What Is Human Trafficking?
An Explanation
Trafficking in persons is something that happens to many people, most of them being women and children, all over the world. It is a serious violation of human rights and is becoming an epidemic in the US. The difference between human trafficking, for example sex trafficking, and other kinds of illegal industries, such as the drug industry, is that drugs can only be sold once. A human can be sold over and over again to whoever wants them. This makes it very profitable.Most people's ideas of what human trafficking is come from movies or TV shows. It is portrayed as a little girl being lured from a playground by a stranger and into his van, or some type of overwhelming and quick kidnapping. The reality of how a person enters into trafficking, however, is much more complicated and diverse. In fact, in Polaris' 2017 data report it reveals that out of all the cases reported, 25 percent of the victims were recruited into trafficking by a family member. Thirty-three percent were recruited by an intimate partner. All together, in 70 percent of the cases reported, the victim knew the person who had recruited them.
Another misconception due to movies is that victims are kept locked in a room or chained to the ground. While that may be true in some cases, there are many different ways a victim's trafficker will control them. The Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative defines the means of control as follows:
- psychological abuse: a situation in which an exploiter used emotionally abusive, deceptive, or devious tactics to influence the individual. This may include name calling, verbal abuse, humiliating in front of others, manipulating power balances, or shaming the individual.
- restriction of movement: a situation where an exploiter isolated, confined, or limited the movement of the individual in any way physically or socially. This may include the victim being physically detained or unable to move without being monitored, or emotional isolation such as restricting access to support systems or social networks
- threats: situation where an exploiter explicitly or implicitly communicated an intent to induce harm or loss to the individual.
- physical abuse: a situation in which an exploiter acted to cause physical injury, pain, disability, death or trauma to the individual. This includes but is not limited to strangulation, shaking, slapping, punching, kicking, burning, branding, or tattooing.
- taking earnings: a situation in which an exploiter takes the remuneration of an individual to control them.
- psychoactive substances: a situation in which an exploiter induced an individual into substance abuse, provided substances to influence behavior, or exploited an existing substance abuse issue.
- sexual abuse: a situation in which an individual experienced any kind of unwanted or non-consensual sexual contact from their exploiter as a means to control the individual (NOT the same as sex labor). This includes using sexual assaults, acts, or contact as punishment or manipulation, as well as forcing/coercing an individual to continue or terminate a pregnancy against their will, manipulating birth control, intentional exposure to an STI, and impregnating an individual.
- withholding necessities
- false promises: a situation in which an exploiter used deception or false pretenses to trick an individual into exploitation
- debt bondage: a situation in which an individual is forced to pay off a created or perceived debt. Deceived into working for little or no pay, with no control over their debt.
- withholding documents: a situation in which an exploiter limited, restricted, or controlled an individual's access to important documents including passports, immigration documents, work permits, identification, birth certificates, custody papers, or court-issued protection orders.
- threat of law enforcement: a situation in which an exploiter explicitly or implicitly communicated the intent to contact or involve law enforcement or immigration authorities
- excessive working hours: a situation in which an individual had to work a significant number of hours in excess of what they were contracted to do. Could be used as a means for keeping the individual isolated or unable to seek help or report their situation.
- restrictions on financial access: a situation in which an exploiter prohibited or restricted an individual's access to their own personal finances or daily living funds. This includes controlling personal bank accounts, credit cards, or stealing funds.
- restriction of health care: a situation in which an exploiter restricts an individual's access to medical or health services. This includes withholding necessary medical treatment or restricting an individual's ability to interact with health services without being monitored or accompanied.
