1

ENC 1102: English Composition II

May 27th, 2023

Analyzation of Bales & Soodalter Solution to Human Trafficking

When slavery is discussed in schools, debates, or even in casual conversation, people

tend to connotate it with early American slavery around the antebellum period. However, today

in the dark corners of large cities such as New York to suburbs in the midwest slavery still exists

in the shadows. In the current time this is now known as modern slavery or domestic slavery and

it's a much larger issue than many would believe with a staggering estimate of 27-50 million

people affected across the world. These people tend to be young girls, children, or others who

were tricked into servitude through false promises of a new life or through pure violence.

Throughout this analysis we will delve deep into the causes, solutions, and reasonings behind

this evil form of control and ownership of another living being. To begin this dive into the wide

range of information gathered, we will focus specifically on the data and solutions provided by

Professor Kevin Bales and his associates.

The initial focus of this analysis of Professor Bales data will be on his book, The Slave

Next Door, where he discusses the key differences between old and modern slavery and his

solutions. Throughout chapter 1 and 2, he displays how modern slavery is harder to detect than

the old due to the slaves being hidden away and illegal rather than being a symbol of wealth and

shown off. Moreover, most modern slaves are used for prostitution, torturing, or forced to watch

after children and be treated like pets. This is backed by many cases similar to the 12 year old

girl Maria who was chained in the backyard of Sandra Bearden in the suburbs of Texas, where

she was beaten and forced to work for the family. Maria's parents were promised she would be

getting a better life than she would in Mexico, however, was instead taken captive and was only

freed due to a neighbor doing roof work and seeing the child chained and whimpering. Sadly this
 2

is not just a one time thing, but is happening to people all across the “land of the free,” led by

false promises and then brought in through legal or illegal channels. To combat this Bales and

his associates came up with the solution called ‘slave-free’ neighborhoods, where awareness is

risen, communities become more involved, and more reporting mechanisms are put into place.

His belief is that through the communities being more vigilant and knowledgeable, it would be a

crucial change for reducing the issue. However, there are many issues with this plan from how to

spread the needed awareness nationwide to people being wrong and causing lots of stress and

panic in a community. Furthermore, another solution expressed via his Ted talk Bales goes on to

discuss how there were an estimated 27 million enslaved people in 2010, and with the average

cost of someone at $400 it would cost $10.8 billion to free and sustain them. Which is

unachievable overall by any single organization currently, however, I believe if combined with

his first solution it could inflict major damage on the world slave market.

Moreover, to be precise the previously mentioned combination of solutions would still

not be enough to bring the modern slave market to its knees, as it was near impossible to make

slavery illegal as is. There would need to be many different solutions being implemented

everywhere in the world from the Americas to all of Asia, and even that wouldn’t be enough. By

human nature horrible people will exist no matter the solution, but that doesn’t prevent

organizations like the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security

Investigations (ICE HSI) from fighting back. Through the use of undercover agents and tracking

money transactions, they are able to follow leads to take down small and large human trafficking

rings in the United States and 48 other countries. However, there are many cases when people

are caught they are released, due to how the visa permits are set up in the United States with

business men and diplomats allowed servants from out of the country. This allows for people to
 3

be brought in legally, but then treated as a slave especially if from a poorer country initially.

Which brings me to another solution for American slavery backed by Bales book, which brings

to attention how there should be no separation between B-1 and J-1 visas. The B-1 visa is given

to workers of diplomats and large corporations with little to no oversight, however, J-1 visas for

Europeans have strict rules to protect the individual. Likewise, multiple articles discussed the

possibility of altering the legal framework of laws to better protect individuals stuck in these

loopholes and other possible victims. On the other hand some articles discuss the after effects of

slavery has on surviving victims and promote strengthening victim support organizations. With

each solution provided there is an equal amount of issues, which means that many solutions need

to be cultivated together to tackle the same goal, which would be the ending of modern slavery.

Overall, through my research on modern day slavery it has allowed a window into a

world of terrors I was unaware were still occurring not only in the world but here in the “land of

the free.” Furthermore, solutions to this evil were brought to light such as: public awareness,

liberation via money, law enforcement agencies, law alterations, and strengthening organizations

with the goal of stopping slavery. Each solution is key in the fight against human trafficking, but

a single solution will not go far alone and needs the backing of the other ideas to have a major

impact. With this being the case the longer the slave trade continues to go on around the world

the harder it will be to stop it and help all the victims and familes inflicted. Although this goal

will be hard to reach, it is something that must be done before humanity can prosper and not

have to fear being owned by another.

 4

Annotated Bibliography

“20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking - United States Department of State.”

U.S. Department of State, 11 Jan. 2021, www.state.gov/20-ways-you-can-help-

fight-human-trafficking/. Accessed 27 May 2023.

In this article the United States Department of State provided 20 different methods to

help fight human trafficking as a citizen and emphasizes the need for

collaborative efforts to end slavery.

Bales, Kevin, and Ron Soodalter. The Slave next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery

in America Today. University of California Press, 2010.

This book gives insight into the differences between old and modern slavery and how

people have been affected by it. In addition, it gives some possible solutions to

help prevent more victims, and how to spot an issue.

Grant, Kelly. “5 Strategies to Combat Human Trafficking in the Americas.” InSight

Crime, 6 Aug. 2022, insightcrime.org/news/analysis/5-strategies-combat-human-

trafficking-americas/. Accessed 27 May 2023.

This article highlights how to combat modern day slavery through a regional approach

and gives 5 ways which mainly focus on the law.

Jensen, Janet. “Council Post: How Can We Fight against the Human and Sex Trafficking

Crisis?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 14 Apr. 2023,

 5

www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2023/04/13/how-can-we-fight-

against-the-human-and-sex-trafficking-crisis/. Accessed 27 May 2023.

This article focuses on how governments and organizations need to work in coercion to

put out more productive measures to ensure safety. In addition, it discusses

attacking root causes of trafficking and providing support for victims that were

impacted.

Jesionka, Natalie. “What’s Being Done to Stop Human Trafficking?” The Muse, 19 June

2020, www.themuse.com/advice/whats-being-done-to-stop-human-trafficking.

Accessed 27 May 2023.

This article tackles the topic of what is being done internationally to prevent more human

trafficking. It also goes into detail on how we need to emphasize the use of

technology and international cooperation.

“Kevin Bales: How to Combat Modern Slavery.” YouTube, 29 Mar. 2010,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUM2rCIUdeI. Accessed 27 May 2023.

Through his Ted talk Bales expresses his concern and how he got interested in the fight

against human trafficking. Moreover, he discusses some possible solutions that

could damage and prevent the trade from growing.

“Stopping Human Trafficking: Why so Little Progress?” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/to-end-human-trafficking/202106/stopping-

human-trafficking-why-so-little-progress. Accessed 27 May 2023.

 6

The article discusses the reasons why modern day human trafficking is hard to combat

and is a slow process. It also mentions how it is done in the shadows and meant to

be hidden in this era, meaning it will take a complex way to end modern day

slavery around the world.

“Using a Financial Attack Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.” ICE,

www.ice.gov/news/releases/using-financial-attack-strategy-combat-human-

trafficking. Accessed 27 May 2023.

This article discusses how ICE fights criminal syndicates and other organizations that

involve any type of trafficking. Their main method being tracking the financials

back to the source and taking down large human trafficking rings in America and

48 other countries.