Rokhaya
Lo
GWS
220
Dr.
Adriana Brown
February
1st, 2012
Sex Trafficking, the
Modern-day form of women slavery
“Siri
wakes about noon. In this instant of waking she knows who and what she has
become. The soreness in her genitals reminds her of the fifteen men she had sex
with the night before. Siri is fifteen years old. Sold by her parents a year
ago, she finds that her resistance and her desire to escape the brothel are
breaking down. Thus, acceptance and resignation are taking place” (Ehrenreich,
207). This is an illustration of the life of over 32 million people enslaved
around the world, and out of that number 80% percent of the victims are forced
into sexual servitude (Istoptraffic, 2012). Furthermore, this phenomenon is
called human trafficking which involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring,
harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other
means, for the purpose of exploiting them (UNODC, 2012). Two types of human
trafficking exist: forced labor or services and sex trafficking. In my
narration, I will focus on the most prevalent of them: the sex trafficking of women
and girls around the world. Sex trafficking which is known as women trafficking
is slavery’s new face where women and girls are purchased at cheap prices and sold at
a large profit margin to serve as disposable slaves. (Heter, 2012). This
phenomenon raises the following questions: Where and how does sex trafficking
occur? What are the root causes? And how does it affect women around the world?
Owing to the dire situations, those women are victim of, sex trafficking should
be fought by activist organizations and the enforcement of anti-trafficking
laws. After a thorough emphasis on the precedent questions, I will discuss the
influence of free trade on sex trafficking.
Besides their interrelation, sex trafficking isn't prostitution which is
engaging in sex with someone for payment. In reality, the crime of sex
trafficking has three parties: one person holding the victim for sale to a pimp who makes the victim engage in sex acts for
payment while using
"force, fraud or coercion", and the third party paying for the sex (Heter, 2012). Sex trafficking
takes place in both public and private locales. In some cases, trafficking
victims are highly visible and engage in street-level prostitution, but in most
cases, sex trafficking takes place in underground venues, such as private homes
or brothels (Soroptimist, 2012). Often, public and legal locations such as
massage parlors, spas and strip clubs will be a front for illegal prostitution
and trafficking. Some people believe that it should not be called sex
trafficking but instead sex slavery due to the horrible treatment those women
endure while locked by their master or trafficker (Townsend, 2011). Pimps and
customers make their deals, usually online or over the phone, hotels are an
obvious place where the sex can take place. "There's privacy, a neutral
place for a customer to come to, certain amount of anonymity and you don't have
to stay long term," said Noelle Collins, an assistant U.S. attorney and
human trafficking coordinator for the Eastern District of Missouri, who
prosecutes these cases. "This can happen anywhere, but hotels are logical
places where it could be found" (Heter, 2012).
Most
victims of sex trafficking are kidnapped or they come willingly thinking that
they will have a better life in a foreign country. Their relatives think that
they vanished and never succeed in their research because traffickers do not
leave tracks. Those women are lost and most of the time ignore in which country
or location they are brought. Their master or pimp beat them regularly and they
are raped by different men 50 times a week on average, often violent, drunken
strangers (Townsend, 2011). Victims are notoriously reluctant to describe their
experience because of the shame, fear and stress due to physical and
psychological traumas. It is even rarer for such women to agree to be
identified. When incarcerated by the police through raids, they always carry
criminal records as illegal prostitutes that don’t allow them to be protected
by the government or even be able to apply for papers to stay in this new
country. Consequently, they become illegal immigrants in their destination
countries (Townsend, 2011).
Sex
trafficking appears to be growing in scope and magnitude, with increasing
numbers of countries involved due in large part to globalization and the
relative ease with which traffickers are able to transport victims between
countries. That relative ease cannot be anything other than the result of free
trade opening countries barriers for the exchange of goods and services,
including the transfer of skilled and unskilled labor. Consequently, sex
trafficking affects every country of the world, as countries of origin, transit
or destination or even a combination of all. Moreover, trafficking often occurs
from less developed countries to more developed countries, where people are
rendered vulnerable to trafficking by virtue of poverty, conflict or other
conditions (UNODC, 2012). For instance, as poverty deepens in Eastern Europe,
it becomes a major source region for prostitutes; as wealth expends in China and
Malaysia, men in those countries fuel an increased demand for the traffic in
women and girls. In addition, large circuits of trafficking operate among the countries
of East and Southeast Asia, and from Central and Eastern Europe into Western
countries such as the North America, United Arab Emirates, Europe and Australia
(Seager, 56). Even if globalization has facilitated sex trafficking, they are
deeper causes which vary within countries. Generally, sex trafficking is caused
by abject poverty, especially among
women; a lack of political, social and economical stability; a lack of reasonable
and realistic prospects; situations of armed conflict and oppression; domestic
violence and disintegration of the family structure and gender discrimination (Caritas
Internationalis, 2012).
The
impact of sex trafficking on women is outrageous due to its harrowing effect on
the mental, emotional and physical well being of the women and girls ensnared in
its web. Trafficked women suffer extreme emotional stress including shame,
grief, fear, distrust, and suicidal thoughts as well as the repercussions of
physical abuse. Victims often experience post-traumatic stress disorder and the
ensuing acute anxiety, depression and insomnia. Victims often turn to drugs and
alcohol to numb their pain (Soroptimist, 2012). In addition, Sex trafficking
promotes societal breakdown by removing women and girls from their families and
communities. Trafficking also finances organized crime groups that usually
participate in many other illegal activities such as drug and weapons
trafficking and money laundering (Soroptimist, 2012).
Considering
the widespread and the negative effects of this horrible crime against women,
some activist groups have been formed around the world to eradicate this hidden
form of slavery. First, a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking
in Persons, especially Women and Children, was adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly in 2000 and entered into force on 25 December 2003 (UNODC,
2012). In addition, activists try to shift to a paradigm that recognizes the
possibility of slavery in order to be able to identify it. This is due to the
fact that many people ignore the existence of slavery, especially sex
trafficking. When the paradigm shifts, a new wave of activism will respond in
creative ways through walks, class presentations, fund raising events such as
benefit concerts (Batstone, 2012). Finally, In order to prevent sex
trafficking, and better serve victims, countries and regions are encouraged to increase
public awareness about trafficking and develop educational materials. Lawmakers
and law enforcement officials are urged to create and enforce legislation that
punishes traffickers and those that purchase sex (Soroptimist, 2012).
All
things considered, sex trafficking is a widespread crime against human rights
but also, a much more organized and violent business of women and children. Its
occurrence is more frequent than many people would imagine. Free trade and
globalization made it easier and more profitable for countries involved as origin,
transit or destination to transfer human beings. Unfortunately, the consequences
on those female victims remain outrageous and affect their entire life and
community. Consequently, this modern day slavery should be eradicated using
aggressive efforts from the cooperation and coordination of multiple national
and international law enforcement and governmental agencies.
Works
Cited
Ehrenreich,
Barbara, and Arlie Russell Hochschild. “Global woman: nannies, maids, and
sex workers in the new economy”. New York: Metropolitan/Owl Books, 2004.
Heter,
Katia. "Fighting sex trafficking in hotels, one room at a time -
CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment
& Video News. March 1, 2012. April 3 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/29/travel/hotel-sex-trafficking/index.html
IStopTraffic.
"Sex Trafficking: Information About Sex Trafficking”. April 2.
2012. http://www.istoptraffic.com/home.html
Townsend,
Mark. "Sex trafficking in the UK: one woman's horrific story of kidnap,
rape, beatings and prostitution | UK news | The Observer." Latest US
news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The
Guardian . February 5, 2011. April 3 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/06/sex-traffick-romania-britain
"Root causes of Human
Trafficking-Caritas Internationalis." Caritas Internationalis.
April 3 2012. http://www.caritas.org/activities/women_migration/caritas_migration_trafficking_and_women.html?cnt=431
UNODC.
"What is Human Trafficking?." United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime. April 3, 2012. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human-trafficking.html
Soroptimist.
“Human Trafficking Stories & Human
Trafficking Facts| human sex trafficking & Stop Human Trafficking”.
Soroptimist International. April 3, 2012. http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html
Seager,
Joni. The Penguin atlas of women in the world. 4th ed. New York: Penguin
Books, 2009.
Batstone,
David. “ Not For Sale: End Human Trafficking and Slavery”. April 3, 2012. http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/about/
It is sickening to think about the torture that these women and girls are forced to undergo. The fact that in a nation as diverse as the United States is these days, there could be many women amongst us that have had these horrible things happen to them without people ever knowing. The part that struck me is that it often times occurs in hotels. I understand that a hotel room can be a very private location, but in order for the torture to take place, I wouldn’t have expected it to happen there mainly because how many other guests may be staying. It gives an eerie feeling to know that you could be a guest at a hotel and this could be occurring in the next room. It is proof that despite the progress that has been made in the past regarding women’s rights, situations like this that are incredibly demeaning to women are still occurring which may make some people wonder how much progress really has been made after all.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, women are living dire situations where they most of the time don't have the strength or the opportunity to defend themselves and find a way out of their problems.
DeleteIn addition, do not be surprised by the fact that it occurs in hotels. Many business men who travel a lot, use the service of prostitutes when they need to have intercourse. Some of them ignore that they are having sex with kidnapped or trafficked women or girls. It is sad but this is a deep and loaded phenomenon that needs to be eradicated collaborative efforts.
This is always a topic that comes up, it's interesting to learn about but is completely heartbreaking as to what happens. It's scary to know that some of these women are manipulated into thinking they will have a better life when in reality soon they will become just and object for brutality and I agree that it should be considered sex slavery. I watched a small informative video/commercial about sex trafficking and how young some of these girls are, one was from America and was only 12 years old, and called herself a future sex slave and to never be found, as some of the are abducted and by the time people decide to do something about it, it's too late and there is no way of ever finding them again. I can't believe this thing slips under the radar and people don't consider it something important until it's too late.
ReplyDeleteIt slips easily under the radar because it is hidden and many people ignore its existence. That is the reason why activist movements are doing their best to sensitize individuals, especially women about this phenomenon and how it negatively affects the life of many young women who will never find a way out of it.
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ReplyDeleteWe studied the sex trafficking in several weeks ago, and it was really shocking to me what happens against women in the world because I had not had opportunities to study so much before. One of my surprises in your research is that the victims do not want to be identified “because of the shame, fear and stress due to physical and psychological traumas.” In addition, it is pity that the victims could be treated as illegal immigrants, and sometimes they cannot be protected due to criminal records. As you stated, there are many activists against the crime; however, I feel personally that sex trafficking cannot be stopped as long as males want to have sex with females. But, it would be surprisingly wonderful if this modern slavery vanish even in underground.
ReplyDeleteI entirely agree with you when you say that it is not easy to stop it without males help. In countries like Thailand, where men buying power has increased, the demand of sex from brothels has dramatically risen as well. This is not an easy battle, especially when many people around the world ignore the existence of sex trafficking and sometimes see it as prostitution.
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