Human Trafficking: A Road to Destruction

 Did you know that January is National Human Trafficking month?  Few are aware that the month let alone the problem exists however “Every year, up to 800,000 people worldwide – mostly girls and women – become the victims of human trafficking.”(ABC news) This really bothers me because I’ve seen numerous documentaries and heard many stories about it and its really messed up that people have to endure a lifestyle as such. It really sickens me to know that people would take others and hold them hostage or make them sex slaves. How could people do such a thing? The saddest part of it all is that people are minimally aware of sex/human trafficking and as a result the victims are not receiving the amount of help they could have possibly had.

“Human trafficking endangers the lives of millions of people around the world, and it is a crime that knows no borders,” according to the presidential proclamation. “Trafficking networks operate both domestically and transnationally, and although abuses disproportionally affect women and girls, the victims of this ongoing global tragedy are men, women, and children of all ages.” All of this is very true about human trafficking and is why it needs to be abolished, prevented, and brought to the public’s attention.

Here are the facts about sex trafficking: Most often the victims are females between the ages of five and twenty-five with the average age range being twelve to fourteen.” (Crisis Aid) "There is no one profile that encapsulates the "typical" client. Men who purchase women are both rich and poor, Eastern and Western. Often they are married and have children, and in some cases such as was reported the New York Times men have sex with trafficked girls instead of abusing their own young children."(Slavery's New Face) All of this information is very scary to me because so many people are enslaved and it is hard to determine who are the victims and victimizers. Also, if they victims are to be freed they will be emotionally unstable and mentally disturbed. They will also be haunted with daily reminders of what their life was once like and possible turn back into what they once were.

Human trafficking is a major problem and thankfully there are ways you can raise awareness such as:  Organize a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to an anti-trafficking organization. Volunteer to do victim outreach or offer your professional services to a local anti-trafficking organization. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper about human trafficking in your community. Join or establish a university or secondary school club to raise awareness about human trafficking and initiate action throughout your local community. Consider doing one of your research papers on a topic concerning human trafficking. Meet with and/or write to your local, state, and federal government representatives to let them know that you care about combating human trafficking in your community, and ask what they are doing to address human trafficking in your area. Taking these small steps can lead to a big change.