Human Trafficking Background

Slavery stems back from earlier periods of society wherein people are forced into labor and service. Slavery has been present in many cultures throughout history and unfortunately, nowadays still continues to prosper. The evolution of slavery into modern times is distinguished through its legality and range of selection. Human trafficking, synonymous to slavery is defined as the recruitment and transportation of persons for forced labor, sexual exploitation or other illicit activities. In todays society, human trafficking comprises of several categories. These include forced labor, child labor, child soldiers, involuntary domestic servitude, sex trafficking, child sex trafficking and the like. The controlling or restricting factor upon victims represents the commonality in these activities. When speaking on prostitution and sexual trafficking, it is essential to differentiate the two. Though both involve the payment for sexual acts, they differ in the means one enters the industry. Prostitutes work by choice while victims of trafficking on the other hand work by force. One of the reasons why human trafficking occurs is because of the lack of employment opportunities. People desire money to satisfy their wants. One can earn money legitimately through a job or illegitimately through criminal activity. When you take the legitimate factor out of the picture, criminal means would be the result. Also, a business that has employment issues will have the same effect. Another reason why human trafficking occurs is because of demand. The demand for labor and prostitutes can drive people supply the need. Organized criminal groups, corruption in the government, and insufficient penalties are other causes. What makes this industry so precarious is its underground nature. In some countries, human trafficking organizations are notoriously well known. Most human trafficking operations however are branched out into different collectives working on different aspects. The problem arises because people tend to perceive the traffickers as the stereotypical mugger or gang member when in actuality they can be anyone from a friendly neighbor to an innocent partygoer. Traffickers use a series of psychological techniques to persuade and lure people in the most reasonable way possible.

Mostly women and children are victims in the exploitative industry of human trafficking. According to studies, women constitute 80 percent of trafficking victims mainly because of gender inequality and their vulnerable sexuality. Indicators of victims in general are those in poverty, defenseless, uneducated or simply gullible. They are forced or deceived by the manipulative traffickers but either way, victims normally experience lives of despair. The involuntary activities require struggles in starvation and occasional mistreatment. In cases of sexual trafficking, victims may be regularly drugged against their will. Sexual trafficking is not exclusive to a certain country rather it is present in numerous countries worldwide. Statistics have shown that two-thirds of total sexual trafficking arises from Eastern Europe. Another prominent source is Russia, wherein women are trafficked into at least 50 countries. Southeast Asian countries have also taken a toll in this global problem with its increasing involvement in sex trade. The situation in the Philippines is not as grave as compared to other Asian counterparts. The Philippines remains both a destination and a source for trafficked women. Chinese, Korean, Russian and European women are trafficked into the Philippines. While as a source, Filipino women are trafficked into countries like Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, etc. The human trafficking industry, sexual trafficking in particular is relevant in todays society since it is one of the fastest growing illegal industries, being the third largest in the world. The unjust industry victimizes millions of people and earns billions of dollars annually. Most of these illegal activities go unnoticed so criminals can easily get away with it. It is only right for one to be concerned about this ever growing worldwide problem.