Trafficking is the most heinous violation of human rights. Social work is a field that is particularly built to address the problems of human trafficking. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the profession of social work is solely committed to facing and fighting social injustices, there is a huge absent of discussion on how to address the issue of human trafficking. By using special techniques to assist victims of human trafficking social workers will be able to play a critical and crucial role in offering restoration to those who are victims of the trade.
Human trafficking is categorized as a widespread global crime. Criminals prey on the most vulnerable in society. “Among identified victims worldwide, 55 percent to 60 percent are women,
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Identifying the victims is the first step to the healing process. Victims can develop health problems that may bring them to a hospital, inevitably bringing them in contact with a social worker. “Some research suggest that 28 percent of trafficked women visited a health professional while being trafficked” (Hodge, 2014). There are three major indicators that social workers need to use to detect the presence of trafficking. The first indicator is the type of situation the victim is in. Some examples include not have the correct medical documentation, having signs of physical abuse (abuse to private areas of the body) and the constant watch of an individual (a pimp). The second is the type of story the victim provides. Their story may indicate they have no freedom, forced to preform sexual acts and do nothave a stable job. Lastly, emotional behavior such as sign of being scared, depressed and inadequacy to answering questions will give hints to the social worker that something larger is at …show more content…
I have found the information regarding the United States and trafficking very insightful. I was unaware of how serious this social problem is and how little it is addressed by sociologist. The topic of human trafficking directly correlates to this course because it is a major social problem that affects the community as a whole. This problem affects different members of society on a different scale and it also creates new social problems. I believe this article has essential information about the human sex trade. It gives insight to how pimps organize their business, how to help the victims and how social workers play a key role in the restoration process for the women who are affected by the trade. It has made me realize that women are suffering and being exploited this very second. It has given me insight into a dark and dangerous world. I agree with the author, if more research is conducted on the secretive network of traffickers, then social workers and the authority would be able to study and understand the insidious business that goes
As victim count continues to rise, its difficult to see how such great numbers of men, women and children are bought and sold every year. Trafficking can be found in many forms, including: prostitution, slavery, or forced labor (Harf and Lombardi, 2014). It wasn’t until the 1980’s that international human trafficking became globally noticed. With the lack of government intervention and control in several nations, and the free trade market, slavery once again became a profitable industry (Harf and Lombardi, 2014). As previously mentioned, easier movement across nations borders is one of the outcomes of globalization. It is also what makes human trafficking so easy today. It is estimated that about 20.9 million people are victims across the entire globe (United Nations Publications, 2012); trafficking accounts for 32 billion dollars in generated profit globally (Brewer, n.d). 58 percent of all human trafficking was for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and of this 55-60 percent are women (United Nations Publications,
According to the Office for Victims of Crime, crimes committed against human trafficking victims can lead to the destruction of basic life assumptions; that one is safe from harm, one is a good and decent person, and the world is meaningful and just (Office for Victims of Crime, 1998). Working through the psychological trauma experienced by trafficking victims can require long-term, comprehensive mental health therapy (Briere & Scott, 2014). The health care response to trafficking victims in the United States differs greatly from efforts made by governments and health care entities. The health care response to trafficking victims in the United States differs greatly from efforts made by governments and health care entities in developing countries. In many developing countries, governments have allocated no financial support for programs to combat human trafficking, or for programs to provide medical care to victims. Lack of funding, trained medical staff and the stigmatization placed on many victims once back in their home countries can make access to appropriate health care virtually
According to Van Wormer & Bartollas (2014), sex trafficking, “encompasses the organized movement of people, usually women, between countries and within countries for sex work” (p. 289). Sex trafficking is also a very lucrative business, it is estimated to make $31. 6 billion annually. This amount is estimated from the 2.5 million people who a trafficked each year. The exact number of people who are victims of the sex industry cannot be predicted accurately for all over the world. In the United States alone there is about 14,500-17,500 people trafficked each year. Human trafficking it the third biggest organized crime after drug and arms trafficking (Hodge, 2014). Young men make up about 44% of people being trafficked, while women and girls
Stephanie Hepburn states that, "The US is one of the top 10 destinations for human trafficking—with tens of thousands of people trafficked into the country each year." Many people believe that since the United States is the land of opportunities, events like human trafficking do not exist; little do they know it happens everywhere. Human trafficking is a worldwide problem that plagues the United States; many people are oblivious to the issue and action needs to be taken to protect the innocent people who are involved.
“People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used” (“27 Human Trafficking” 1). Occurring in every part of the world, human trafficking is a widespread, large problem. Many women and children are affected by human trafficking, causing their lives to be completely transformed. Once some women’s lives are changed, they will never return to normal again. Human sex trafficking is a growing problem that affects women emotionally, physically, and psychologically.
Summary: We see that there are many different aspects and types of human trafficking that everyone should be made aware of. As a whole human trafficking is a lucrative industry raking in $150 BILLION globally. The impact that this industry has on its victims is
Human Trafficking is one of the largest growing problems in the United States. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years and we still have trouble stopping it. The definition of trafficking is, “the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation.” Every day people are being taken or forced to do unmentionable things against their will for free. This is a violent trade and the people who run these organizations are very good at moving people. This paper will talk about a brief history of human trafficking, the issues with human trafficking and facts of human trafficking. This is a very graphic trade and people often die or are killed while trying to help or trying to escape.
Many of these health related problems they will have to suffer with for many years, or perhaps the rest of their lives. Victims of sex trafficking are physically abused, tortured, and are at risk for numerous, diseases, illnesses, and injuries. They experience grueling injuries of broken bones, burns, scars, and even head trauma. Women are likely to encounter unwanted pregnancies, “sterility, miscarriage, menstrual problems, mutilations, and forced abortions” (Deshpande & Nour, 2013). They are susceptible to a number of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as HIV. Housing conditions are often unsanitary and very poor. This makes the victim more vulnerable to illness like tuberculosis, malaria, and pneumonia. Children especially are likely to experience malnutrition, and stunted growth. Due to the illegal nature of sex trafficking, traffickers do not usually allow their victims to seek medical attention for their injuries, and medical concerns.
It's hard for me to conceive that there are bad people who abuse others for their own good. I think that the purest things that human beings possess are: his body, his soul, and the liberty to do his will. When an individual corrupts someone else soul, this one, becomes purest. When an individual corrupts someone else’s body, this one, becomes marked. When we hear about human trafficking what first comes to our mind is a girl from a different country who is been slaved against her will. We think that this phenomenon is something that does not happen here in the United States. Prostitution is not associated with human trafficking because we believe that prostitution is a choice that those girls make to make a living and we forget that they are been controlled by pimps and in some cases they are abused by those pimps. Just because they have a different name does not mean that they are not equally wrong.
Social service professionals work to address the problem of human trafficking in a number of ways. Social workers are unique in their approach to this issue because they can address it from a number of angles. For example, social workers concentrate on both the individual victim as well as their social and economic situation which distinguishes it from other professions such as counseling (Palmer, 2010). Social workers meet the needs of human trafficking victims according to the principles outlined in the National Association of Social Worker’s Code of Ethics. (Palmer 2010). Nancy Palmer (2010) notes, that despite some similarities, human trafficking victims have “more complex and wide-ranging service needs” than those who suffer from related criminal acts. (p.48). Education is an important aspect of a social workers job not only to be aware of the problem and of the appropriate standards of action but also to recognize potential victims. Stotts & Ramey’s (2009) research shows, “it is entirely possible for a counselor to come in contact with a victim of trafficking without knowing it. Situations in which counselors are most likely to come into contact with a potential victim include homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, or crisis hotlines” (p.44). Social workers who suspect a possible victim can confirm through the National Trafficking Resource Center as well locating local services available to sufferers. If the victim is in immediate danger then social service workers notify local law enforcement (Stotts & Ramey, 2009). Once victims are identified, then social workers turn to meeting their physical and psychological needs by providing mental and health care to individuals and groups. Studies indicate that victims e...
Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery, in which individuals are being exploited for profit. When most of us hear human trafficking, we instantly conclude that a person is being held against their will to perform sexual acts and someone is profiting. In reality, there is also labor trafficking, where an individual is forced and threatened by employers to work against their will. There is an immense amount of victims of human trafficking not only in the United States, but also globally. Bringing awareness to communities is vital to help individuals who are victims of human trafficking to seek help, but also allow those to help rescue victims. By doing so, it is key to provide information on the rates of human trafficking, recruitment,
"An ounce of cocaine, wholesale: $1 ,200. You can sell it only once. A woman or child is
It is the world’s fastest growing global crime. It is also the world’s second largest source of illegal income after drug trafficking. According to the United Nations Office on drugs and crime (2012),”Women account for 55-60 per cent of all trafficking victims detected globally; women and girls together account for about 75% and as many as 161 countries are affected by human trafficking.” It is also believed that the victims arguably come from the poorest countries in the world. One of the main causes of human trafficking is vulnerability. For example, children are more vulnerable to trafficking because of their lack of understanding and experience. Additionally, in certain societies, women are less empowered than men thus resulting in gender inequality both at home and in the workplace. Gender inequality then leads to easy exploitation through the use of force or
Human trafficking is a form of slavery, forcing victims to engage in sexual activities and labors against their will. These activities can be taken place through force, fraud, or constraint. Human trafficking is not just affecting one group of people, it is a worldwide issue, affecting all different ages, genders, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Human trafficking is such an immense problem, apprehending the true size, knowing how to help, and how to keep the issue from reoccurring. Human trafficking is and is still becoming such a serious issue that something needs to be done about.
Human trafficking, or the selling and buying of people, is a well-hidden yet prominent issue within today’s society. It is both an immoral and horrific topic that needs brought to attention and dealt with. When human beings are manipulated into work, sexual servitude, or economic hardship, human trafficking is occurring. In the year of 2006, only one individual is convicted of human trafficking per 800 victims (UNGIFT). By looking at straight statistics, reasons human trafficking happens, and the toll it has on people, it is very clear that this is a major issue that is happening in our world.