What Is Human Trafficking? and How You Can Help

Most people would say that slavery in the United States has ended many years ago and does not exist, unfortunately this is not true. Human Trafficking is modern day slavery that affects millions around the world including the United States. It is a growing problem that effects men, women, and children of various ages, even some as young as twelve years old. The family may be in a rural area in condition they might either send their child out for work or give the child up to a family member who might sell them to a trafficker. The trafficker may promise money sent to the family but never reaches. The person is brought to a foreign country to do forced labor in harsh conditions while being constantly threatened. Men, women, and children are forced or coerced into domestic work, prostitution, and hard labor.

Slavery in the United States has been abolished since the 1800’s so why does it still exist? Slavery in America and human trafficking are similar and even today some people are viewed as products. People are forced to work long hours with little to no pay and are treated as criminals. African American slaves were seen as laborers and were forced to work long hours with no pay in America. They were treated like products, and sold at auctions separated families from each other. Slaves in the south were beaten, kidnapped, raped, or even killed for disobeying the overseer or running away. In the article “Facts about The Slave Trade”, Slaves suffered from “blindness, swellings, whooping coughs, vitamin deficiency and having respiratory problems.” (Mintz).

The effects of human trafficking in the United States are the victims having to work a place that is in bad condition. Laborers, domestic, and sex workers are forced to live in inhumane living spaces for little to no money they are obligated to pay back a debt that is imaginary and some victims may even face rape, deportation, and other legal consequences. The places they are forced live in are cramped and the water might not be cleaned. Most trafficking victims become addicted to some are even forced to consume them.

The victims face physical and emotional pain that dealt by their trafficker in captivity. They cannot leave, see their family, or friends and are constantly having their lives threatened by their “boss”. Most victims work at massage parlors, hotel, and motels, forced to perform sexual acts. Women and young girls that are in the sex trade or forced to become prostitutes would face STD’s, stress, depression. They also face unwanted pregnancies, forced abortions, and other harsh risks by strangers or “customers”. Most victims in the United States are runaways, have become romantically involved with a stranger they thought they could trust, or have been kidnapped.

It is important to spread awareness because the more awareness the less the trafficker can hide and more victims can be saved. Also to inform that not all victims are forced to perform sex acts, but some are obligated to make every day products. . Human trafficking is a criminal organization that needs to be stopped and there are a few ways to help. One way to reduce human trafficking is to be able to recognize the signs that a person might be trafficked. According to the organization Polaris Project, You will know if they’re a victim if they avoid eye contact,” If the person is not allowed to leave as they please, working long unusual hours, and are nervous or paranoid. A victim of human trafficking may be chaperoned and cannot speak for themselves.” (Polaris). Being educated and having awareness of human trafficking is important because it can help reduce and save more victims. There are many charities and nonprofit organizations that want to help end human trafficking.

There are possible ways to end human trafficking, or at least reducing risks of more victims to be trafficked. Talking to your local law maker and expressing the mistreatment of victims being treated as criminals. In an article from USAToday.com by Yamiche Alcindor it states, those laws makers have decided that since traffickers are targeting U.S. schools to recruit victims for the sex trade they are now looking into this issue.” (Alcindor). There are a few states that are not starting to improve their laws against Human Trafficking. My goal is to spread more awareness to law makers to improve their laws in all states and to train law enforces to learn how to tell signs if they are a victim and to not treat them as criminals.

Children should be playing outside with whatever their imagination conjures up in a safe environment instead of being sold into a slave trade. Children should be tended to with care by responsible adults. Human trafficking needs to end because it is robbing men, women, and children of their lives that they could have. People should not have to worry about working in an environment that is cramped and in bad condition. Children should not have sex with multiple men a day. They should not have to pick up any STD’s at a very young age without protection. Education and being aware is very important because it will help reduce victims for future traffickers. These victims are seen as products or cattle and not as people. Every person should have the right to leave or do and say as they please without constantly being threatened and be free.