Human trafficking is present in every country on the planet and is increasingly on the rise every 30 seconds a child is stolen somewhere on this planet. It is estimated that there are more human slaves on this planet right now than ever before in the history of humankind. Human trafficking is extremely profitable and is often run by organized crime syndicates and gangs who are using ever-evolving, sophisticated tactics and techniques. The traffickers threaten violence upon their victims and their families to keep them captive.
We often think of human trafficking as something that happens in faraway lands, lawless places where governments don’t protect their citizens well, if at all. But the reality is far worse.
According to Etactics writer Elia Meltzer, human trafficking happens in every big city and small town in the United States, as well as all communities around the world. Although it is difficult to provide exact figures for victims, The High Court estimates that more than 25 million human beings across this globe are denied their fundamental right to freedom.
The presence of an abuser or trafficker or even the fear of reprisals often makes it so that victims of human trafficking or abuse cannot safely express their desire for protection verbally.
Who Is Involved in Human Trafficking?
In the US, human traffickers in every community typically take advantage of the innocence and insecurity of their targets. They can be:
- Organized crime
- Local players in the sex industry
- Street gangs
- Abusive partners
- Family members
The Human Slave Trade Is Highly Lucrative
Human trafficking has become a sophisticated and extremely profitable criminal activity. It is the second largest criminal enterprise on this planet, behind illegal drug trafficking.
According to Anti-Trafficking International, human trafficking is estimated to be $150 billion a year industry. Many experts estimate that human trafficking will soon overtake drug trafficking as the largest criminal enterprise.
Drug trafficking is a risky business because illegal drugs must be transported over borders and can only be sold one time. By contrast, human trafficking victims can be sold again and again hundreds or thousands of times.
DeliverFund, a nonprofit intelligence organization dedicated toward eliminating human trafficking, notes that “between 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States every year, and the total number varies wildly as it is very difficult to research. One study from the Department of Health and Human Services estimated the number between 240,000 and 325,000, while a report from the University of Pennsylvania put it at between 100,000 and 300,000.”
Finding exact statistics on human trafficking at home and globally is not possible, as far too many victims do not report this crime. Some trafficking cases are mischaracterized as domestic disputes, or they are somehow lost in the criminal justice system.
Even if a human trafficking victim escapes bondage (only 1% are believed to escape), they may not report this crime for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to):
- Insecurity
- Embarrassment
- Fear of retaliation
- Intimidation
Some trafficking victims may be convinced that their new lifestyle was a choice, so they really have no one else to blame for their current situation. Others feel a false sense of empowerment; this feeling especially applies to the sex industry, where human trafficking victims live a different lifestyle than they normally would.
The lack of accurate reporting on human trafficking demonstrates that whatever statistics we compile will always be a gross underestimation of the actual human trafficking that happens in this country and around the world. Whatever statistics are provided will never account for all the human trafficking that happens globally. However, Anti-Trafficking International notes that every 30 seconds, a child is stolen somewhere on this planet.
Technology Has Made It Much Easier for Human Traffickers to Target Victims
Digital platforms have become the largest threat to our children. One in 6 children in the US has already been approached or contacted by a human trafficker online. 86% of victims of Human Trafficking were first contacted online as it is far less risky to the traffickers. These criminals can quickly make an online connection with hundreds of kids at once, manipulating them in to leaving the safety of their homes willingly.
These traffickers working online gain a victim’s trust and develop a pseudo-caring relationship that seems very real to the victim. Most children feel like they don’t fit in at some point, so they are easily manipulated online.
There are several common tactics traffickers use to manipulate and control their victims:
- Love bombing – overwhelming the victim with affection, adoration, gifts and love
- Gaslighting – making victims question their sense of reality or sanity
- Negging – causing a potential victim to feel bad or worthless
- Guilt tripping – making victims feel that they should do more to help the trafficker, especially in romantic, professional or familial relationships
- Emotional blackmailing – using blackmailing tactics such as a threat of suicide or sending illicit photos to family and friends
Law enforcement just doesn’t have enough resources to combat human trafficking
Although law enforcement around the globe does an amazing job working to find, try and prosecute those who commit the crime of human trafficking, it is an almost impossible task based on the scale of human trafficking. Law enforcement valiantly attempts to find and prosecute these crimes but are limited in many ways especially in resources. Blink3 hopes to assist law enforcement by providing awareness and preventative education.