HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human trafficking is also known as trafficking in persons or in short TIP is often distinguished from one another by the notion that migration is characterized by choice and trafficking by coercion, deception, or force.

The UN defines human trafficking as:

The recruitment, transportation, 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.

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that at any given time, 12.3 million men, women, and children worldwide are coerced into forced and bonded labour, involuntary servitude, and sexual slavery; of these, 9.8 million are exploited by private agents.

Human trafficking is a labour issue for three key reasons:

·         Related with exploitation in labour;

·         One of the worst forms of labour exploitation; and

·         Related with violations of worker rights, those are lack of labor standards and protections for workers especially in migrant workers, and globalization forces that displace workers and encourage competition for low wage jobs.

Source: Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO. 2008. Worker rights and migrant workers. In Solidarity    Center, AFL-CIO, Justice for All: A Guide to Workers Rights in the Global Economy. pp. 98-99. Washington, D.C: Solidarity Center. http://www.solidaritycenter.org/files/pubs_jfa2009.pdf [13 February 2011].

MOVIE ON THE ISSUE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

This serious issue of human trafficking does not just capture the attention of the governments and the authorities but also the attention of few movie directors that really care to educate and raise the awareness of people around the globe. In this movies they show how tricky and how cleverly human traffickers do their job and make other suffer. 

      In the movie, 'Taken', starring Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace, Neeson plays a role of a very caring father whose life is only about her daughter. Then one day, his daughter   (Maggie Grace) decided to go on a vacation to Paris with her cousin Amanda and on then on, her nightmare begins. This movie was directed by Pierre Morel.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvUxdQ4q-Lg 

THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND WAYS TO PREVENT IT

In a report on November 17, 2009, there are about 27 million people worldwide who have become victims of human trafficking. They are kidnapped and forced into doing things that if they have a choice, they will not do. This crime which has been organized by very tricky and intelligent organizations is always increasing day by day. The victims, having no choice, have to become slave-like through force, threat and deception. 

     What are so worrying about this issue of human trafficking is women and children, especially girls, are always being exploited sexually. This could lead to another big problem and that is being infected with HIV. In Nepal, the medication for HIV positive costs only 3 dollars, but sadly, most of them who got infected could not afford the 3 dollars price. That just shows how awful the problem is in a country where sex is exploited so easily. These victims of human trafficking also have to go through many sicknesses due to the lack of nutrients since they were not given a proper diet. 

      Half of this victim’s age is below 18 years old. In barbaric industry, these victims were only sold for 90 dollars. and a result these children will grow up to be an abusive person, becoming someone who is mentally sick, willingly become a prostitute out of sex addiction, drug addict and dealers and so much more. Why is this happening? A very good explanation would be because they are so traumatized with what happen to them when they were a kid. And worst, they are likely to become one of the human trafficking criminal. 

     Why is this problem still lingering around and many people keep wondering why are these victims do not or hesitate to ask for help when they have the opportunities to do so? It is mainly because they are afraid of their families’ safety. This report stated that human being trading industry is estimated to be worth of 7 to 9 billion US dollars. Hence, people nowadays are dangerously vulnerable to cruel human traffickers. However, the governments and authorities all around the world especially in countries where this matter is in a very serious level, they have taken big steps to prevent this problem from going on. They have planned many strategies such as enhancing the efficiency of local authorities and setting up a local legal criminal system. The government had also rescued and put the traumatized victims in a rehabilitation programs. In addition, they have increased the public awareness and advocacy program to make sure that people are aware of how awful this issue is. 

Source: Tina. 2009. Human trafficking facts. http://www.bible-knowledge.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/17/human-trafficking-facts/ [17 February 2011]