The modern term for slavery is human trafficking.
Their dreams of becoming something beyond themselves suddenly narrowed into a sphere of solemn emptiness. The best dreams they ever had were the dreams in which they never existed. Is the life of those who have been sold to sexual exploitation worth living? To those who have been enslaved, it is not. Rape, further confinement, drugging, threat to families, and fear of deportation serve as deterrents of escape. Sex trafficked victims comprise a portion of the 12M people reported by the US government to be trafficked annually.
In hopes for a better lifestyle, many victims of sex trafficking are promised employment, education, and technical training, only to find themselves displaced far from home in a “workplace” drastically different from the one initially described by “employers”.
A part of what fuels sex trafficking is the destitution of families compounded by the vulnerabilities crystallized by gender inequality. A gut-wrenching reality exists whereby parents knowingly sell their children off to sex trafficking in order to gain a modest income. Moreover, in countries where there is gender inequality, females are the prime target for sex trafficking.
Next to females, children are the most vulnerable. Each year it is approximated that over two million children are exploited for commercial sex trade. Crossing the line of moral and ethical standards to accommodate normal practices across domestic borders increases the demand for sex trafficking of children. Tourists that find anonymity and the availability of children are prime criminals for exploiting our youth. Cases have been reported where pediatricians and university professors have been criminalized for their acts abroad. Some say if you wouldn’t do it at home, don’t do it elsewhere. However, when the it involves the most delicate forms of life on earth (our youth), there can be no exceptions. Neither cultural nor socio-economic justifications can be used to excuse the exploitation of youth.
Question for you: Are you worth more than a buffalo? You’re first reaction may be one of confusion. You may say I am a human, not an object with a price tag. You’re second reaction may be that even if you did have a price tag, it would be much more than that of a buffalo. Here’s the truth, in India, children are worth 3.3% of buffaloes; with 500 rupees you can purchase a child, and with 15000 rupees you can purchase a buffalo. As for health risks, 50-90% of children rescued from brothels in Southeast Asia are infected with HIV, ignoring the plethora of other sexually transmitted diseases that are curable.
I hesistate to describe the experiences endured by victims. Only the words of victims can express the psychological and physical trauma from such exploitation. My deepest condolences go to those whom have never experienced what life beyond the constraints of pimps is like. I cannot see past the evil that exists with sex traffickers. To steal one’s life is a loss of two lives, one belonging to the victim and the other to greed and evil. What I truly hope is that one day those who have taken the lives of these victims can reflect on all the evil that they have done and channel their negativity into streams of conscience that exists with humanity in order to feel, even for a brief second, what those that have been hurt have felt. They too are human.
Sources of information:
- http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/142979.pdf
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1610133.ece
Real question for you:
There is brewing debate about whether or not prostitution promotes sex trafficking. What’s your opinion? Leave comments below.
Stay tuned: next blog is on innovative ways people have taken action.
