Take a moment to ponder over the stats below, on the human trafficking industry in the world today.
60 million humans, bought and sold globally
16 million humans trafficked in India alone, largely women and children
The human trafficking industry is a $150 billion dollar trade.
$99 billion of which comes from sex trafficking within the prostitution industry
Children, women, and men are kidnapped; raped, mercilessly beaten, and physically and emotionally tortured. There isn’t any age range. A human trafficking victim could be anyone - a newborn or a 60-year-old.
It’s everywhere, in every country of the world. The single fastest-growing crime in the world today.
How is Human Trafficking Defined?
“The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, using the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for exploitation.”
Palermo Protocols
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime defines it as;
Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception, to exploit them for profit. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. The traffickers often use violence or fraudulent employment agencies and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.
UNDO
Every moment is a living nightmare for these hapless victims. Hopeless, helpless, broken down, and in total darkness. They live with the belief that there is no life beyond the daily oppression they go through.
What are NGO Experts saying?
Several nonprofits are working in the human trafficking space in India. The more, the better. Sincere NGOs will help not only reduce but hopefully end this menace that is growing at such a fast rate.
Exodus Road, based in the US, has been actively working in India and five other countries. The Exodus Road team has rescued over 1500 victims, arresting 820 traffickers.
I liked the founder's quote that draws attention to how serious one needs to be to tackle this behemoth.
“We must make human trafficking dangerous.”
- Matt Parker, founder, The Exodus Road
New Light is another NGO in Kolkata working in the human trafficking space. Urmi Basu had this to say about the hopelessness of human trafficking victims. I found this statement profound because it's true for many today who are bound by various addictions and afflictions.
“Most of the time women are robbed of the power to think differently. How do you convince a woman completely illiterate trafficked at 13, gang raped, sold and bought and sold again in a brothel, and has lived every single day of her life as a prostitute to think differently? They are robbed of their innocence early in life.”
- Urmi Basu, founder, New Light, Kolkata
Prevention, Rescue, and Rehabilitation (+Transformation)
Hollywood has sensationalized the problem of human trafficking by glorifying rescue operations. Prevention is critical, but it isn't dramatic enough for cinema. The focus on villainy has turned the general public away in fear of helping with the cause.
Source: Stop The Traffik
Raising awareness of the problem is necessary. But, more effort is required to make it harder for exploitation to occur. This can happen only when we begin to improve our understanding of risk. Take steps to address key policies for all involved to work in a cohesive manner.
"There is a lot of sensitization because of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police. But still, the sensitization of the judiciary is missing at the district level. The judges are not able to understand the whole crime of trafficking."
- Rishi Kant, Co-founder, Shakti Vahini
Rehabilitation and Transformation are critical areas that need attention lest the victims return to their older state because of no other opportunity to earn. A true transformation turns the survivors into advocates to help end trafficking.
There is still a lot of gap in the overall understanding of the issue. Bills being drafted so far have been inadequate. Yet, some change is a good sign as the law moves a step forward to confront the problem.
In a digital world, the risks are much higher. The last year has seen an increase in trafficking using digital tools. To lure the vulnerable, there has been an increase in the usage of Messaging apps, social media platforms, and gaming platforms.
Don't let this happen to our children!
For more information on human trafficking, you can read the following links;
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