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Slavery, Still Happening Today
Throughout time, human trafficking continues to increase as it has become a
modern day form of slavery. It has become a multi million dollar industry. Human
Trafficking has become a successful form of profit that involves sexual exploitation. It
includes forced labor between adults and children. This crime has become
transnational, as it has become a problem around the globe. Not only is this crime a
problem around the world, it is also a hidden crime. Many victims are unable to seek
help or say anything due to the trauma that they experience. Human trafficking is
defined as “commercial sex work such as prostitution, pornography, exotic dancing,
stripping, mail-order brides” (Deshpande, Nour). This form of slavery is so intricate that
it involves “recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving a person by
means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, or
deception” (Deshpande, Nour) This victimization can start when one is as young as
seven years old.
Although anybody is at risk for falling victim of the international crime, majority
of the victims share similar backgrounds. The trait they share more often than not is a
background in a poor socioeconomic condition. These people tend to be more
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vulnerable to human trafficking due to the desperation of making easy money, and the
downfalls of poverty. Pimps, who are the supervisors and to make profit off of their
victims, prey on people who are vulnerable and socially isolated. These are
characteristics of making it an easy target. Because of the poor socioeconomic status of
the victims, oftentimes they also suffer from a lack of support. Pimps will oftentimes
take advantage of the lack of support and brainwash the victims with promises of false
love. At the same time, these victims are being forced into sexual exploitation. It’s been
found that the victims have a plethora of rules that they must follow, they are restrained
from contact with their friends and family and also have limited freedom. It has been
found that it is incredibly hard to escape this industry. Some pimps practice taking away
legal documents from their victims, leaving the victims feeling hopeless and trapped in
this dangerous lifestyle.
There are several other factors that lead people to become victims of human
trafficking. However, it is more common for females to succumb to trafficking.
According to Deshpande and Nour prolonged truancy, drugs and gang involvement are
all factors that can lead to being trafficked, especially for females. When truancy
becomes a routine in a young female, it can cause them to become uneducated. This
leads to naivety which sadly can make for an easy target. “Being naive is a big advantage
for people who seek victims for human trafficking as they are easily persuaded and are
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usually unaware of what is really going on” (Deshpande, Nour). Alongside truancy and
naivety, drugs also are a leading cause...
