Human Trafficking Essay

Hannah McLeod
Mr. Ziehm
American Literature
5 February 2012
Not For Sale
The United States serves as a passage way and harbor of many human traffickers throughout the nation, “each year about 17,500 individuals are brought into the United States and held against their will as victims of human trafficking” (Talati 1). Human trafficking may be defined as the acquiring of humans as unwilling subjects for the purpose of making a profit. Next to the drug industry, human trafficking is now the most profitable and fastest growing criminal industry in the world (Anderson 8). This industry is today’s modern time slavery. Although the severity of this situation is not fully known because of its secrecy, organizations are working towards this goal (Taliti 1). To fully understand the complexity and prevalence of this industry, one must consider the different types of trafficking and the struggles toward prevention.
Human trafficking is generally separated into two definite groups; sex trafficking and forced labor (Kotria 1). Sex trafficking is defined as “the commercial sexual abuse of humans through buying, selling, or trading their sexual services” (Kotrla 2).   80% of all trafficking cases through out the nation involve sexual exploitation (Anderson 18). There are many forms of this case, including “prostitution, pornography, stripping, escort services, and other sexual services” (Kotrla 2). These victims are acquired in a variety of ways, all using deception and force as key factors. While some are forced into the business by kidnapping or abduction, others are tricked into believing they are being offered a new opportunity, such as a job or financial support. Unfortunately these victims come to find that in reality, they are being used as “slaves”, forced to work strenuous hours; seeing clients up to 16 hours a day (Anderson 18).
Sex trafficking targets predominately women and children, approximately 80% of all human beings trafficked are woman and children...