Human Trafficking
Hannah Peabody
Honors Sophomore English
Mrs. Ciesla
April 11, 2012
Human Trafficking “It is estimated that over 27 million slaves exist all over the world today” (Yea 3). This is the greatest amount of slaves in any point in history. Despite efforts from all over the world, human trafficking has become more prevalent overtime and a majority of the population is unaware. Because it is a major global problem in the world today, it is important to be aware of basic facts, prevention, protection and the prosecution of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person though force, coercion, or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. No region or country in the world is deemed immune from human trafficking but South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern/Southern Europe are considered ‘epicenters’ of human trafficking (Yea 3). “Third-world” countries are usually the nations where trafficking is most common. It is hard to know exactly how big the problem of trafficking is since it is an underground activity. Trafficked people are usually described as “hidden populations.” The profits usually go through a process of money laundering, making it hard to trace activities of traffickers. Human trafficking and smuggling are similar but not interchangeable. Smuggling is transportation based and trafficking is exploitation based.
Children are major targets for traffickers because they are vulnerable and weaker than adults. “South Africa’s estimated 1.4 million AIDS orphans are especially vulnerable” (Skinner 54). They are also cost less to purchase than adults. “In some Asian countries such as Thailand, young slaves can be bought for just a few dollars” (Farrell 15). They also can do some jobs quicker than adults, such as tasks involving their small hands. “In south Asia, up to 90% of the employees at carpet factories are children between the ages of
Honors Sophomore English
Mrs. Ciesla
April 11, 2012
Human Trafficking “It is estimated that over 27 million slaves exist all over the world today” (Yea 3). This is the greatest amount of slaves in any point in history. Despite efforts from all over the world, human trafficking has become more prevalent overtime and a majority of the population is unaware. Because it is a major global problem in the world today, it is important to be aware of basic facts, prevention, protection and the prosecution of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person though force, coercion, or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. No region or country in the world is deemed immune from human trafficking but South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern/Southern Europe are considered ‘epicenters’ of human trafficking (Yea 3). “Third-world” countries are usually the nations where trafficking is most common. It is hard to know exactly how big the problem of trafficking is since it is an underground activity. Trafficked people are usually described as “hidden populations.” The profits usually go through a process of money laundering, making it hard to trace activities of traffickers. Human trafficking and smuggling are similar but not interchangeable. Smuggling is transportation based and trafficking is exploitation based.
Children are major targets for traffickers because they are vulnerable and weaker than adults. “South Africa’s estimated 1.4 million AIDS orphans are especially vulnerable” (Skinner 54). They are also cost less to purchase than adults. “In some Asian countries such as Thailand, young slaves can be bought for just a few dollars” (Farrell 15). They also can do some jobs quicker than adults, such as tasks involving their small hands. “In south Asia, up to 90% of the employees at carpet factories are children between the ages of