Education in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Sofia Aumann
Mrs. Siev
English 10
15, April 2013
Education in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Human trafficking, considered modern day slavery, involves the illegal purchase, sale, and transport of humans for forced labor or sexual exploitation. “The International Labour Organization, a UN agency, estimated that at any one time there are 12.3 million people engaged in forced labor of all kinds, not just sexual servitude” (Kristof and WuDunn 9). When women and children are educated, they are given the opportunities of building stable and secure lives in which they can earn jobs, which in hand creates economic empowerment as well as gives them protection from vulnerability. Educating also helps warn people about the dangers of human trafficking and help prevent them from falling prey. Human trafficking can therefore best be fought through the power of education, knowledge, and opportunity. Human trafficking stems in large part from lack of education. The majority of the victims come from underdeveloped countries and fall prey to human traffickers and brothel owners. The victims are uneducated and have no economic stability. They are usually female, with impoverished families and the men in the families feel it is a great waste to spend money on their educations. They believe that these women and girls should be limited to household duties. In these third world countries, very few girls do attend school. If they do, most never reach a middle school or even high school education. “Of the 115 million children who have dropped out of elementary school, 57 percent are girls” (171). With limited income and income opportunity due to their location, most of these families fall deeper into poverty, leaving them only one choice: to sell their daughters into sex slavery or forced labor. This does not happen in all cases, however. Other victims are promised the chance to a better life, with a new job. Knowing nothing better and
Mrs. Siev
English 10
15, April 2013
Education in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Human trafficking, considered modern day slavery, involves the illegal purchase, sale, and transport of humans for forced labor or sexual exploitation. “The International Labour Organization, a UN agency, estimated that at any one time there are 12.3 million people engaged in forced labor of all kinds, not just sexual servitude” (Kristof and WuDunn 9). When women and children are educated, they are given the opportunities of building stable and secure lives in which they can earn jobs, which in hand creates economic empowerment as well as gives them protection from vulnerability. Educating also helps warn people about the dangers of human trafficking and help prevent them from falling prey. Human trafficking can therefore best be fought through the power of education, knowledge, and opportunity. Human trafficking stems in large part from lack of education. The majority of the victims come from underdeveloped countries and fall prey to human traffickers and brothel owners. The victims are uneducated and have no economic stability. They are usually female, with impoverished families and the men in the families feel it is a great waste to spend money on their educations. They believe that these women and girls should be limited to household duties. In these third world countries, very few girls do attend school. If they do, most never reach a middle school or even high school education. “Of the 115 million children who have dropped out of elementary school, 57 percent are girls” (171). With limited income and income opportunity due to their location, most of these families fall deeper into poverty, leaving them only one choice: to sell their daughters into sex slavery or forced labor. This does not happen in all cases, however. Other victims are promised the chance to a better life, with a new job. Knowing nothing better and