This is a very pertinent question. If we understand where the system is breaking down, we can push for it to be fixed, changed and improved so we can help those that need it.
My short answer is that while there are so many people and NGOs who are committed to ending human trafficking, I believe it has also become a tool used by others to achieve their own separate outcomes. Outcomes that, at times, have little to do with human trafficking in the true sense of the term.
We see a lot of activity and have made some achievements. Unfortunately, when compared to the money, attention and time spent,real productive work or progress is lacking or shown to have actually taken place. It is difficult to stop something if the main focus is on achieving something else.
Below is my detailed answer with a few examples and contributing factors based on my own research for those interested. These play part to confuse public and impede any real progress to stop human trafficking.
There are a few elements that not only impedes progress to stop human trafficking but also make it worse for many. The first is around knowledge. It is always good to do your own research.
Solid Facts & Best Estimates
Due to the nature of human trafficking, we only have best estimates. There are two main sources that are mainly quoted:
1. International Labour Organisation [1] whose estimate is 21 million people around the world in Forced Labour. This figures are the most commonly used.
- 4.5 million (22%) are victims of forced sexual exploitation,
- 14.2 million (68%) are victims of forced labour exploitation in economic activities,
- 2.2 million (10%) are in state-imposed forms of forced labour.
2. The Global Slavery Index (GSI)[2] estimates 45.8 million people are in some form of modern slavery. The GSI breaks the figures down by country than by region.
- Although their estimates are their best guess, both are unanimous that forced labour for economic reasons is infact the biggest human trafficking issue. This is work like domestic servitude, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality and construction.
Gender and Human Trafficking
The main outcry of human trafficking has turned it into a gender issue. The next outcry is that it is a sexual exploitation issue. Although it may be well meaning, this approach plays a part in impeding work to rescue people who are being exploited.
[Source]
There is only about an estimated 5% difference in numbers between trafficked males and females. Unfortunately, due to the political push around gender nowadays, this means the needs of atleast 9.5 million people being trafficked don’t receive the same needed attention. As a woman, I agree the needs of women and girls are important but it should be inclusive not instead of male and boys when all are in a victim status.
Furthermore, trafficking also gets used at times to further the political stance of gender, or morals in the case of some faith groups and governments. The political aim to eradicate the sex industry as a whole[3] often over takes the due diligence needed to stop trafficking.
Sex Trafficking for prostitution has become the most common approach we see nowadays with consensual sex workers mixed in with trafficked victims. This is the least effective way to stop human trafficking because the information to the public on people trafficked is skewed, thus misleading. Also it has a real impact as people get harmed.
The below short video is one of many examples of this. In 2014, it came to light that Cambodian Anti Trafficking Programs were Sending Sex Workers to Sweatshops. The video takes you on an actual raid of a cambodian brothel and the shocking after effects.
These people were not victims of trafficking when they were working at the brothel. They are now though. Forced to work in sweatshops under exploitative conditions and forgotten by NGOs and media as it does not have the same political pull. Yet this is reported as a win against prostitution (& trafficking) when all it achieved was to increase the number of people trafficked. This is not a once off either.
Most people now believe that the biggest, or sometime only, issue is sexual exploitation around prostitution even though it is less than 22% of all trafficked victims. Each time trafficking is looked at as a whole, while sexual exploitation is part of the problem, not the whole problem.
This has a negative impact on stopping trafficking because:
- Other sections of sexual exploitation do not receive the same focus like forced marriage and sexual servitude
- The large number of women and girls who are trafficked into the other forced labour areas also end up overlooked. Less funding, less attention, less help. It is harder to separate the males and female in economic labour areas. It is a human issue, not just gender.
- While there are many NGO’s like Working to Abolish Slavery or Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women who seek to stop trafficking, other political pressures can hamper this.
Gender in trafficking is important but it is important across all the areas of trafficking equally whether its the estimated 4.5 million women in sexual exploitation or the estimated 6.9 million women in state enforced or economic forced labour.
Until all area’s are given the same resources and attention it is difficult to stop trafficking.
Political Morals and Human Trafficking
The meaning of human trafficking is getting more and more diluted. As mentioned above, moral agendas also often take priority. As the U.S Government wont separate trafficking victims and consensual sex workers reaching real victims become harder and non trafficked people are targeted (see above). Others have spoken of the harm in this too[6][7] [8] [9] .
- It adds more people unnecessarily into the mix. It is easier to find a person in a crowd of 100 people rather than 100,000 people. This is common sense. Instead resources for trafficked victims end up spent on arresting non trafficked people.
- Non trafficked people are harmed and lives affected as politics are carried out in the name of trafficking. Figures are often inflated as non trafficked people are put down as being a trafficked victim statistic. [10]
- Real trafficked victims remain longer in exploitative situations as they take a backseat to alternative political agendas.
- It doesn’t provide better protection for women as it’s sometimes suggested[11] rather law enforcement's use trafficking laws incorrectly[12][13]
An example of incorrect use was an Alaskan case where one woman was accused of trafficking herself.
Currently in the UK, money and time spent arresting people who aren’t traffickers, could be put to better use seeking actual traffickers to end human trafficking instead.
[Source]
While the gender approach makes it difficult to reach women trafficked for other reasons than sexual exploitation, the moral approach makes it difficult to reach women who are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Again these are not isolated incidents[14] [15], yet they hamper the good work that many try to do and increase the difficulties to stop human trafficking.
Reporting and Human Trafficking
Lastly, it is difficult to stop human trafficking if the reporting is bias or is used for alternative agendas. The TIP report is suppose to be the benchmark which governments do not influence. However, for the past few years reports from those who help produce it speak of the tier system having governmental manipulation based on political alignment and influence instead of a tough love approach based on what’s best to help people currently trafficked.[16]
- 2010 Ambassador Michael Langon gave a ‘tough love’ reminder on TIP reporting
- 2013 Ambassador Langon calls for TIP not to be politically expedient
- 2014 Ambassador Lagon again brings up misuse of TIP reporting
- 2015 How TIP is Failing Asian Migrants and A Call to Review Evaluation Methods in the Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP)
- 2016 TIP report finally has a hearing. (Hearing_opening_remarks exerpt below)
- 2017 TIP Report Tier Rankings Raise Concerns
- 2017 US senators put forth legislation to amend the TIP report and current US anti trafficking laws
As inter-country alliances and sensitivities remain, it is unknown how effective this will be but dishonest, self interest reporting makes it difficult to stop human trafficking and hold countries accountable.
There are still many more factors, such as attention to proper supportive programs, attention to core issues that lead to trafficking like needed education in villages, domestic violence in homes[17] , funding tied to political agendas (such as PEPFER)[18] and so on.
How Not to Talk About Human Trafficking is a poignant article that anyone who is focused on proactively having real victims saved should read.
Nothing I have mentioned is new. Many people have written papers on these and other issues and how they impeded efforts to stop human trafficking. You will find a few of these in the footnotes for further research. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23][24] [25]
However, until enough people demand real action and focus, it is hard to progress forward to bring trafficking to an end."
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