What you need to know about Human Trafficking: a quick introduction

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What is trafficking?

Trafficking means a business or deal which is illegal and criminal. Human trafficking is the illegal trade or movement of human beings by using force or doing fraud and deceit. The main purpose of human trafficking is forced and unpaid labor and exploitation of the work force. It is a kind of slavery in modern way. A person is a victim of trafficking even if he has given his consent for it. The victims are exploited and forced by the traffickers to indulge in criminal activities. United Nations has defined human trafficking as;

Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, 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, or have control over another person for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation forced labor services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

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Human trafficking is often mixed with smuggling but there is difference among both criminal acts. Human trafficking is done by force or deceit while smuggling is done by the consent of the individuals and they agree to pay the amount after reaching the destination and working over there. When reached their destination, they are free to work by their will but if they are forced to work, then it becomes trafficking.

Types of Human Trafficking

Following are the general categories/motives of human trafficking (categorized by the United Nations);

1. Women trafficking
2. Trafficking for forced labor
3. Child trafficking
4. Trafficking of organs
5. Domestic slavery

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Victims Needs

The victims of trafficking need the support and care of the family and society also. They need support from the society to get back their identity, confidence and self respect as they are not responsible for the situations they encountered. A large number of the victims of human trafficking are in need of housing facilities, medical care, legal services, healthy food, transportation and a supportive community to become normal and effective member of society. Victims of human trafficking are not much aware of the network of the traffickers and are in more vulnerable states as compared to the victims of domestic violence. They are often found having mental trauma, mental disability and scars of physical abuse. Victims of human trafficking are more vulnerable socially when they are trafficked to international destinations as they do not have much knowledge about the society and laws of that state which decreases the chances of their independence and safe survival.

Human trafficking is against the universal declaration of human rights, according to which no individual has the right to enslave or limit the independence of any other individual. The governments need to take strong steps against such criminal bodies and put high punishment and fines on them so that other people are discouraged to take a part in such activities. In addition to that, security of the public is the duty of the state. The state should provide employment, housing and medical facilities to the individuals so that they do not get trapped by such deceivers and criminals.