Human trafficking has become a large issue in many countries around the world, but in the United States it is illegal; yet it still exist, this is why the United States needs to become more involved in the issues of human trafficking. There are two common types of human trafficking: sexual and labor. Data collected between 2010 and 2012 shows 53% of trafficking was sexual and 40% was labor, this percent was calculated out of 31,766 reports. And in 2000 50,000 women and children were trafficked annually (Potocky, Miriam).
In the United States sexual trafficking is a large issue. From the ages as young as 11 women and children are sold into prostitution, but no one deserves the life of slavery. In sexual trafficking people are sold into prostitution, some threatened and held against their will, others voluntary. Being kidnapped and forced to have sexual intercourse with stranger is absolutely a revolting thought. No one deserves that experience. With unsanitary sexual intercourse comes diseases such as STIs and HIV which is a leading cause of death in the sexual trafficking world. The worst part is the victims that do get out are charged for prostitution. It is not there fault for being taken and forced into the prostitution world! The only way the victim should be charged is …show more content…
if they sold their body voluntary. But arresting forced victims is absolutely ridiculous, they did not choose to become a slave, they were tricked and or forced. A victim by the name of “Harriet”, is an American girl who ran away from home when she was 11 years old and moved in with a 32-year-old man who sexually and physically abused her and persuaded her to become a prostitute. Harriet became addicted to drugs and received numerous sexually transmitted diseases. When she was 13 she was arrested for prostitution but officer officials made no effort for finding her pimp (a man or woman who controls prostitutes and arranges clients for them, taking part of their earnings in return) (“Human Trafficking”). Since the man abused her this would be considered force. So why was there no act of searching for the man and deepening the investigation? It is because the United States is not fully aware of how serious this issue is. Women are being charged for crimes they did not commit is absolutely awful and unfair towards them.
Now there is also trafficking for labor. This is where control traffickers use force,fraud, or coercion including techniques such a confinements, beatings,rape, confiscation of documents, and debt bondage to make them work for them. These threats force these victims to work until they are either killed or have no use anymore. The United States abolished slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment which abolished slavery and servitude in the United States, also the Mann Act of 1910 (White slave traffic act) was put into the country to stop the trade of slaves but yet it didn't work. But not only United States citizens are being trafficked in America, immigrants are as well. Traffickers lure immigrants and U.S citizens in by false advertisement of jobs and a better life.Majority are immigrants that come to the U.S and become labor slaves. Some immigrants come voluntarily just to get out of their country but many are tricked into coming.
While luring victims can be face to face many are lured by the internet. On social media such as Craigslist,Instagram, Kik, Facebook, and snapchat traffickers message teens and lure them into meeting. Some of the teens are just innocent girls and boys looking for love, but instead they get smuggled around the world. This also happens to adults, when adults are on the media looking to buy an item and need to meet the seller things can turn south, just like younger people adults can be smuggled as well. The worst part is it can be extremely difficult to find the trafficker since they can fully delete messages ads and more, though some aren't as smart and leave evidence majority are intelligent and experienced.
The government is a big part of this issue since this is a criminal act. Though the government has made actions towards the issue such as making the Trafficking and Violence Act in 2000 and Trafficking in Person. But the United States have also failed at stopping human trafficking.Only 4,166 prosecution were successful in 2010 out of the million that occurred that is a small ratio. Also U.S attorneys decline to prosecute 60% of cases and 25% of them are federal. And the government can’t collect all data because it is hard to put an exact number on the amount of victims (Potocky, Miriam). The government has done a few good actions, and hopefully they do more in the future. What the government should do is monitor the internet more closely, accept more cases and not sweep them under the rug, they need to be more aware on illegal immigration (border control), for a missing person they need to take into consideration of trafficking, and not give up on the case so soon. The United States does have a lot on their plate with other criminal activity such as terrorist attacks and illegal immigration, but shouldn't this issue be as important as the rest? The answer is yes because all American lives matter, and if the crime is in America involving an immigrant the United States should still do something to stop the issue because the country is suppose to be a safe, free nation.
Human trafficking has become a large issue in many countries around the world, but in the United States it is illegal; yet it still exist. The government has made smart choices with this issue but also they have made many mistakes. But no one should be a slave it is the right of the people. The Human Act Preamble says
“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge”.
These are the rights of the American people. The recurring theme in the human rights is freedom. Everyone has the right to be free, human trafficking must be put to an end once and for all. No one deserves to be a slave (even the voluntary don’t) no matter their skin color,nationality or religion no one deserves to be treated that
way.