What is Human Trafficking and How to Stop it
*trigger warning *⚠️ human trafficking
Human trafficking is when someone is recruited, transported, or held to be abused. Blue Campaign says, "Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation."
According to Interpol, these are the top reasons people are trafficked:
Forced labor- Victims usually come from developing countries and are recruited by lies.
Forced criminal activities- Victims are forced to steal, sell fake goods, work with drugs, or beg.
Sex Trafficking- Victims come from every region and are forced to work in every region of the world.
Removal of organs- Waiting lists for organ transplants can be long, so traffickers exploit both the desperate patients and donors.
World-wide, millions are trafficked each year. According to this UN page, three out of four women are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Have you wondered if someone is being taken advantage of
Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish if someone is in an abusive relationship, being taken advantage of or being trafficked. OUR is a group that works in 28 countries to rescue victims of human trafficking and helps them become survivors. You can sign up and take free self-paced virtual classes to help you spot the signs of human trafficking.
If you believe someone is being trafficked, here is a list of phone numbers:
If you cannot find your country in our list, the United States has a chat option and they will be able to give you the information for your country.
Migrant Smuggling
Migrant smuggling is when someone is hired to sneak migrants or refugees across country borders. It is closely related for anti-trafficking organizations because they often become victims to human trafficking. Smugglers and their criminal ring, prey on vulnerable, and desperate people.
Everything they do has a fee and if it cannot be paid, they find someone who will pay it. This can be done by selling or abusing humans. Assault, rape and extortion are common. Upon arrival at the destination, there is no guarantee of a better life. Here is a great infographic on how migrant smuggling can be treacherous.
What Survivors of Traffickers Say
This woman was trafficked by her parents and when she escaped, she ended up being trafficked by others. She now runs a non-profit to help others escape like she did. Her key points are that it can happen by those you love and it can be hard to escape without help.
All three of these women were trying to leave their countries for better opportunities. Two became sex slaves and one became a surrogate slave.
According to the Salvation Army, survivors want to share this:
It happens to in all communities
It happens to all nationalities
It happens to all genders
They blame themselves
They are resilient, strong and brave
The language we use when talking to them matters (blame shifting)
They were often forced or coerced into exploitation by subtle psychological and emotional manipulation
Human trafficking isn’t just sex trafficking (see above infographic)
Recovery from any trauma is a process
Involvement in the fight against trafficking is critical
Anyone can join the fight
Next week we will be talking about internet safety
This is one of the ways predators find victims. We will show you how to help keep yourself, those you love and your community safe.
If this speaks to you, then please comment below and share to spread awareness to this sensitive and heartbreaking topic.
Please like and subscribe to remember you are not alone in your feelings and experiences, you are FOUND. Our community is for YOU and we welcome you with open arms. 🤗
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