Human trafficking is a growing problem not only nationwide, but worldwide. Human trafficking is the action of force to illegally transport people from place to place usually for labor or sexual exploitation. The three most common types of human trafficking are sex trafficking, forced labor, and debt bondage. Sex trafficking is a crime when men, women, and/or children are forced into sexual acts without consent. Debt bondage is a type of labor used to pay back for some obligation or past transaction. Forced labor is the act of forcing someone to work for little to no money (Currie McGhee 10). These usually include drugs or money. Sometimes victims are sold to other sex traffickers for money or other materials. Although human trafficking affects all ages, children are most vulnerable, making them easier victims since children are less alert and educated.
Another popular service is forced marriage, which is common with children. Of all forced marriage victims, 37 percent are children (Human Trafficking by the Numbers). These traffickers have sick tactics to catch their victims. Human traffickers hunt outside of big homes such as foster home, which is full of children who were abandoned by their parents. As Laura Riso said, a victim’s specialist for the FBI, traffickers go “near high schools because “victimization is all about vulnerability.” The traffickers will try everything, they may complement their prey, as it is from saying “I like your hair”, or “You have very pretty eyes'', doing this to gain small amounts of trust with potential victims (Fonrouge). They may flirt with the victims and ask to take them out to dinner or to walk around, all though this may seem flattering, these are the ways to trick vulnerable people who are not on high alert.
Once a victim is captured, they are taken into the human trafficking loop. These victims may be shipped around the country to different groups and projects of human traffickers, sold for money and drugs in most cases. These criminals are mostly in it for money, sex, power, and drugs. In Moscow, a woman was selling girls from Moldova for $2,865 to human traffickers. In Columbia, men were paying criminal gangs up to $2,600 on an online auction to have sex with a virgin girl (Havocscope). Of the approximately 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally, 25 percent are children, 81 percent are trapped in some type of labor, and 75 percent are female (Midway). Females are more common for the act of sex trafficking, they make up 99 percent of all sex trafficking victims. The State Department estimated that between 15,000 and 50,000 women are trafficked alone each year in the United States. Not only does the United States commit this crime but the United Nations themselves estimate nearly 2.5 million people from 127 different countries are being trafficked around the world which not only includes sex trafficking but forced labor, bonded labor, and forced prostitution (Greenhaven 23).
Although almost all countries have had cases of human trafficking, the cases are all a little different depending on their culture. For example, in Brazil, people were disguised as religious figures, exploiting victims to work on farms, and in restaurants they join certain churches or organizations. In Cambodia, a lack of jobs leaves women to leave their rural homes and set out to look for jobs in the bigger city. From there, they are exploited from massage parlors, beer gardens, and even karaoke bars and taken for sex trafficking (Trafficking in Persons Report). Another example would be in Ethiopia, where traffickers will trick parents into letting their children work with the promise of education or money, which of course is a trap. In the United Kingdom, gangs force children to carry drugs. Lastly, in Yemen, cases show that there are as young as 11-year-old boys being forced to be soldiers and fight in the wars (Trafficking in Persons Report). These criminals who are professionals use threats and violence to get to their victims. They take their time to stalk and prey on potential victims if it is from the internet or real life. Targeting certain age groups, races, and targeting vulnerable people.
Women and children are commonly used for sex trafficking- forced to perform sexual activities against their will and or without their consent- these people are traumatized for the rest of their lives (Currie-McGhee 19). The kind of physical or emotional torment, they go through is unbearable for any human being. Making it extremely difficult to fully recover from the trauma they have lived through.
Although it happens everywhere around the globe, some countries are ranked as the worst locations for human trafficking. Countries are ranked in three different tiers. Tier 1 is the least dangerous and Tier 3 is the most. The Department's Annual Trafficking in Persons Report studied 187 different countries and territories. Russia, Belarus, Iran, and Turkmenistan were of the 22 countries ranked in Tier 3. Saying that they are ranked the most dangerous and problematic locations for human trafficking. Other countries that were ranked along Tier 3 were China, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela (Rfe/rl).
Locally, in the United States, in order from most dangerous to least, in 2020, starting at number one in California with 1656 reported cases, then Michigan with 383, Georgia at 375, Nevada at 313, Illinois with 296, North Carolina at 287, Pennsylvania 275, Arizona at 231, Washington with 229, and finally New Jersey with 224 reported cases. These states were ranked with the highest number of reported cases in the United States (World Population Review). Not a lot of Americans are aware of the potential danger they may be in when out in public. These traffickers are skilled at keeping it lowkey and blending into their surroundings as well as the general public. It is important that everyone is informed about the dangers of human trafficking and the clues to look for, as well as what to do if they believe they may have found themselves or someone else in a trafficking situation.
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These trained professionals are mostly men, although it is not unlikely that some women are involved in the trade as well. Nearly 40 percent of all convictions involve women. These women could have been past victims of sex trafficking themselves or born into the organization (Currie-McGhee). The women who were previous victims are most likely brainwashed and coached at a young age to accomplice the networking of this worldwide problem. These women have been in captivity for so long that it turns into a reality for them. They began to trust their “masters” and abide by their rules with no hesitation or fight. They may be promised shelter, food, water, attention, and money, which is why they choose to stay in the trade and help their past kidnappers catch other victims. Women are used to helping lure children in since women can pose as a motherly figure which makes children trust them. These businesses use women for many different tasks, the women can be as rigorous and dangerous as their male partners. Many victims shared that they were surprised at how much they trusted the women, they felt betrayed. Women used to give their victims a sense of security and honesty, making it easier to kidnap them (McLaughlin).
Sadly, some victims who have spoken up have admitted that their friends lured them in as well. In a specific case, a young woman by the name of Cynthia Payne, without knowing she was recruited by an old friend of hers in a Nigerian village in 1987. Her friend had become a key player in a trafficking “gang”... (The Guardian). Cynthia was tricked by her “friend” into a business trip to London where she was lured in with the lie of a bond for money. The victim was a model and her lifelong dream was to travel to London for an agency. It is very common to trick young women, for they offer them jobs such as models, nannies, waitresses, or dancers (End Slavery NOW). Cynthia was told that she would be supplied with a passport, flight, and hotel at the expense of the “agency”. After arriving in London she came to realize that the passport was fake and was given the wrong locations. She was threatened with robbery and arrest if she told anyone. Unknown how long she was with that trafficker, she then escaped and explained how surprised she was that the recruiter was a woman (The Guardian). That she was vulnerable enough and fell for the trick that the traffickers played on her, which ended in dire consequences.
Once these victims endure an unthinkable amount of physical and emotional pain, they can never fully recover. Even after freedom, these victims suffer from PTSD or other disorders due to the kind of horrific experiences they lived through for however long. Each day they live their life in fear. These experiences change who they are as human beings.
Cynthia is not the only woman who is a victim of human trafficking. Carmen is a young girl from Mexico. She grew up in a rural community. She spent most of her time working in the fields and walked hours daily to go to school. Her lifetime dream was to become a doctor or a scientist, but with her family's economic issues, she struggled to get the needed education to fulfill her dream occupation. After finishing elementary school, Carmen moved to Puebla, a bigger city with more opportunities, where she would stay with her cousin. With no warning, her life crumbled beneath her feet. Her co-worker helped three men kidnap her (How I Landed). Carmen was only 14 years old and her co-worker was an adult. One day, her co-worker “Rosi” showed up to her house randomly and she somehow got Carmen's address from work and claimed to show Carmen around the city. Rosi took Carmen to a nearby park after promising her cousin she would be home before dark. Carmen has not had the chance to explore her new home, so she was excited and trusted her tour guide. Later that day at the park, as Carmen said, “a good-looking man approached us. Rosi and the man quickly started a conversation and he bought us ice cream, then a man with a camera joined us along with another man who had a “fortune bird” and said he could tell the future. The man with the camera took a picture of us as a souvenir, but it took a little time to print so they told us to meet them back in a week” (How I Landed). The next Sunday, Rosi showed up at Carmen's door once again, this time to meet the man with the photo. They met these two men that Rosi allegedly knew, and they asked them to get in the car to go to the park. Carmen had said she had a bad feeling but ignored her gut. She got in the car and that is when it took a turn for the worst. She was being kidnapped (How I Landed). Unknown of any further events or scenes, this shows how your “friend” could be a part of the human trafficking gang. How it could be happening in your community. Although we do not know exactly what Carmen went through, we can assume something horrific.
Girls her age are most likely used in the sex trafficking industry. Raped, then sold and bought to other traffickers for money or trade. Some of these girls never escape and it sadly becomes a reality to them or later die due to physical injuries such as starvation, dehydration, or they are beaten to death. As most people do not know exactly what goes on behind these doors, the torment these victims go through is heartbreaking. Treating these victims as if they were animals or objects. Beating them and sexually assaulting them countless times a day. If these victims are lucky enough to escape such horror, they still suffer for the rest of their life. Although mostly all victims of human trafficking may experience some type of PTSD, it is more common in women that were sexually assaulted. After these women have symptoms of mental health problems and physical injuries, they are more likely to experience a great deal of anxiety, depression, and PTSD (Robjant). Some studies have shown that women who were sex trafficked for 6 months are twice as likely to experience levels of PTSD (Robjant). Although it is nearly impossible for these victims to fully recover mentally, there are ways to help cope with the trauma. Studies have also shown that recovery without treatment is very rare, it is hard to cope alone with your problems instead of getting professional help. With clinics and doctors who specialize in the recovery of trafficking victims, with patience and procedure, these victims have a good chance to get back on their feet and feel freedom again. Some women have the opportunity to receive psychological therapy from the Helen Bamber Foundation, which is a charity that helps reduce symptoms of PTSD for victims through therapy and treatment. This is one of many clinics that treat these patients. It is a long process to overcome but with medicine, treatment, and patience, there is hope. (Robjant).
People must know the signs of human trafficking. Some warning signs may include, being malnourished, signs of physical injury, avoiding eye contact/ law enforcement, seeming to be adhering to scripts or responses, tattoos or brandings, not being able to speak for themselves or go into public places alone, and young children acting romantic with older adults (Warning Signs of Human Trafficking). All of these situations could be a sign that human trafficking is taking place. It is always better to be safe and call law enforcement. Even if it ends up being faux, it is better to make sure than to be silent.
Everyone should know what to do if they find themselves being kidnapped or potentially followed. If you feel you are being followed or stalked, again it is a better idea to make sure than wait before it is too late. Not to be afraid to reach out to a trusted adult or call 911. Being able to call 911 might not only save yourself but other people too. It is also very important that the public knows how to personally defend themselves against potential kidnappers. If you are suffering from human trafficking or know someone who is, there are numbers you can call or text to receive help. The human trafficking hotline can be reached 24/7, 365 days of a year at 1 (888) 373-7888 (National Human Trafficking Hotline).
As sad as it is to see all this hate and violence in our world, when there is hate, it comes with love. There are organizations, charities, rescue missions, and doctors around the globe trying to end human trafficking for good. These organizations may travel from country to country in an effort to save victims, aid medical help, and donate to the worst parts of our world. With these acts of kindness, we all can fight to end human trafficking. It will not happen overnight but with the help of these organizations and the general public, we can help stop human trafficking forever and give the victims the justice they deserve.
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