Human Trafficking Although human trafficking isn’t widely talked about, it is one of the most widely spread businesses in today’s society. Human trafficking is, “the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another.” It covers a wide bases of social issues and not usually brought up for discussion. While the most well-known form of human trafficking is for sexual exploitation, hundreds of thousands of victims are trafficked for forced labor. It’s an offense not only against an individual, but for against humanity. Americans live in a country whose founding is based on respect for one’s rights. The nation and laws are built on this foundation of freedom, but as we know there are people with money that will …show more content…
This “new slavery” connects to poverty rather than religion or ethnicity, it’s also often characterized by poor living, poor working conditions, and abuse. Women and children are more likely to be trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation, because they are seen as less. Louise Shelley points out that it doesn't only affect the victim and their loved ones, but also “democratic principles, and especially the rights of women and children.” Many believe that the root of human trafficking starts with international security, including Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC). They believe that “processes of globalization and modernization” around the world have made trafficking easier and it attracts criminal organizations. Examples are cross-border transport and communication costs have declined, and the internet. CTOC concludes that the internet is used to attract victims into labor exploitation and in arranging for sex tourism.” Because of the Cold War causing “political instability” and “regional conflicts” (Tsin Yen Koh), the number of vulnerable refugees and migrants increased. Border Patrol Agents come across trafficking …show more content…
Between 2004 -2011, governments prosecuted 49,000 people for trafficking and convicted 29,000. That is an estimate of 27 million people trafficked in the world. The idea is that developing countries tend to be source countries for the victims and developed countries tend to the destination. According to the 2015 “Trafficking in Persons” report the United States is a source and destination country for the trafficked people, including children, foreigners, and migrants. Louise Shelley of George Mason University says that the most common forms of exploitation in the US is sexual, forced labor and debt bondage. Although the Trafficking Protocol and the following measures by governments are good starts, we need more urgency to understand the nature of the problem, to strengthen law enforcement, prosecute traffickers and protect victims. There is no end for criminals to obtain money and power, and trafficking is one of the most cunning of crimes. Law enforcement officers protect people, enforce the law, and as Ralph Basham says “parental figures” to the victims of all sorts of