Speaking my truth: Human Trafficking, an International disaster

Human trafficking is one of the biggest crime against humanity. Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking. It involves recruiting, transporting, transferring and receiving a person through a use of force, cruelty or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. Throughout the years, it is said that many more women and young girls, especially from the ages of 12-16 fall into the hands of traffickers. Although this may not be happening to your daughter, niece, or granddaughter, somewhere out there a mother, sister, aunt, grandmother is worrying. Human Trafficking is an International issues that should be address and not taken lightly.

 
According to the United Nations office of Drugs and crime traffickers follow these three elements:

The Act (What is done)

Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons

The Means (How it is done)

 Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim

 The Purpose (Why it is done)

 
For the purpose of exploitation, this includes exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs.

  

"Human Trafficking." United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2013.

 

Recently, Rights 4 girls a human rights organization focused on gendered-based violence and its impact on vulnerable young women and girls in the United States have taken a stand to help and bring awareness to the nation. Studies done  by this organization has shown that  girls from the ages of 16 to 19 are four times more likely than others to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault, and nearly one in five women reports being raped in her lifetime. These rates of violence are similar to the scope and intensity of gendered violence out of the country, in African, Latin American, and Asian nations, where violence against women and girls is known as human rights issue.  This is time for a similar human rights approach to highlight the conditions of sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape, exploitation, and trafficking in the U.S. Now is the time to understand that gendered violence here in the U.S., like violence in a foreign country, restricts girls’ rights and the realization of their full potential and dignity.

"HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT FOR GIRLS - Human Rights Project for Girls." HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT FOR GIRLS. N.p., 2011. Web. 03 Feb. 2013

 

Human Trafficking may just seem like a trafficker transporting a person from one place to another but in reality it is so much more. Girls affected by trafficking grow up victims of sexual violence, domestic violence, rape and exploitation. This is an unacceptable crime that needs to be STOP! It is time for us to stand up together, one nation at a time, fighting for the rights of these young girls, giving them the support, the help, the voice that they may not have.  Human Trafficking needs to be stopped not only in the United States but also in the whole world; however, before we are able to help other nations we have to help those who live among us. It is time to open our eyes and see these girls and help them, it is the moment to listen to President Obama’s call to end modern day “slavery”, and let’s start right here at home because no girl in America, in the 21st century, should be for sale or used.