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The Global Impact of Human Trafficking

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The Global Impact of Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is similar to a modern day slave trade; however, human trafficking is more problematic and encompasses more than just agricultural work. Sara Birkenthal, researcher and author of Human Trafficking: A Human Rights Abuse with Global Dimensions, defined human trafficking as “…the movement of persons within or across borders by any means (such as force or fraud) into forced labor, slavery, or servitude” (28). Humans can be trafficked for many different industries, such as commercial sex, construction work, domestic work, carpet weaving, agriculture and many other industries (Kara 1). Human trafficking is a worldwide problem, in which the victims are harmed the most, that needs to be taken seriously and needs to end.
The Victim
More women and girls are trafficked than men and boys due to the international sex trafficking industry being a big contributor to the human trafficking industry. The victims of trafficking are harmed in many ways, although the biggest harm is the violation of their right to freedom. Victims of human trafficking endure a lot of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and mental abuse. Victims are tricked into becoming victims by a false job offer, a fake marriage proposal, or, the most common, kidnapping. The traffickers have to condition the victims using different tactics like starvation, physical harm, sexual abuse, forced drug use, and harm to victims family (Birkenthal 28).
Victims of trafficking are moved around a lot. They start in the country of origin, which is where they were forced into trafficking, then they move through transit countries, and finally into the destination country (Kara 2). There are some cases in which the country of origin acts as all three, origin, transit, and destination. Victims have multiple stops on their journeys because they are resold and abused (Kara 2).
Many victims are afraid to seek help because the trafficker may find out and punish them, as well as the fear of the



Cited: “About Not For Sale.” Not For Sale. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2012. . Birkenthal, Sara. "Human Trafficking." Interdisciplinary Journal Of Human Rights Law 6.(2011): 27-40. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 18 June 2012. “HUMAN TRAFFICKING: THE FACTS.” UN.GIFT: Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2012. . Kara, Siddharth. "Supply and demand: human trafficking in the global economy." Harvard International Review 33.2 (2011): 66+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 June 2012. “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2012. . “Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.” U.S. Department of State. N.p., 12 June 2007. Web. 14 June 2012. . Tran, Jonathan. "Sold into slavery: the scourge of human trafficking." The Christian Century 124.24 (2007): 22+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 June 2012. Wagner, John. "Serving California 's human trafficking victims and refugees." Policy & Practice Dec. 2010: 14+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 June 2012.

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