Conf Franco Human Trafficking

In her article, "Human Trafficking: An International Problem with an International Solution Requiring National Implementation", Melanie Franco analyzes the obstacles that victims of human trafficking face in being identified and properly cared for on in the United States. She provides an overview of legal issues in the enforcement of international human rights, focusing especially on the need for better training and administration in the U.S. Significant disparity exists between the fight against human trafficking in the U.S. and the U.N. Franco asserts that the discrepancies between the two hinder the anti-trafficking movement because the United States does not hold itself to the same standards as other countries. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the United States' official stance on human trafficking, provides a firm foundation for proper legal treatment of victims but is lacking in its method of identifying severely trafficked victims. Implementing international law on a national level, Franco insists, will greatly improve the effectiveness of anti-human trafficking efforts. Franco's analysis of the United States' implementation of laws against human trafficking is thorough in its comparison of U.S. laws with those of the United Nations and detailed in
its multi-faceted definition of human trafficking. I agree with her assertion that the United States must strengthen its attack on trafficking by broadening its definition of victims, requiring all states to train their law enforcement in identifying victims, and decriminalizing all victims, regardless of age. This article is undoubtedly relevant to my topic, as I am researching methods by which the United States can improve its success in combatting human trafficking. As discussed in Franco's article, the U.S. holds other countries to a standard that it does not hold itself to, and this is an issue that must be acknowledged and corrected in order for advancement to be realized in the fight against trafficking. The inordinate number of criminalized victims in the U.S. is clearly indicative of a need for oversight of the nation's enforcement of human rights. Franco's suggestion that the United Nations step into this role and ensure that the United States follows an international standard is a viable approach to the issue. I also recognize the value of accurately depicting the reality of human trafficking, as Franco has done in her article.
Her discussion of the specific challenges international victims must overcome in order to seek help provides context for the implementation of international law. Victims must deal with fear of physical and emotional abuse, fear of legal repercussions, and lack of familiarity with the local area. These reasons and more frequently prevent victims of trafficking from accessing resources to help them. Because Franco includes a description of trafficking in her article, her argument that victims deserve better treatment from the government elicits sympathy for the cause from
readers. Franco's article is credible and useful to my research because it analyzes the weak points in the United States' regulation of human trafficking laws and draws comparisons between the U.S. and other countries in identifying and providing care for victims.