PENDIDIKAN AGAMA-AGAMA DUNIA

HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
OCT 2020 // PREPARED BY BHUMIKA RAISINGHANI
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Contents Chapter I

IN BRIEF
Introduction and
Background

Chapter II
Theoretical Basis

Chapter III
Problem Evaluation

Chapter IV
Ethical and Religious
Overview

Chapter V
Summary and
Conclusions
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The act or practice of illegally, forcefully,
fraudulently or coercively exporting and
importing people from one region, city or
even country to another, usually to obtain
purposes such as sexual exploitation,
domestic servitude or forced labor.
Although many of us are unaware of such
proceedings, it happens daily right in front
of our eyes; whether it may be the the
young lady who is browbeaten a shrouded
alley or the kidnapping of an innocent and
naïve child on his way home from school.
The focal motive of our its relevance is
because that poor woman or child could
be one of our acquaintances, friends,
family or even ourselves.
This unfortunate predicament has
developed so significantly in the past that
between 2008 and 2019, the number of
victims to human trafficking reported and
identified faced a three-fold increase, from
30,961 to 105,787 victims, although the
true value is far higher. When we hear the
short phrase of “Human Trafficking” our
minds instantly shift to a scene out of a
movie, such as ‘Taken’ or ’12 Years a Slave’;
where we see women who are drugged,
Introduction &
BACKGROUND
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
kidnapped and coerced into prostitution
rings, and historical African- American
men who were deceived and sold into
slavery. And while these instances
existed before and even now, the matter
at hand is far more extensive than we
can comprehend.
It can be witnessed in sweatshops,
where men and women of all ages,
including children are being forced to
work long and hard hours with little or
no pay in unsanitary and safe conditions
to weave and sew the clothes we wear,
or to pick coffee beans for our daily cups
of coffee. This can also be discerned in
pornographic films, photo-shoots or
prostitution, where they are compelled
and pressurized to work for the filthy
desires of others. Another example is the
act of trafficking for the purposes of
organ removal, which can be sold in the
‘Black Market”.
As it intertwines with other social and
cultural injustices, the fact remains that
we need to be deeply perturbed and
concerned about this issue.
The act or practice of illegally, forcefully,
fraudulently or coercively exporting and
importing people from one region, city or
even country to another, usually to obtain
purposes such as sexual exploitation,
domestic servitude or forced labor.
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Not only is it associated with gender and

racial inequality; fundamentally speaking, it
implies and propels the idea that one life is
worth lesser than another due to differences
in gender, race, socioeconomic status,
religion, culture, sexual orientation etc., but it
is also connected to the concepts of fair pay,
immigration, as victims are lured and trapped
by threats of deportation and debt bondage.

The ‘Human Trafficking Industry’ earns about

$150 Billion a year for traffickers, while $99
Billion is earned solely through trafficking for
the exclusive purpose of sexual exploitation.
Many people lose any sense of morality when
an earning of such weighty degree is
presented to them, which is unquestionably
wrong. They are so immensely blinded by
their cupidity that they are blinded- or rather,
do not care for right and wrong, which in turn
shows how they have abandoned the basis of
their religious beliefs to go after such
despicable ventures.
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Worldview is the way we view this world,
including everything in it, from our
perspective. It incorporates how we think the
world works, how we view and contemplate
something, how we fit into this massive world
and also how we find solutions and solve
problems, by using our own perspective and
intuition.
This goes to show that those who use the
Human Trafficking ‘Industry’ as a business
venture is furnished with a vile and
repugnant worldview, where the notion of
exploiting people for sexual favors and forced
labor raises the idea of ‘profit’ instead of an
‘alert’ for misdemeanor. Instead of pursuing
ones’ passions and interests, they fall into the
pits of egoism and avaricious desires.
In our lives, worldview shapes our decisions,
goals and accomplishments. It teaches us the
basic idea of happiness which is that
happiness does not arise from material
objects, but in fact comes from within. It also
regulates our expenditure, because anyone
with a fine worldview can attest that saving
money is a better strategy for the long run.
There is a direct relationship between
worldview and how is it we behave and act
towards other people.
Theoretical
BASIS
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The way these “corporate monsters”
perceive themselves as a part of this world
is not some passing soul in this vast
universe but as a kingpin interested only in
wealth and materialism. This can be
projected to traffickers of all types of
trafficking, even the ones that are
considered ‘harmless’ such as debt
bondage. Debt bondage is a serious matter
where those debt-collectors feel entitled to
a person’s life and welfare when he/she is
not able to repay their debts. Forced labor
and peonage is seen a cheap labor which
would maximize profits.
Perspective is a concept that is true to
ourselves, in that, the way we view
determines how we examine the world and
what our vision is of the future. Our vision,
in turn, influences our expectations for the
future, not of the future. Therefore, our
perspective reflects our own values, helps
us interpret the world surrounding us and
governs our choices in life. It represents a
spiritual phenomenon rather than a
religious one. Human trafficking represents
on of the worse visions of some individuals
of mankind, which casts a shadow on our
expectations for the future.
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Therefore, our perspective reflects our own

values, helps us interpret the world
surrounding us and governs our choices in
life. It represents a spiritual phenomenon
rather than a religious one. Human
trafficking represents on of the worse
visions of some individuals of mankind,
which casts a shadow on our expectations
for the future. It also affects the victims of
trafficking as their perspectives are tainted
by their harsh reality, which may cause
them to make atypical decisions and
choices.

A person with a righteous worldview is

more likely to perform good deeds because
he understands that when it comes down
to it, he is responsible for all of his past
actions including whether or not he has
done it, while a foul and covetous creature
would carry on life without a care in the
world, for anyone and everyone around
them.
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The issue with Human Trafficking is that more
than 99% of it goes unreported. In fact, only
about 0.04% of cases are identified which
further supports the fact that the vast
majority of human trafficking cases go
unreported and even as far as undetected.
The UN estimated that the real figure is
between 20 million to 40 million people who
are victims of trafficking and modern slavery
internationally.
And these cases are only increasing every
year, as with the prevalence of social media, a
growing trend can be seen where targets are
set and recruited online. Another means by
which the prey is set is through the Foster
Care System. When children survivors were
interviewed and investigated, it was found
that most of them (50-80%) were in the foster
care system, at least in one point of their
childhood. Children represent a vulnerable
age group to this Industry. In 2018 it was
reported that more than half of the reported
and active criminal sex trafficking cases in the
the US were children (51.6%). Their youth and
innocence accompanied by their relatively
feeble strength, which gives way for
grooming, may be a reason why.
Women represent another vulnerable
group.
Problem
EVALUATION
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Today, 71% of all enslaved people consist of
women and girls, which the rest 29%
consist of men and boys. Of the 71% of
enslaved women, 77.5% represent women
who are imported and exported for the
exclusive global purpose of sexual
exploitation (while the rest represent those
women trafficked for forced labor). Forced
marriages, brothels and prostitution are
only some of the ways in which women and
girls are capitalized. It has been reported
that the average age when a young girl is
first exploited into prostitution is 12 to 14.
Women and children are exceedingly
trafficked due to social disparity and
marginalization, their relative lack of power,
and their overall status compared to men.
Those that are targeted are also those with
low literacy, lower levels of education and
low socioeconomic status. A correlation has
also been found between abuse in the
household and trafficking.
Although women and children are
vulnerable cliques, this does not keep
men out of the equation. A report from
2017 has stated that, out of 21 million
victims of forced labor, over 11.4 million
represented women and girls, while the
rest 9.5 million were men and boys.
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Fields of work which are more prone to labor

trafficking include the agricultural industry,
the hospitality industry, constructional work,
manufacturing and factory work, and
domestic work, with migrant workers and
indigenous people rendered most vulnerable.
For example, threats of deportation and
withholding of passports and other
identification documents can forcefully
confine illegal immigrants to forced labor.

The impact of human trafficking is massive,

not only socially but also culturally. For
example, the presence of acute human
trafficking in China is indirectly due to their
“One Child Policy” which has skewed the ratio
of men to women, where families preferred
to keep males and abort or abandon females.
It was estimated that by 2020, more than 30
million Chinese males wont be able to find
wives in China, in which their temptations
push them to seek other ways to acquire one.
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Here are some ways we can help manage the ongoing problem of Human Trafficking

Fundraising
Fundraising efforts for trafficking campaigns bringing widespread awareness to the issue
and donations that raises money that can help countless organizations that are already
fighting the issue. Most of the organizations that work against human trafficking rely heftily
on donations as they are all non-profit.

In this modern world, they are now using various advanced tools such as Data Gathering
and Analysis to conduct an intelligence-led prevention; by building a rich and extensive
picture of the trafficking trends, routes, networks and even hotspots. They are also trying to
use greater intelligence to create targeted action that would disrupt any trafficking
networks at its source.

Resilience building through global collaboration has been one of their key approaches to
combat trafficking globally and internationally, not only in one part or region of the world.
By creating a strong network of individuals and organizations around the globe and working
hand-hand with the common aim of global resilience (especially in communities that are
vulnerable to it), they are slowly fabricating a human trafficking free world.

As Human Trafficking is one of the stealthiest of crimes, spotting the signs are critical. By
offering recourses and campaigns in organizations such as school, businesses, etc. they
hope to bring more awareness to this pressing issue.

Some non-profit organizations against human trafficking include:

https://www.stopthetraffik.org/
https://www.onedayswages.org/human-trafficking/
https://www.unicefusa.org/mission/protect/trafficking

Ethical & Religious

OVERVIEW
 HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Volunteering
Although these organizations are already
making efforts against trafficking, at the
individual level we must also help by
volunteering our time and effort. In this way
not only are we helping and supporting the
organizations itself, but the more the number
of volunteers are the greater the outreach
could be.
Raise Awareness
Reaching out to local activists and
representatives and helping them raise
awareness through participating in local
campaigns, events or marathons help raise
awareness. Bringing friends and more
volunteers or even simply broadcasting an
Instagram post about the campaign can help
promote awareness. Raising awareness can
also motivate more people into joining the fight
against human trafficking. A chain reaction is
created which will lead to more people
volunteering, fundraising and educating
themselves.
Advocating
When we ourselves take the initiative to press
on the matter to local authorities, holding
rallies and signing petitions, we bring the issue
to light in front of them to their attention which
increases the likelihood for action on their part.
Encouraging businesses and companies to
have amore open policy, and give a chance for
the survivors to get back on their feet with a
fresh start by providing them with jobs.
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Identify Signs
We need to be educated on the signs that
someone is a victim of human trafficking so
that we can support and encourage them and
help them by giving a voice, especially for those
who don’t feel comfortable speaking out.
Some signs of victims include:
• Poor working conditions
• Poor living conditions
• Poor mental health
• Lack of control
By contacting the National Human Trafficking
Hotline, we can report suspicions anonymously
and help those victims.
Boycotting
Boycotting products and companies that
permit or promote Being diligent and informed
about the products that we consume and
whether or not the companies that produce
them is a simple way to fight human trafficking.
By simply not purchasing the product or
supporting the company, we are already
playing our part. We can also help combat the
demand for trafficking by having stricter
policies within companies such as the
minimum wage policy.
Charity
Donating old clothes, toys or canned goods to
shelters to help the survivors and victims of
human trafficking. Doctors,
lawyers, teachers etc. may help and contribute
by pro bono consultations, providing health
and education services at their shelters, etc.
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The human trafficking industry is growing every year as

demand from cheap labor and sexual exploitation continues to grow. As phrased
in many sources, “Human Trafficking is form of modern day slavery”. Although
many of us are unaware of such proceedings, it is constantly happening all
around us. It implies and propels the idea that one life is worth lesser than
another due to differences in gender, race, socioeconomic status, religion, culture,
sexual orientation etc. Trafficking of individuals can be done for many
purposes including prostitution, sex tourism, domestic servitude, migrant
farming, factory work, etc. Although children and women represent vulnerable
age groups, men are not safe either. Which means that none of us or our families
and friends are safe and can fall into being a victim of human trafficking.
Traffickers who utilize human labor in this way have an inadequate and poor
worldview. Many efforts such as Fundraising, Volunteering, Raising Awareness
Advocating, Identifying signs of human trafficking and reporting suspicions, Boycotting
products and companies that permit or promote trafficking and Donating to
Charity can help victims through their recovery process, help them regain their
lives and reduce the entirety of cases, if not solve Human Trafficking.

Lastly, a message that everyone should take from this

article is that Human Trafficking is a serious issue that should not be
dismissed light. It can happen to anyone no matter their race, age or gender.
It is only together that we can help solve this problem and save all children
of God, including ourselves, from falling into the trap of modern slavery,
which is Human Trafficking.

Summary &
CONCLUSION