Issue

Human trafficking

Submitted by: Elena | 5 comments  VIEW COMMENTS

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is the trading of human beings for the purpose of unfree labour, sexual exploitation or illegal profits. It usually involves the use of violence, fraud or coercion to recruit, hide and transport people.

  • It is seen as a form of slavery because traffickers use violence, threats and abuse to make people work against their will.
  • An estimated 1 million people are trafficked across international borders annually.
  • 80–90% is women who are forced into prostitution, domestic service, forced marriage or manual labour (sweatshops).
  • 50% are children who are forced into manual labour, trained as soldiers or sexually exploited.
  • Boys and young men are commonly trafficked to use for hard, unskilled labour.

After all of this time and research, why are people still being trafficked?

1. People are often lured into an industry through false promises. They voluntary enter the workforce but are deceived about the conditions of the work. Many have left their homes because they want to change their lifestyle. Poverty, political repression and lack of work drive them to find opportunities and a better life abroad.

2. Because of debt. Family members will sometimes sell a female member in order to get cash. A woman or girl can cost anywhere from US$100–900. These women and girls must then work off the debt that they caused. It takes years to pay off the debt and throughout that time more debt is acquired through food, shelter and other expenses.

3. Women and children are lured, kidnapped and tricked into this industry. Many trust travelling visitors who promise a high paying job in a developed area but are taken advantage of and forced into new occupations. Many women leave their home and families in search of opportunities and money, but when they arrive in a new city they find they don’t have a choice but carry out a job they are forced into.

Where is this happening?

Human trafficking is a global issue. No country is immune to this growing concern; however it is increasing much faster in some countries than others. Including:
  • Central and Eastern Europe
  • Russia
  • Thailand
  • Philippines
  • and many other countries in Southeast Asia.

Why don’t victims escape?

Many victims try to escape but it is very difficult for them to leave their situation. If caught, their punishment can be horrific: beating, rape or abuse. Also, victims often have no money, passport, family or friends—no way to escape and nowhere to escape to.

Victims suffering

Victims can suffer mental anguish but also physical injuries and a decline in health. HIV/AIDS is very common because victims have no means of protecting themselves. A study showed that almost 40% of victims found in Cambodia are HIV positive.

Situation in Australian

According to Humantrafficking.org a small number of women and children are trafficked to Australia from countries in Southeast Asia, South Korea and China. Some women come voluntarily in order to work in both legal and illegal brothels, while others are forced or deceived into coming. In 2003 the Commonwealth Government announced an A$20 million package to combat human trafficking. The package complemented per-existing government efforts worth A$14 million. To find out more go to http://www.humantrafficking.org.

How do I know this?

Humantrafficking.org, http://www.humantrafficking.org.au

Project Respect, http://www.projectrespect.org.au/

UNICEF, Trafficking and sexual exploitation, http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_exploitatio...

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Trafficking in Human Beings, http://www.unodc.org/unodc/trafficking_human_being...

Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, Trafficking in human beings, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking
Discuss Now 5 comments

steveskitmore 22-Apr-2008

Hi guys,

I'm helping to organise a youth forum in Brisbane on the issues of human trafficking and child slavery. We've got some cool presentations from groups of school students and have CHRIS PAYNE there to speak, the ex-AFP officer who was featured in the doco 'Trafficked' last year.

If you're in Bris at the time and want to learn more about these issues and share your own thoughts on how to tackle them, please come along!

Event: Kids Aren't Commodities! Vision Generation Forum
Date: 6th May 2008
Time: 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start (Finishes 8.30pm)
Venue: Nichols Lecture Theatre, Anglican Church Grammar School, 79 Oaklands Pde, East Brisbane.
Cost: Gold coin donation
RSVP: To kate.chambers@vgen.org by May 4th

Thanks for all the awesome work guys!

Shelleyw 03-Dec-2007

Have a listen to this story from Hack - http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/notes/s2105808.htm

Human Rights Film Festival

Australia's supposed to be the lucky country, the home of the "fair go for all" So whenever you hear media stories about torture, slave labour, human trafficking or the violation of basic human rights, do you ever think that they could involve anyone from your neighbourhood? Well, a pair of 25 year-old students from Melbourne think we should care more about human rights closer to home, and they're both involved in a brand new film festival with that message. Filmmaker Jessie Taylor and Evelyn Tadros, director of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival.For more info check out www.hraff.org.au

Artenor 18-May-2007

Hi Katie, a guy called david batstone was out here at a conference in sydney for the celebration of the abolition of slave trading - check out http://www.notforsalecampaign.org

There was a woman based in sydney about to start up here

cheers,

arty

katiet 12-Mar-2007

I am a student at the Queensland University of Technology. My major is Ethics and Human Rights. I chose this course as a result of a trip to Thailand two years ago. Walking around Bangkok, I have never felt so ashamed to be Australian. I think it is quite safe to say that we play a large part in fueling the human trafficking economy.

On my return, my friends thought the idea of the "ping-pong" girls was hilarious. This made me realize that a large percentage of Australians are quite unaware of this global issue.

I am basing an upcoming assignment of human trafficking. I wish to raise awareness of this inhumane trade. I understand this is a very sensitive issue, and the last thing I want to do is to interfere with someone's recovery.

I am interested in being put in contact with a survivor of this trade. I would like to use several resources, including film. Again, I understand it as a sensitive issue and that discretion is a key word here. Any contact at all, whether letters or interviews etc would be very helpful to bring this to peoples attention.

Please let me know if you might be able to point me in the right direction on the above email.

Thankyou so much for your time,

Katiet
katie.tyson@student.qut.edu.au

Kev - Lives - Here 25-May-2006

Help stop human trafficking!

There is a project called the Anti Slavery Project:
http://www.antislavery.org.au/about/index.html

This project doesn't have to be limited to NSW. Why not talk to your local politician, church, university or community legal centre and ask them if they can start something similar?