Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. This is a social problem of such magnitude and atrocity that it cannot be dealt with successfully by any government alone. This is why international associations, non-governmental organizations, and individuals around the world have joined together in the fight against modern slavery.

The Truth about Human Trafficking / Human Trafficking in the News / Nonprofits and International Associations Working to Fight Human Trafficking / Where to Find Out More: Books / DVDs and Movies / Blogs / How You Can Help

The Truth about Human Trafficking

There are a number of cases that fall into the criminal realm of human trafficking including bonded or forced labor, sex trafficking, child labor, and trafficking in children. According to the United Nations, there are an estimated 2.5 million victims of modern-day slavery trafficked from 127 countries and exploited in 137 countries. Free The Slaves author Kevin Bales reports that the number of victims may be more like 27 million. These numbers make human trafficking the fastest-growing criminal industry and the second largest criminal activity in the world.

The countries hardest hit by human trafficking are those in the Asian Pacific region, but human trafficking has been reported throughout the world. 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year, as reported by the US Department of State. Of the victims, 80% are women and girls, most of whom are trafficked into the sex industry.

Although there were 3,160 recorded convictions for human trafficking in 2006, there were thousands of other instances not reported. In fact, according to the United Nations, only one of every 800 people involved in trafficking was convicted in 2006.

Organizations such as Human Trafficking.org, the United Nations GIFT, and the Polaris Project are dedicated to combating human trafficking through research, training, awareness, prevention, protection, and prosecution. One of the main ways organizations and associations are helping fight is by sending volunteers to the areas where help is needed the most. However, you do not have to be in the middle of the criminal industry to help out. There are a number of ways that you can fight against human trafficking from wherever you are right now.

Human Trafficking in the News

One of the ways you can help out is by simply being aware of where, how, and why human trafficking is taking place. Below are some of the recent news stories involving human trafficking, sex exploitation, forced labor, and modern day slavery.

The New York Times' headline reads “8 Charged in Brooklyn Sex-Trafficking Case” in June 2010 after a Brooklyn teenager admitted she was forced into prostitution and beaten if she did not make a quota of $500 per day.
My Fox Tampa Bay reports that a “Human Trafficking Trial Begins” for a man accused of rape and human trafficking after a 19 year-old exotic dancer testified that she and other women were held captive, beaten, and forced into prostitution.
In Honolulu, workers started speaking out about their abuse and mistreatment on Aloun Farms where they were living in crowded conditions with little-to-no food . KITV reports the farm owners are back in court defending this instance of forced labor.
In Ghana, a former child slave has set up a school to help other victims of child trafficking, as reported by CNN in May 2010. James Kofi Annan “buys back” the children and educates them at his school, Challenging Heights.
With the World Cup making headlines, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has launched a Red Card campaign to raise awareness of child trafficking, the UN News Center reports. As one of the world's most-watched sports events, the FIFA World Cup will get plenty of coverage and hopefully the Red Card campaign will hit home.
Eye Witness News tells the story of an illegal brothel in Cape Town where a 17-year old girl found herself working as a sex worker and not a babysitter, as she was led to believe. Authorities are urging residents to blow the whistle on other illegal brothels in Cape Town.
The Hindustan Times reports the arrest of a pilot and two of his relatives for alleged human trafficking. The pilot is also a declared offender in 20 other cases according to The Special Call of the Delhi Police.
In Nigeria, an Edo State high chief has been arrested for human trafficking after travelling to Turkey with two women he could not reasonably account for. Next reports that the two women were in their twenties and worked for the chief.
In Mexico City, a judge has ordered 13 former Mexican National Migration Institute agents to be jailed pending trial on human-trafficking charges. The suspects were arrested in March at the Cancun airport for allegedly belonging to a ring that brought Chinese into the country via the Beijing-Italy-Cuba-Cancun route, according to the Latin American Herald Tribune.
Haaraz reports that, after a two-year hunt, Tel Aviv police have finally arrested the “Prostitution King”, Jacky Yazdi, on June 9 2010. Yazdi has been accused of trafficking women over the Egyptian border from Eastern Europe to work in a chain of Israeli brothels.

Nonprofits and International Associations Working to Fight Human Trafficking

Below are some of the most high-profile nonprofits and international associations working together to increase knowledge and awareness, provide technical assistance, promote effective rights-based responses, foster partnerships for joint action, and above all, ensure that everybody takes responsibility for the fight against human trafficking. This list is by no means exhaustive, but will give you a good idea of where to look for information and ways to help out.

Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking - ALERT is a league representing law enforcement, faith-based communities, non-profit organizations, social service agencies, attorneys, and concerned citizens.
Amnesty International - Amnesty International handles issues of human trafficking within its regional offices, and at the Women's Rights Office.
Anti-Slavery Campaign Coalition of Immokalee Workers – CIW is a community-based workers' organization that is committed to putting an end to worker exploitation. This includes immigrants working in low-wage jobs across the state of Florida.
Ayunda sponsors an anti-trafficking program that provides survivors of human trafficking with holistic legal and social services and also conducts community outreach and education. Since the inception of this Anti-Trafficking Project in 2003, Ayuda has helped over 150 trafficking victims from more than 25 countries around the world.
Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition - The BSCC is an alliance of over 40 governmental and nonprofit organizations in Mexico and the United States aimed at combating the issue of slavery and human trafficking.
Boat People SOS - Among other things, BPSOS Inc provides post-certification services to the approximately 200 Vietnamese and Chinese women and men who have been victims of trafficking in American Samoa.
Break the Chain Campaign - This campaign seeks to minimize the effects of human trafficking, modern-day slavery, and worker exploitation through comprehensive direct service, research, outreach, advocacy, training, and technical assistance.
Breaking Free - Breaking Free provides education and support services to prostituted women and girls escaping violence.
Center for Women's Policy Studies - The Center works to combat trafficking of women and girls into the United States.
Covenant House - Covenant House is the largest privately-funded childcare agency in the United States, providing shelter and services to homeless and runaway youth, including those who have been victims of human trafficking.
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women is another excellent organization dedicated to putting an end to trafficking in women. The coalition sponsors a number of different campaigns to stop human trafficking across the world and help women fight against poverty and prostitution. These campaigns include The Prevention Project, The Human Rights Documentation Project, and Human Rights Advocacy, where you can donate to their numerous international programs.
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking - CAST takes a survivor-centered approach in the hopes of freeing those who have been deceived into slavery in America. The website features news, resources, and links on how you can help out.
Door - Door is New York City's premier youth development agency, offering unique and highly effective programs for young people 12-21.
End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes - ECPAT is a trafficking awareness project aimed at developing a collaborative response to the problem of human trafficking in New York City by working with both community-based organizations and criminal justice agencies, including local police and prosecutors, and federal agents and prosecutors.
Free the Slaves is another great place to turn to on the web for information about human trafficking, including videos and simple ways you can make a difference.
Freedom Network USA - Freedom Network USA, which was established in 2001, is a coalition of 25 non-governmental organizations that provide services to, and advocate for, the rights of trafficking survivors in the United States.
Human Trafficking Awareness Partnership – Another excellent organization dedicated to countering trafficking in persons, offering refugee relief, and protecting human rights. Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships is dedicated to bringing the issue of human trafficking to the forefront of public consciousness through local community action and the sharing of resources among communities and organizations.
Human Rights Watch - Human Rights Watch is the largest human-rights organization based in the United States.
Heartland Alliance - The Heartland Alliance provides comprehensive services including social services, legal assistance, medical care, housing, and outreach services to victims of modern-day slavery and other crimes.
International Justice Mission - International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression.
International Organization for Adolescents - IOFA is an independent, nonprofit organization based in New York City. The organization advocates for the rights of young people, and offers technical assistance to programs and services for adolescents around the world.
International Rescue Committee - the International Rescue Committee is responsible for the Anti-Trafficking Action Coalition, a network of 22 resettlement offices across the United States which provide critical services to victims of trafficking.
MiraMed Institute - MiraMed is a nonprofit organization with Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It provides programs of social protection, education, training and self-sufficiency for displaced and orphaned children in Russia, and coalition-building, education, and training for the prevention of trafficking of girls and young women in Russia.
MOSAIC Family Services, Inc. - Mosaic Family Services operates the Services for Victims of Trafficking Program that provides help for victims suffering abuse, so that they can recover from the criminal acts against them.
Na Loio – Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center - Founded in 1983, Na Loio in Hawaii has provided free legal services for indigent immigrants for the past 24 years.
Polaris Project - Named after the North Star that guided slaves toward freedom along the Underground Railroad, Polaris Project is a multicultural grassroots organization working to combat human trafficking and modern-day slavery in the United States and Japan.
Project to End Human Trafficking - The mission of the Project to End Human Trafficking is to work toward the elimination of trafficking in persons, especially women and children trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Project HOPE International - PHI, based in Washington, D.C., works in Southeast Asia and the United States to build bridges between NGO practitioners, donors, professionals, and policy makers to better inform, understand, and meet the needs of trafficked persons and their support networks through education, coordination, and advocacy.
Refugee Women's Network, Inc. - Created in 1995, Refugee Women's Network, Inc., is a national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering refugee and immigrant women through leadership training, education, and advocacy.
Safe Horizon - Safe Horizon assists survivors of human trafficking within the greater New York City area.
The Emancipation Network - This organization helps survivors of human trafficking, and women and girls at high risk for being trafficked, by offering them a means for self-sufficiency and an economic alternative to further exploitation.
Restore International - Restore International is currently working in India and Uganda, providing tools for people to meet their basic needs, and longer-term projects to take children and the poor out of the lives they once were forced into, and bring them to a place of hope and restoration.
Stop-Traffic - Stop-Traffic is an open, facilitated, international electronic list funded by the Women's Reproductive Health Initiative of the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health.
Sponsored by the Salvation Army, Stop Human Trafficking offers plenty of resources, links, recommended books, and ideas for individuals to help make a difference in the war on human trafficking.
Tahirih Justice Center - Tahirih Justice Center provides direct legal services and comprehensive social services referrals to trafficking victims.
World Relief Corporation – World Relief works with partner churches to save lives and restore hope through Microenterprise Development, Child Survival, AIDS, Child Development, Disaster Response, Agriculture, Refugee Care, Immigrant Assistance, Trafficking Victim Protection and much more.
Vital Voices Global Partnership - Vital Voices Global Partnership conducts public awareness campaigns and builds capacity to combat trafficking.
YANA (You Are Never Alone), Inc. - Another powerful organization, the mission of YANA is to reach out in love to women and girls involved in prostitution, offering alternatives for those seeking change, and compassionate support for women exploited by any aspect of the life.

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Where to Find Out More

For more information on human trafficking and its global repercussions as well as what you can do to help, be sure to browse through the following blogs, books, and DVDs. These books and DVDs are available to preview through Google Books, and are available to purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and additonal online bookstores.

Books

Maggy Lee's Human Trafficking is considered a practical and sensible guide to human trafficking, and includes a historical, comparative, and empirical discussion of the major trends in human trafficking.
The War on Human Trafficking: US Policy Assessed by Anthony M. DeStefano is another excellent read for more information on ways to end the international human trafficking movement. DeStefano focuses on certain cases and identifies a decade of reporting on the policy battles that have surrounded efforts to abolish such practices, helping readers understand the forced labor of immigrants as a major global human rights story. This book is a solidly researched, comprehensive and unbiased account of the war on human trafficking.
Trafficking and the Global Sex Industry by Karen Beeks and Delia Amir looks at the international trafficking of women and children in a number of different countries and discusses way to combat this crime.
The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today is an inspiring non-fiction account of human trafficking in everyday society. Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter give those who have been affected by human trafficking a voice to tell their stories in an attempt to bring an end to this crime.
Additional Kevin Bales books worth reading include Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy, Understanding Global Slavery: A Reader, and Ending Slavery: How we Free Today's Slaves.
Selling Olga: Stories of Human Trafficking allows readers to experience real-life stories of trafficking crime and how it has impacted a number of women, including the narrator Olga who reveals these tales with heartbreaking and horrifying details. Written by Louisa Waugh, this book goes beyond the facts and figures and into the heart and soul of human trafficking.
Human Trafficking, Human Misery: The Global Trade in Human Beings is a great book for students or those looking for the facts, the figures, and a concise introduction to the world of human trafficking. With impeccable research and years of experience, author Alexis Aronowitz writes an unbiased and lucid account of the impacts of this crime.
Sex Trafficking: The Global Market of Women and Children focuses on the macro and micro impact of trafficking women and children in this industry. The author, Kathryn Farr, looks at not only the victims of human trafficking, but also the organized crime structure, the sex trade's main players, and the economic conditions that allow this crime to continue.
A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern Day Slavery by E Benjamin Skinner has been hailed as a ‘brace and unflinching piece of reportage and storytelling' that shares the stories of those affected by forms of human trafficking.
Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade is a great quick investigation into the 21 st century sex trade industry that weaves the narratives of activists and those in bondage. Award-winning journalist David Batstone raises awareness of the modern-day slave trade, but also presents a number of ways to fight this crime.
For a business analysis approach to the world of human trafficking, Siddharth Kara's Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery is an excellent and informative read. Kara braves the seedy underworlds and forced labor markets to meet the women and children in the dungeons of human disgrace in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.
Enslaved: True Stories of Modern Day Slavery is a compilation of real-life horror stories of women who have been forced into the slavery industry, edited by Sage Jesse.

DVDs and Movies

For those who prefer to watch than read, Lifetime's mini-series Human Trafficking is an excellent production that brings to life the horrifying phenomenon of human trafficking, or sexual slavery. Starring Donald Sutherland and Miro Sorvino, this television mini-series was nominated for two Golden Globes.
Bought and Sold: An Investigative Documentary about the International Trade of Women is a documentary directed by Gillian Caldwell. Based on a two-year undercover investigation, Bought & Sold documents the illegal trafficking in women for forced prostitution out of Russia and the Former Soviet Union, and into Europe, Asia and the United States.
Trade is another excellent (but often graphic) DVD focusing on the horrors of the international sex slave trade. Starring Kevin Kline, this 2007 drama takes on a somewhat documentary mode to tell the tale of two young girls caught up in the sex trade.
2004 Academy Award Winning documentary Born into Brothels looks at the lives of a group of children in Calcutta's red light district. This is a firsthand account of human trafficking and the implications it has not only on the women involved, but also on their innocent children.
Crisis House's DVD Dreams Die Hard exposes the slavery that exists this very day. It also profiles the men and women trying to stop it.
Demand is another must-see movie that feature s investigative footage of the dark and hidden world of sex traffickers, pimps, and buyers. Demand exposes the men who buy commercial sex, the vulnerable women and children sold as commodities, and the facilitators of the sale within the marketplace of exploitation.
Holly is another excellent docu-drama about an American stolen-artifacts dealer in Vietnam who tries to save a young girl from child traffickers.
Call and Response is another superb dramatic movie that goes deep into the brothels of Cambodia and India where slavery is thriving. Made in 2007, the movie calls attention to how much slave traders actually make and how this criminal industry operates.
Lilja-4 Ever is a Swedish film about a teenager who is abandoned by her mother in the former Soviet Union, turns to prostitution to survive, and ends up as a sex slave in Sweden.
The Day my God Died takes viewers into the brothels of Bombay with hidden cameras, and documents the tragedy of the child sex trade, exposing human rights violations and profiling the courageous abolitionists who are working for change.
Sex Slaves is an undercover journey deep into the world of sex trafficking, following one man determined to rescue his wife, who was kidnapped and sold into the global sex trade.
Not for Sale: The Documentary covers what modern-day abolitionists are doing to fight the rampant terrors of human trafficking in the US and abroad. This is an excellent companion to the book of the same name.
Set in the Dominican Republic, The Price of Sugar documents thousands of Haitians who are under armed guard on plantations harvesting sugarcane, most of which ends up in the U.S.

Blogs

Internet junkies may prefer to learn more about human trafficking online. End Human Trafficking is a great place to find stories and new releases on child labor, sex trafficking, and slave labor. Sponsored by Change.org, you can join the cause and discover how to take action and change the system for the better.
The Human Trafficking Project is an excellent blog dedicated to raising awareness of modern day slavery and exploring innovative solutions to stop it. There are a number of ways you can get involved with this New York-based non-profit, helping them raise awareness and support survivors of these crimes.
Human Trafficking is another blog worth checking out. It features recent news related to slavery as well as links to organizations, books, and movies about human trafficking.

How You Can Help

In between studying, exams, and work, you may think that you simply don't have enough time to make a difference in the war on human trafficking. This is not the case: you do not have to pack your bags and head to another country to help. Below are ten ways you can do your part to help fight this devastating international crime.

Donate – From $10 to $10,000, every little bit really does count. Check out Humantrafficking.org for a list of current organizations accepting donations, including the Visayan Forum Foundation, the Child Rights Foundation, and the Hotline Center Foundation.
Join an online group – There are several organizations that fight against human trafficking. By becoming a member of one of these groups, you will be informed about current human trafficking crimes, events in your area and other ways you can help out. Stop the Traffik and Prevent Human Trafficking are two great online groups to be a part of.
Raise awareness – Many people are not familiar with the atrocities surrounding human trafficking. Let them know by petitioning against it and putting up posters around your school. For more ideas check out End Human Trafficking .
Help out at home – Many human trafficking organizations travel abroad to help victims of slavery, but you can still do your part without leaving your community. Get involved in a state or community organization such as the Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking. Check with the United States Department of Health and Human Services or the United States Department of Justice: Trafficking in Persons Information to find organizations in your community.
Contribute your knowledge - Speak up against human trafficking by talking about it. Bring up the subject at the dinner table or during a study session. Pass on your knowledge by joining forums, communities, and Facebook pages to fight human trafficking.
Familiarize yourself with the different types of trafficking – Human trafficking does not just occur in brothels. Massage parlors, escort agencies, adult bookstores, modeling studios, bar/strip clubs, sweatshops, commercial agricultural situations, construction sites and domestic situations are all susceptible to human trafficking violations. Do not turn a blind eye to any instances of suspected human trafficking. For more information on the different types of human trafficking and the signs of this crime, go to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
Read, Watch and Listen - You can stay connected to what's going on in your community and internationally by subscribing to Google Alerts, RSS Feeds, and resourceful sites such as the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking .
Report instances of human trafficking – If you suspect someone has been trafficked then you need to speak up. There are a number of ways you can help out. You can call the National Hotline 24 hours a day at 1-888-3737-888 or 1-888-428-7581. You can also contact your state's Attorney General victim/witness coordinator or your local FBI field office. Additional information on reporting suspected cases within the U.S. can be accessed through the Department of Justice
Report instances of child exploitation – If you have any information about the commercial sexual exploitation of a child in the U.S. or abroad, then you need to report this to the authorities. You will be saving the life of this child and helping fight against human trafficking. You can help by notifying U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement at 1-866-DHS-21CE, contacting your local FBI field office or reporting your findings at www.cybertipline.org
Volunteer – If you have some free time on your hands and want to really make a difference in helping victims affected by human trafficking, you can join the fight in South Asia by contacting some of the foundations that are currently accepting volunteers. Check out Humantrafficking.org for a list of current organizations accepting volunteers including the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association and the Garden of Hope Foundation.

Fighting human trafficking is an international effort that involves prevention, treatment, support and awareness. It may seem like the war on modern-day slavery is a never-ending one, but every little bit counts. The above resources can help you do your part to fight against human trafficking and make a difference at the community, national, and global level.

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