Human Trafficking and Its Effects on Women

15 Dec. 2013. Bethel, Laura. "Amsterdam's Red Light District - Human Trafficking ." Amsterdam's Red Light District - Human Trafficking . N.p., n.d.

The sex trafficking occurs when the unwilling are being forced to perform sexual acts on or with other humans. Labor trafficking, also known as labor servitude, is when people are involuntarily being required to do unimaginable labor jobs (Corbett). I. Getting lured into trafficking. Most people do not grow up wishing to take part in or be a victim of the horrific trafficking of other human beings.

But those plus the streets are where people are sold most often. There are many reasons and causes for sex trafficking. The factors behind sex traffic... ... middle of paper ... ...ll to hide it. Even though there are laws prohibiting sex trafficking, there are way too many causes to get it to be gone for good. Works Cited "Selling American Girls: The Truth About Domestic Minor Sex-Trafficking."

Doing this on a worldwide basis could help drive demand in the sex industry down, and could encourage women and girls in captivity to come forward without fear of persecution. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is a severe issue for many reasons. Firstly, as mentioned above because it is an illegal act, it is hidden underground. Heather Smith suggests that there are around 1,390,000 transnational sex slaves in the world (Smith, 2011). These people come from 127 different countries; are moved through 98 transfer countries; and end up in 137 different destination countries around the world (Trafficking in Persons, 2006).

As a whole, we need to stand against the traffickers and those who are involved. We need to implement a plan to stop trafficking and provide help for those who have been trafficked. While many believe the selling and trading of sex is only another job and therefore should be made legal and safe, others feel that even sex between consenting adults is wrong an exploitative. However, both sides agree that prostitution is equal to slavery when children and young people are involved because the work is hazardous and they cannot give legal consent. Human trafficking occurs worldwide and often involves transnational criminal organizations, violations of labor and immigration codes, and government corruption.

The United States - An Unsafe Haven Human trafficking is the trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery or forced labor. The most common form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation which is the slavery of unwilling people for sexual purposes. According to the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) sexual exploitation is the most common form of modern day slavery. Although it’s a commonly talked about subject, media’s portrayal of the matter has led many people from the United States to subconsciously relate it to Third World Countries. Many United States citizens aren’t aware that it is very prevalent in America as well, if not just as common, more.

Louise Shelley states "With demand and uncoordinated enforcement efforts, the human trade for labor and sex cannot be stopped." She is right, human trafficking is forcefully moving humans to other locations for sex and labor. Most traffickers use the people for sex trafficking. Martha Irvine calls human trafficking "... a victimless crime, seeing domestic prostitution as something very different from sex trafficking with its cross-border abductions and brutal coercion -- a scourge that's come to the forefront of news in recent years." She states that people often mistake sex trafficking as prostitution but, in sex trafficking the people are always moved and abducted.

Pimps will force these girls or women to perform the sexual acts taken place in Prostitution and then they take the money given. These pimps don’t tend to get much punishment because the women did the act of prostitution. Alex K. Rich expresses that prostitution needs to be more policed since there are so many loopholes. He goes further to say, “The bulk of the punishment, however, needs to be directed at those who have forced these women into prostitution and controlled them at every turn, namely the pimps and customers. One solution to the problem of prostitution is across-the-board enforcement of laws that prohibit or even criminalize the actions of pimps, customers, and prostitutes while providing rehabilitation opportunities and federal aid for former prostitutes”(Rich).

There is a hidden side of this sex industry that objectifies America’s youth. The pimps target vulnerable people that have been abused and then use violence, threats, lies, false promises, debt bondage, or other forms of control and manipulation to keep them victims. (Polaris) The Johns with their lust and perversions continues to feed the greed of the soul devouring sex industry. Both of which, often escape any punishment or consequences for their deeds. The prostitute is once again left alone to bare the blame, shame and pain of it all.

Prostitution is illegal and as a consequence prostitutes are often victims of violence and sexual assault; therefore, prostitution should be legalized and regulated to ensure the safety of sex workers. As prostitution is criminalized, this profession is driven underground which undermines the safety of prostitutes. Legalizing prostitution would provide sex workers with regulatory protection and allow this form of work to be recognized as legitimate. As the author of “Think Again: Prostitution” states, “evidence shows, that criminalization of sale or purchase (or both) makes sex workers-many of whom come from marginalized social groups like women, minorities, and the poor-more vulnerable to violence and discrimination committed by law enforcement. Also, criminalization can dissuade sex workers from seeking help from authorities if they are raped, trafficked, or otherwise abused.” Therefore, sex workers are subjected to unfair treatment that could be prevented if this work was legalized and safe conditions were enforced.