What is Human Trafficking?

Human Trafficking is modern day slavery.

According to the Wikipedia - Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, harbouring, or receipt of people for the purposes of slavery, forced labor (including bonded labor or debt bondage) and servitude. The total annual revenue for trafficking in persons is estimated to be between $5 billion and $9 billion.^[1] TheCouncil of Europe states that “[p]eople trafficking has reached epidemic proportions over the past decade, with a global annual market of about $42.5 billion.”^[2][3] Trafficking victims typically are recruited using coercion, deception, fraud, the abuse of power, or outright abduction. Threats, violence, and economic leverage such as debt bondage can often make a victim consent to exploitation.

Exploitation includes forcing people into prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. For children, exploitation may also include forced prostitution, illicit international adoption, trafficking for early marriage, or recruitment as child soldiers, beggars, for sports (such as child camel jockeys or football players), or for religious cults.^[4]

11 FACTS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

1. The average cost of a slave around the world in $90.
2. Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including:
   • Forcing victims into prostitution
   • Subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude
   • Compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography
   • Misleading victims into debt bondage
3. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
4. It is estimated that there are approximately 27 million slaves around the world.
5. Between 2001 and 2005, 140 defendants have been convicted of human trafficking in the U.S. which is a 109% increase from 1996-2000.
6. Around half of trafficking victims in the world are under the age of 18.
7. More than 2/3 of sex trafficked children suffer additional abuse at the hands of their traffickers.
8. Trafficked children are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems, abuse substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and either commit or be victimized by violent crimes later in life.
9. Women who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation experience a significantly higher rate of HIV and other STDs, tuberculosis, and permanent damage to their reproductive systems.
10. There is only one shelter in the U.S. designed specifically to meet the needs of trafficking victims, and it currently only houses a total of seven to nine victims.
11. Trafficking victims normally don’t get help because they think that they or their families will be hurt by their traffickers, or that they will be deported.

Learn more by visiting the following anti-trafficking organizations:

• Free The Slaves
• Hope For Justice
• iAbolish
• International Justice Mission
• love146
• Not For Sale
• Stop the Traffik
• The A21 Campaign

 

Sources: 
Initiative against Sexual Trafficking 
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence 
US Dept. of State 
Free the Slaves