Human Trafficking - Another Type of Violence Surrounds Us

Another type of violence lurks in our communities.  It is called human trafficking.  And just what is human trafficking?  It is a modern form of slavery where men, women and children are forced by traffickers and given to another person by payment.  By far, the most popular form of human trafficking is those sold into sexual slavery and mostly consist of younger adults and children.  Many are even taken from their own country and shipped abroad.  Traffickers, who are some of the lowest scum on Earth, trick and deceive their prey.  They coerce young adults and children by promising them a better life full of pleasure and meeting their every need, or they threaten to harm their families if they don't abide by their wishes.  Many traffickers go as far as abducting their victims.  And this very crime goes on in almost every community right under our noses.  It may not be easy to spot and is kept hidden as much as possible by those profiting from human trafficking.  We will delve into this subject more but here are some facts about human trafficking:

1. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. That’s the highest recorded number of slaves in history!

2. The average cost of a slave around the world is $90.

3. Human trafficking has been identified as the largest human rights violation in the history of mankind.

4. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, after drug smuggling and arms dealing.

5. The United States is one of the top three destination points for trafficked victims. California, New York, Texas and Nevada are the top destination states within the country.

6. According to estimates, approximately 80 percent of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19 percent involves labor exploitation.

7. The average age of a young woman being trafficked is 12–14 years old.

8. Immigration agents estimate that 10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles’ underground brothels; this does not include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal industries.

9. An estimated 13 million children are enslaved around the world today, accounting for nearly half of trafficking victims in the world.

10. Trafficked children are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems, abuse substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and either commit or be victimized by violent crimes later in life.