Making Efforts To Stop Human Trafficking

By Author: Erica Ronchetti
Total Articles: 738
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the U.S.A. has spent a lot of time studying the impact of human trafficking. The latest reports indicate that over 12 million people are sold into slavery each year. This number is thought to be as high as 27 million, but obviously it is difficult to get a true recording of these types of transactions.

The term human trafficking refers to recruiting and then forcing people to involuntarily work at any point in time.Although people of all ages and genders can be victims, the overwhelming majority of victims are women. And to make matters worse most of these women are forced into prostitution. Therefore the term sex slavery is quite appropriate for this terrible crime. A common theme around the world is that most countries do not have significant laws to stop human trafficking. Those countries that do have necessary laws do not always pursue the law breakers with adequate force.

Greed is the underlying cause of human trafficking. Wealthy individuals, tourists and crime lords have a desire for convenient sex and they are willing to ...
... pay for it. Many times the bosses of organized crime operations approach vulnerable women with promises of steady work, safe shelter and material goods. These women typically are found in the poverty stricken regions around the world and are easily lured by these material promises. The women realize too late that they have been misled and are now the targets of men who will threaten their lives if the women do not cooperate. After a short amount of time the spirit to fight back is broken in the women and they accept their new found reality.

With so many victims it would seem like an easy thing to stop human trafficking, however, these transactions often go undetected. Most women are brought from one country into another country where the women do not speak the language. Without the ability to communicate with anyone around them, or contact loved ones back home, they are bound to abide by their bosses orders or face the consequences. Some organizations use front businesses such as massage parlors to hide the illegal activities of prostitution.

The efforts to stop human trafficking must be approached not only from those that wish to sell women in slavery but also those who wish to purchase the women. Tougher laws aimed at the people who willingly spend money to buy the women would be one of the easiest ways to combat this problem. In any business, if demand for the product stops then the supply soon fades away. By elevating the status of women in all cultures so that they are equal to men, it will become more difficult for people to purchase and subsequently sell women. In addition, teaching boys and young men about the hideous truth of prostitution can open their eyes and allow them to join the fight to stop human trafficking. Along with this strategy, stronger laws need to be in place to find those individuals that prey on these young women. By putting an end to the supply, the goal to stop human trafficking will soon be a reality.

Erica Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Soroptimist International of the Americas, an organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. To find out more about domestic violence facts, sex slavery and how your help can stop sex trafficking, visit the site Soroptimist.org. You can also read more white papers about this and similar problems.