Image by Getty Images via @daylifePublished: Wednesday, November 24, 2010BY TIM BATES
Human trafficking is a crime that occurs all around the world, but many of us really do not know exactly what human trafficking is, or for what purpose this crime is committed. Several countries recognize that human trafficking is a huge problem, and many have enacted laws against this practice. Although it may seem that this is a crime that happens in other parts of the world, it is estimated that this offense happens in at least 20 states, and is currently one of the fastest growing crimes.
In fact, it is said to be the third most profitable crime in the world after drugs and arms trafficking. Thankfully, there are several organizations around the world who are working to increase awareness of this problem by providing education and statistics to the public and law enforcement agencies as an aid in their fight against this terrible crime.
The United Nations defines human trafficking as "…the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation."
Exploitation can mean several different things, but mainly these crimes are perpetrated for the purposes of forced prostitution or creation of pornography, forced slavery or services, or for the removal of organs. The estimates vary, but most experts agree that the vast majority of victims are forced into the sex trade in one form or another; some estimates put that number as high as 80 percent of the victims.
So who are the victims of human trafficking? For the most part, victims are comprised of women and children (more than 80 percent are female), around half of whom are under the age of 18. Shamefully, the average age of a young woman when they are first trafficked is from 12 to 14 years old.
Many American children who fall victim to this crime had run away from homes where they were physically or sexually assaulted. More than two-thirds of sex trafficked children suffer additional abuse at the hands of their traffickers, and are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems. They are also much more likely to abuse illegal (and legal) substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and commit or be victimized by violent crimes. Women trafficking victims experience a significantly higher rate of HIV and other STDs, tuberculosis, and permanent damage to their reproductive systems. Many victims suffer from malnutrition, which can lead to health issues such as heart damage, anemia and severe tooth decay. As unbelievable as it may sound, the average price of trafficking victims is about $90.
There are many reasons why traffickers engage in this crime, but usually only a few reasons why victims do not run away, even when given the opportunity. Many times the victims have been brutalized by their captors, and are told that if they run away their families will be hurt, deported, or even killed. Some are led to believe that they owe a debt to their captors, and they will be jailed if they do not stay to work off their debt. Perpetrators also generally move their victims every 15-30 days to prevent the victims from becoming too comfortable in their surroundings, and with the intention of keeping them from contact with others or obtaining the information they would need to help them escape.
Many of these victims are wholly unfamiliar with the American legal system, so they are more easily persuaded by their captors that if they do flee they will be considered the criminal. Even if the victim was able to contact others in a cry for help, trafficking is very closely associated with organized crime, so it becomes very dangerous for anyone who offers aid as well.
All of this information may lead you to wonder how big of a problem this really is here in the United States. The United States Department of State began monitoring human trafficking in 1994, and has continued to gather data which is provided in its "Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices". Initially it focused on trafficking of women and girls for purposes of sexual exploitation, but soon expanded as it was quickly determined that there is a very high number of victims being trafficked for labor, including agriculture, domestic service, construction work, and sweatshops It is estimated that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the US every year. The US Government has enacted many acts to combat this crime, such as the "The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000" which enhances pre-existing criminal penalties, affords new protections to trafficking victims and makes available certain benefits and services to victims of severe forms of trafficking. It also establishes a Cabinet-level federal interagency task force and establishes a federal program to provide services to trafficking victims.
There is good news in that around the world and here at home, the number of traffickers who are arrested and successfully prosecuted has steadily increased year after year. Anti-violence and anti-crime acts have also helped to address this issue, and many policy advocacy organizations continue to lobby for stronger legislation against this crime as well as setting up funds to help the victims. If you or someone you know has been affected by this crime, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center 365 days a year, 24 hours a day at 1-888-373-7888, or the Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force at 1-888-428-7581 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Tim Bates is the Commander of the Detective Division of the Rome, New York Police Department. For questions or comments, he can be reached at (315) 339-7715 or via email at:
batest@romepd.com
Source: Rome Observer
Uncovering the facts about human trafficking - Opinion - Rome Observer
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