Topic: 2024-Human Trafficking
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Soraya Parke
Every year millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide. The United States (US) is ranked one of the worst countries for humantrafficking. Human trafficking is an abuse of human rights and a horrendous crime. Additionally, it hinders national and economic security. Human traffickers prey on people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities, exploiting them for their own profit.For example, often victims of human trafficking are forced to take part in human labor and unauthorized sexual activities. Currently, there is an estimate of 27.6 million human trafficking victims at any given time worldwide.
Human trafficking has a long and unpleasant history in the US. Begining with the transatlantic slave trade. The transatlantic slave trade brought millions of enslaved Africans over to the US during the the 16th-19th centuries. The slaves were taken from their home and aggressively transported to the US. In the US Africans were sold into slavery and forced labor. During this period, many slaves attempted to escape, few were successful and most some were not. The slaves who were caught running were severely punished by their owners. Slavery ended in the US as a result of the 13th amendment in 1865. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the United States passed laws banning the consumption and selling of alcohol and drugs.. However, this ban caused more substances to get sold on the black market. This then led to a rise in organized crimes which morphed into trafficking, such as prostitution and forced labor. During this period trafficking became a serious problem for women because they were forced to perform sexual activities against their will. This caused the government to create and pass laws to help stop trafficking but the problem continued. In the late 20th century human trafficking became worse. We see this through the growth of the sex industry, illegal immigration networks, and criminal organizations, which have all helped the rise of trafficking in the form we see today.
Now despite everything the government has tried, human trafficking continues to be a huge problem today. The US, Mexico, and Central America are hotspots for the act. In 2019, there were over 11,000 reported cases of human trafficking in the US, but the actual number is likely much higher. Human trafficking is also tied to drug trafficking and other forms of criminal activities. The US has taken a few steps to try to solve this problem. One example was when the US passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000, this act gave resources and support to victims. The US government has also worked to raise awareness around this issue and are currently providing training to the law enforcements and other stakeholders to make sure they know how to properly handle the situation and prevent it. The rise of technology and social media has also brought forth a new tactic for traffickers. It allows them to use an online platform to or recruit victims. There are many challenges that America faces..The US continues to lead the way with the TIP Report and initiatives like the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. However, addressing the large issue of human trafficking requires a multifaceted approach that involves strengthening legal frameworks, improving victim support services, enhancing international cooperation, and addressing the root causes of vulnerability. These include poverty, gender inequality, and violence. The ongoing challenge is ensuring that trafficking victims are protected, traffickers are prosecuted, and the cycle of exploitation is broken. While more progress is being made in combating these crimes, more needs to be
done to ensure all individuals are free from the fear of one day being abducted themselves. Taking down human traffickers requires a lot of effort. Within governments, this means the participation of many different agencies with different responsibilities. The future of human trafficking in the Americas, while influenced by ongoing efforts to stop it, will likely still continue to be shaped by evolving trends in migration, technology, economic instability, and social inequality. The future of combating human trafficking will rely on the creation of stronger and more coordinated legal frameworks. And international help in tracking them down and providing protection for victims will be essential. Regional organizations, like the Organization of American States (OAS), are already working on creating more standardized anti-trafficking protocols, and there may be greater cooperation between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central American countries. Additionally, victim-centered approaches will likely become more prominent, focusing not only on prosecuting traffickers but also on providing comprehensive support to survivors, including mental health care, job training, and legal assistance. We also want to spread a lot more awareness to the public. This will be key in making sure everyone stays informed about trafficking and also to make sure that they stay safe. We should target our ads to more vulnerable populations so that they are aware of the danger they could face. To truly stop human trafficking in the United States, the long term goal must focus on addressing the problem from its root causes of exploitation, such as poverty, gender inequality, lack of education, and political instability. Countries should start to invest in social infrastructure, like education, healthcare, and job creation, particularly in more vulnerable places. But this will only work when the efforts of national and international governments work together. Sustained efforts to address root causes, enforce laws, and raise awareness will be critical to mitigating the impact of trafficking in the future.
Human trafficking is a multimillion dollar criminal industry. Whether we like to believe it or not it surrounds all of us. There is no one way to traffick someone, in fact there are many factors that play into it like transportation, transference, and holding of people against their will. The three core elements that define the act of human trafficking are the act ( which is always for exploitation, the means (how the individual is sold/exploited), and the purpose (which is always for exploitation) according to the United Nations. Per the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish trafficking in persons, it has been defined as. “…the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.” Since then there have been multiple resolutions and treaties put in place by the United Nations. As of February 2023 181 nations partake in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons included in the 2000 UN convention against transnational organized crime. This protocol is to be kept in mind when making the next steps.
