Human trafficking is the enslavement of individuals by an exploiter who profits from forced labor, sexual exploitation, or surgical removal of body parts. Victims of human trafficking include but are not limited to children involved in the sex trade, adults who are coerced, forced, or fraudulently deceived into commercial sex acts, anyone forced into some form of labor or servitude, and anyone victimized for the tissue, organs, eggs, wombs, or other body parts.
Victims may appear to onlookers to be engaged in the exploitation by choice, but most often choice is never an option. Victims may include domestic workers, farm workers, sexually exploited children and adults, child soldiers, and individuals exploited for body parts.
In the U.S., these instances of modern day adult slavery have three things in common: force, fraud, and coercion on the part of the exploiter to gain full control over the trafficked individual. In the U.S. children may be considered trafficking victims under the federal law without requiring that the exploiter use force, fraud or coercion. Transportation is not required to qualify exploitation of human beings as "human trafficking".
Every year, human traffickers generate billions of dollars in profit by victimizing millions of people around the world. In looking at global criminal industries, human trafficking is in the unfortunate position of being one of the fastest growing criminal sectors. The criminal industry of human trafficking is second only to the drug trade. At the current rate of proliferation, human trafficking and the commercial exploitation of people will exceed the drug trade in profitability in a matter of years if not less.
Sex trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which an exploiter induces an adult victim to engage in a commercial sex act by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which a child (anyone under 18 years of age) is induced to engage in a commercial sex act without regard to force, fraud or coercion .
Sex traffickers exploit vulnerable individuals through romantic seduction, physical, mental and emotional abuse, debt bondage, immigration threats and manipulation, and various forms of both physical and mental control including kidnapping, false imprisonment, physical restraint, and destruction or possession of immigration documents.
Young women and children are exploited in the commercial sex industry through many avenues including internet advertisement, print advertisement, massage parlors, strip clubs, brothels, street exploitation, and makeshift and short-term brothels in apartments, hotels, truck stops, homes and more.
The average age of entry into the commercial sex industry in the U.S. is between 12 to 14 years old. That’s as early as the 6th grade.
What is the difference between prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation?
The answer is simple—Nothing.
CSE, at its most basic form, is a violation of an individual’s human rights and sexual autonomy as a result of inducement of an individual to engage in a sex act for commercial benefit. An exchange occurs whereby one individual benefits from the exploitation of a human being for the sexual purposes of a third individual. There are many inter-related forms of commercial sex exploitation including but not limited to prostitution, forms of pornography, forced marriage, and sex servitude.
The sex trafficking industry generates billions of dollars annually and it’s the fastest growing illicit trade in the world. Sadly, this is not an issue relegated to the farthest corners of the world, but impacts our own community and those throughout the country.
An estimated 17,500 people are trafficked from other countries into the US each year.
83% of victims in sex-trafficking incidents within the United States are U.S. citizens.
100,000 – 300,000 American adolescents are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation in the U.S.
42% of men who buy sex believe that prostitution causes psychological and physical harm.
Trafficked Sex Slaves in North America generated $909M in revenue in 2007 alone.
The FBI Crime Against Children Unit’s Innocence Lost Initiative has recovered over 1,200 children between 2003 and 2010, with 306 being rescued in 2009 alone.
Federal Task Forces have opened 2,515 investigations of suspected incidents of human trafficking between January 2008 and June 2010. There have been 144 arrests.
Global Perspective
There are 27 million people in modern day slavery across the world.
79% of global trafficking is for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
An estimated 12.3 million men, women and children are trafficked for commercial sex or forced labor around the world today.
Human trafficking is estimated to be a $32 billion industry affecting 161 countries worldwide.
The UN reports that people are trafficked from 127 countries to be exploited in 131 countries, affecting every continent and every type of economy.
BITAHR recently celebrated a victory in their legislative advocacy efforts when MA legislature passed a fairly comprehensive anti-trafficking bill. BITAHR would like to recognize and applaud the collaborative effort by House Chairman Eugene O’Flaherty, Chief of Staff of Judiciary Committee Alexis Tkachuk, Senator Mark Montigny, Attorney General Martha Coakley, District Attorney Dan Conley, and the passionate advocates who worked tirelessly to create and pass this comprehensive legislation to criminalize the act of human trafficking in Massachusetts and provide sufficient services and protections for victims and those at risk of victimization.
Massachusetts legislation the H3808 an act “Relative to the Commercial Exploitation of People” was enacted on November 15th, 2011, and signed by Governor Deval Patrick on November 21st.
See link to legislation below, as well as statements by DA Conley, and the press release for the signing of the bill.
Adopted under the United Nations Convention Against Transnational and Organized Crime November 15, 2000 the Palermo Protocol works to prevent, suppress, and punish Trafficking in Persons, protect against the smuggling of Migrants by Land Sea and Air, and protect against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking of Firearms. The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, was adopted by the General Assembly and put into action on December 25, 2003. Globally it is the first legally binding document to incorporate an agreed definition on trafficking in persons. The protocol is designed to promote international collaboration in investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons cases, as well as to assist and protect victims of trafficking in recognizing their full human rights. View links below for the full Palermo Protocol Document, as well as a link to the status of the treaty in individual countries.
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA), originally enacted on October 28th, 2000, is the first comprehensive federal law to address trafficking in persons. The act is designed to combat trafficking in persons focusing on the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude through protection, prevention, and prosecution.
See link below for the full text as well as the link the most recent Reauthorization in 2008.
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act full text
Monica was only 15 when she was sold into prostitution. She was 15 when she was kidnapped from a bus station just over a mile from her house. She was beaten and raped, forced to engage in sex acts with hoards of men each night, and posted on commercial websites as giving “divine massages,” as being “a hot babe with a tight body,” listing her as “just right for a ‘big daddy’.”
Monica was only 15 when, after five months of sexual violence and exploitation, she found the incredible courage and strength to escape. Her captor—“pimp”—walked away with her innocence and more than $20,000 in cash. Monica left with physical and emotional scars.
This story exposes the use of internet and global technology to exploit children.
Ada was told she was beautiful. Living on the streets having run away from her abusive foster mother, Ada was desperate for attention. He told her that she could begin her modeling career at the young age of 12. He just needed to take a few photos to determine her skills in front of the camera. He told her she looked beautiful, her body was “amazing.”
When the manager of the modeling company brought her into the office and locked the door, she began to feel uneasy. What occurred next would be her introduction into the commercial sex industry. In the moments following, she was violently raped by a man three times her age. In her state of shock, she vaguely remembers being told she owed the agency a fee for the photos, travel, and housing. This was a debt that she would be forced to pay off through sexual enslavement.
The “modeling photos” were advertised on well known commercial websites with the promise of illicit sex with a “barely legal” woman for little cost. Ada was 12.
Ada only tried to escape once and found herself on the streets with no shelter, food, or guidance as to where to go for help. Within 48 hours she was back in her exploiter’s basement, suffering the consequences of her attempted escape.
This story represents the ways that exploiters prey on vulnerable women and children.
Laura was homesick. She had left her family in Kentucky to attend college in Boston. Upon arrival, Laura had trouble finding friends until she met a charming young man who quickly took her under his wing—bringing her to parties, buying her presents, and showing her off to his friends. The friendship transitioned into a serious relationship as Laura began to neglect other aspects of her life. Although Laura was a good student she began to miss days of class.
One night after dinner, Laura found herself in her boyfriend’s room with several of his friends. He suggested – gently at first, then more forcefully – that she have sex with his friend, “Just this one time, it’s just Dominic.” Laura could not believe what he was asking her to do. Her boyfriend pleaded with her and made confusing arguments as to why she needed to do this for him. Finally, without understanding, she agreed. Dominic raped her while he stood outside the door. From that night on Laura’s boyfriend’s love was contingent upon her compliance in sex exploitation for money. Although she recognized she was being exploited, she was still very much in love with her boyfriend and did not want to disappoint him for fear of losing her only connection.
Her grades continued to slip and Laura found herself ignoring calls from family and old friends. As she slid into depression, she became more dependent on her boyfriend who in turn became increasingly controlling and manipulative.
This story illustrates the complexity of the relationship between the exploited and the exploiter.
Upcoming Events
End Impunity for Sexual Violence against Women and girls Thursday, March 08, 2012 Time: 5-7:30 pm
Location: Old South Meeting House ...
BITAHR 2012 Film Forum: Fighting Trafficking Through Film Friday, February 03, 2012 February 3rd - 5th
Modern Theater // Washington Street Boston MA
MA Tickets: http://filmforum2012.eventbrite.com/ Even ...
