prosecution of their traffickers, after 3 years , the attorney general will give them permanent residence. But it didn’t last long, for the Bush administration had failed to fund its provision in a way that was meaningful. There has been such a lack of traffic investigations, 639 were opened by the Department of Justice between 2001 and 2006. Yet only 360 defendants were charged and only 238 convictions. My assessment on the integrity of this article is that the information is accurate and to the point. The author is legitimate. I definitely find that it is public service information. I will use this information because it is stating why human trafficking is in a slow process of being solved. This article, The Crusade Against Sex Trafficking, by Noy Thrupkaeu, is about efforts that are trying to do...

Words: 1148 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Polaris Project

...school pupils. Today I will representing Polaris project that combats human trafficking. Human Trafficking What is human trafficking- Is the trade of humans from one place to another by means of transportation or harboring. The victims of human trafficking are usually under threats, forced or abducted. The human traffickers usually use threats or forces by threating their families. Human traffickers also take advantage of poor vulnerable people that are promised a better life and more money in places like the United States of America. The human rights that are been violated are the right to dignity the right to life. Reasons for human trafficking. The reason why people do human trafficking is war and prostitutions....

Words: 515 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Sex Trafficking Research Paper

...Most people hear about Human Trafficking and think of the horror stories in local news, movies, bestselling books, international reports and other media sources describing the exploitation of persons for sex. Although the theme of Human Sex Trafficking has been a common topic through media, The United States Customs and Border Protection reports that it also includes “Domestic servitude, Labor in a prison-like factory and Migrant agricultural work” Situations like these may take us to think of Hollywood movies such as “Taken”, which show young vacationing girls in a scenario where they are being displayed in a semi private but luxurious auction, to rich foreigners against their will depicting sex trafficking. While we may have the movie...

Words: 1123 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Global Crime

...end to global criminal issues. Examples of crimes that disturb the criminal justice system on a global level are drug and weapon trafficking. One crime in particular that has been brought to light in recent years that affects the world is human trafficking. One way that human trafficking is becoming a worldwide issue is through the use of the internet. Perpetrators or organized crime groups can go on the internet and find people they want to “buy.” Most of the websites are considered “underground or black market” sites and access is available through memberships. The pages to follow will address what human trafficking is and how the worldwide criminal justice systems are combatting the issue. There will be a summary of a news story covering a cybercrime that had a worldwide impact. Following the story, will be a discussion on how the worldwide criminal justice systems handle the incident. Lastly, an opinion on the effectiveness of the systems’ response to the issue and suggestions for future responses to combat or prevent cyber crimes will be provided. Defining human trafficking The words, human trafficking, sum up their meaning. One can define this crime as slavery of the modern age (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). For professional and academic reasons, human trafficking is the recruitment, transfer, or receipt of a person. Humans can be trafficked using a threat, force, abduction, fraud, and coercion (United Nations...

Words: 2110 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Evolution of Slavery

...society, most commonly referred to as human trafficking. Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. According the U.S. State Department study, some 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States from overseas and enslaved each year. (Bales and Soodlater 6). Slavery has always, and will always be a part of the world we live in. It has evolved from a socially acceptable way of life for the upper class to an illegal act for a cheap price. Human trafficking today is most commonly in the form of sexual slavery or forced labor. The United States government has begun to take notice in this new type of slavery epidemic and are taking action and trying to gain control, but sadly few human trafficking cases are solved a year. The human trafficking industry is the third most profitable illegal enterprise, following guns and drugs, making it a rapid growing industry. According to the Polaris Project “because human trafficking is considered to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries, the U.S. government and academic researchers are currently working on an up-to-date estimate of the total number of trafficked persons in the United States annually. With 100,000 children estimated to be in the sex trade in the United States each year, it is clear that the total number of human trafficking victims in the U.S. reaches into the...

Words: 1785 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Human Traficking

...Human Trafficking Humans are created to be free in this world. They are not goods or properties to be sold or traded. Thus human trafficking is an illegal practice. It uses humans for inhuman activities like prostitution and forced labor. Men, women, and children all over the world are facing human trafficking every day. According to UNODC, human trafficking is the transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by using force, or other forms of abduction, or fraud, or of giving and receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. This kind of exploitation includes the sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, and slavery or practices similar to slavery (2013). Countries all over the world are affected by human trafficking (UN). Trafficking often occurs from less developed countries to more developed countries (UN). According to the Association of Flight Attendants, 12.3 million adults and children are exploited around the world, 56% are women and girls (2013). The International Labor Organization estimated that in 2005, 980,000 to 1,225 million boys and girls were forced into labor situation. As mentioned in Baumgardner work, human trafficking is expected to be the number one crime in America in 2012. Human trafficking is a 40 billion dollars a year industry. More than 100,000 children in the United States are forced to engage in prostitution each year. The United States...

Words: 1472 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sex Slaves in America

...The New Slaves: Sex Trafficking in America When most Americans hear the term ‘sex trafficking’ thoughts of helpless women and children in poor, developing, countries come to mind. However, most Americans would be downright shocked and dismayed to learn that many victims of sex trafficking reside right here in the United States. Moreover, many of the victims of sex trafficking in America were victimized by other Americans. This is a pressing national issue to which neither small, rural towns or large, urban cities is immune. What is Sex Trafficking? According to the US State Department’s 2013 Trafficking in Persons report, Sex trafficking is defined as: The act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion… defining what constitutes sex trafficking is important because it allows for non-victims to identify possible victims of sex trafficking, and it creates a clear and distinct framework in which to identify, capture, charge, and convict the perpetrators of sex trafficking in the United States. Who are the victims of Sex Trafficking? Sex trafficking victims span all races, ages, gender, etc. Many of the victims of sex trafficking in america are usually impoverished, poorly educated, and live in areas that afford very little upward mobility or opportunities to make a living. Many adult trafficking victims in the United states were swindled by seemingly innocuous work...

Words: 1320 - Pages: 6