The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of the threat, or use of force, or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power, of a position of vulnerability or of the giving, or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation is the primary definition of human trafficking - UNODC. There are various forms of human trafficking including forced labor sex trafficking bonded labor debt bondage involuntary domestic servitude forced child labor child soldiers and child sex trafficking US Department of State It is a common occurrence to equate the various types of human trafficking to a form of modern-day slavery Slavery was abolished in 1865 after the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution Slaves were considered an inexpensive source of labor even if it was forced and used to exploit a human being Despite constitutional law the buying and selling of human beings in the likes of cattle is still in practice today. Unfortunately, the United States is ranked among the top five countries where human slaves are sold for labor or sexual purposes Schauer Within the United States prostitution is the most common form of trafficking followed closely by agricultural work Although human trafficking is generally a transnational crime the United States Department of State 2008 believes that thousands of children within the United States are trafficked within the borders of the country. Human trafficking not only has a large impact on teens and young adults but also on the youth. The impact of human trafficking on youth is larger than one might realize. According to the United States Department of Justice, it is estimated that 200 000 American children are potentially trafficked each year into the sex trade. Victims of trafficking often come from vulnerable populations including migrants oppressed or marginalized groups runaways or displaced persons and the poor Chisolm Straker Sex traffickers target children because of their vulnerability and gullibility as well as the market demand for young victims.
Human Trafficking Studies provided by the US Department of Education have shown that it is not just high school-aged children at risk demonstrating that pimps an individual who procures sexual gratification for another and lives of the earnings prey on victims as young as twelve years old. Although the reasoning behind human trafficking varies by country those that are influenced by trafficking are usually targeted from being in vulnerable situations whether it be due to displacement during natural disasters a search for a better life or poverty. There are similar situations in which an individual can be coerced into trafficking by being given an incentive. More often than not trafficked individuals are migrants fleeing their countries in order to escape politics conflict or economic hardship that has been offered a solution to end all their problems. The displacement of individuals can increase their vulnerability especially under additional financial distress and increase their susceptibility to becoming a trafficking victim There are a number of ways to fight human trafficking including educating yourself, spreading the word, taking a look in your own community talking to kids and teens and becoming involved in groups to combat human trafficking. Undoubtedly human trafficking is a criminal justice issue. Not only does it affect the honesty of the United States but it also undermines the foundation of the United States Organized crime groups are able to resort to violent tendencies as a means to further their illicit businesses. It has been the usual response to prosecute those who traffic individuals but it is time to change our way of thinking. I propose that a portion of our resources available for dealing with human trafficking is reallocated to the training of officers who are to fight against trafficking. The training could include preparing readiness to identify the victim's perpetrators and consumers. Additionally, the punishment that the perpetrators receive should have a more lasting impact on society to dissuade them from continuing the buying and selling of humans. The current conviction conditions for holding a person calls for fines and a maximum sentence of twenty years. It is only until death results or the violation includes kidnapping, sexual abuse or other aggravating factors does the punishment increase to life imprisonment.
