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Human trafficking continues to impact our daily life in unexpected ways. As consumers we are not always aware of the cycles of abuse and exploitation that may lie behind the goods and services we purchase.
While sex trafficking headlines sadly abound in connection to child sexual abuse material (pornography) and sex rings, another reality of this oppressive and illicit crime is labor trafficking which includes private sector industries such as agriculture, construction, factory work, illicit massage businesses and domestic work. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) more than half of the 24.9 million individuals trapped in forced labor are exploited in the private sector. Labor trafficking often goes unnoticed amongst vulnerable communities such as migrant and seasonal farmworkers in search of a better life, who rather continue operating in silence in spite of abusive situations under traffickers that exploit their labor services, using the victim’s fear of deportation, lack of funds, lack of a local support network or even local language fluency to their advantage. Made in a Free World offers additional insight and solutions to help improve supply chain transparency and help eliminate labor trafficking. They also offer a unique tool for consumers via www.slaveryfootprint.org to help conceptualize a potential slavery footprint we may unsuspectedly be contributing to. Human trafficking, including labor trafficking, occurs worldwide including within the U.S. While we may be indirectly contributing to the cycle, each of us can proactively play a part to help fight human trafficking in our daily lives. What do you know about the products and services you buy? How can we help strengthen our community to help reduce vulnerabilities where we are and help preserve human dignity for each and every person? Monthly column written for St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tampa, FL http://bit.ly/CCBulletin062021
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Victims of human trafficking are recruited through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of exploitation. The crime affects victims from all walks of life locally, regionally and internationally. Human traffickers target an individual’s vulnerability to feed their enterprise.
Poverty and culturally accepted discrimination are common underlining vulnerability factors which increase the risk for human trafficking. Migrants are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse from traffickers because of their delicate migratory status, which often leaves them without access to community support or legitimate forms of employment and social protection among other needs. Victims of labor trafficking are often forced to work in deplorable conditions in various sectors such as agriculture and hospitality (including illicit massage/spa locations), as well as in more informal work situations such as domestic servitude (i.e. housekeeping, yard work and childcare). An often overlooked connection is that between sex trafficking, perhaps the most talked about form of human trafficking, and the commercial sex industry, including porn. Society does not often correlate the two and may even justify its benefits or avert the conversation altogether. The question often comes up regarding victims, “why don’t they just leave their situation?." Sex trafficking victims are manipulated by their trafficker who will often resort to psychological threats and abuse, if not also physical, to keep a victim unable to escape their exploitative situation. Data shows that the United States is one of the leading countries in pornography consumption, often user-generated. This means, that individual users are uploading the amateur content to outlets that offer this type of unchecked content which often includes minors (younger than 18 years of age). Beyond any moral argument related to porn, a danger lies when an individual in any of these videos is not participating voluntarily, especially when a minor is involved which would be legally deemed child sexual abuse. This is a complex matter, but simple questions and accountability as to what we are consuming every day, can help us decide if we are indeed respecting the dignity of all human beings we encounter in our daily lives. A leading organization in the U.S. to learn more on the topic: www.polarisproject.org Monthly column written for St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tampa, FL http://bit.ly/CCBulletin0521 Human trafficking in all its forms (i.e. labor trafficking, domestic servitude and sex trafficking) is a violation of the dignity of the human being. The United Nations reports that the crime impacts over 40 million people around the world with women and children accounting for 71% of all total victims. A more alarming statistic is that one in four human trafficking victims are minors (girls and boys). Human trafficking can take place in any country, state or community, wherever vulnerability is a factor.
Migrants, particularly women and children, are especially vulnerable to human trafficking due to their migrant status while also confronting attitudes and actions of exploitation, discrimination, xenophobia or hypersexualized stereotypes placing them at risk of abuse and violence. Abuse can often manifest itself in emotional and psychological ways, making it more difficult to identify a victim. Elements in the culture within society, such as indifference, play a significant role in enabling human trafficking to occur as well as hiding it in plain sight. How can we serve and act more like a good Samaritan welcoming and drawing close to those around us in vulnerable situations, such as migrants and refugees who are often faced with a journey riddled with difficulty, need, pain and lots of sacrifice in search of a dignified life? Do we know their story? Perhaps we can explore our own attitudes and behaviors to identify ways where we can help provide comfort, protection, integration and support where others can confirm their own dignity and humanity. Monthly column written for St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tampa, FL http://bit.ly/CCBulletin050221 COMBATTING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: A REGIONAL PROJECTExcited to share my research on culture and law & policy in combatting human trafficking. The data that emerged from my research shows that elements in the culture enable human trafficking. My research was focused on investigating the cultural underpinnings that may be fueling human trafficking to persist, despite what laws may help curtail. But what was more alarming is that the data also shows that while there are laws in place, which could always be strengthened in some cases, to help prevent and prosecute the crime, the practice still continues.
Migration is a subject that should be of great concern to all of us and yet is often riddled with controversy. According to the United Nations, approximately 3.6% of the world’s population (roughly over 281 million people), currently lives outside their country of origin. Although some of us might be able to choose to relocate and embark on great adventures, many others are forced to flee their home in search of a better life due to poverty, war, political tensions, or violence. Migrants will go to great lengths, sometimes risking their lives, to find a place where they can live with dignity and provide a better future for themselves and their family. They face logistical challenges along their journey with discriminatory laws and attitudes that preclude them from finding safe refuge.
While countries must carefully manage these new incoming relationships, there is also a responsibility to uphold the dignity of every person and to respect their inherent human rights. Migrants are often denied asylum or due process and forced to live in deplorable conditions while facing discriminatory attitudes including classism, racism and xenophobia, furthering their vulnerabilities into poverty violence, abuse and exploitation. How does this apply to each of us? In terms of action, how do we view someone who is a migrant? Do we know their journey? Do we treat them with respect and acknowledge their presence as an equal human being? Are our actions consistent with the Church’s social teaching? It can be quite uncomfortable to reflect upon these concepts, yet a necessary examination of conscience as we strive to live out values and faith that uphold the dignity of every human being. Monthly column written for St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tampa, FL http://bit.ly/CCBulletin041121 Panel Discussion: Migration in the Context of Venezuela at the intersection of human trafficking3/24/2021   Great conversation with Alan Dunst from Catholic Forum about Human Trafficking. CLICK HERE: bit.ly/YTCForumHumanTrafficking 
International seminar on “Measures to Combat Human Trafficking: International and National Perspectives” at the Government Law College (Thrissur, Kerala).
National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Justice (retired) K.G. Balakrishnan, shed light at the alarmingly high and growing number of child labor and the number of women that are being exploited in the commercial sex sector (some estimates show that there are 3 million sex workers in India, other estimates point towards a much higher figure). Addressing human trafficking in the country’s context, K.G. Balakrishnan commented that it is “a very terrible thing in India” and a “a serious problem which requires serious attention by the administrators, the law enforcement agencies, NGO’s and those who work for social justice and empowerment of, especially, women”, praising the work that some of the NGO’s are doing in the country. Balakrishanan expanded: “Today the trafficking is known to take place not only for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor but also for organ trade and other new forms including sex tourism, trafficking for militancy, trafficking for surrogacy and so on”. In terms of specifics he shared, “according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development Gov. of India, there are 2.8 million persons subjected to trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation in India”. Aside from women being trafficked, girls ranging from “8 to 14 years [old]” are also being “subjected to sex trafficking in India”. He went on to add “India also has the highest number of child labor in the world with an estimate of 12.66 million children involved in hazardous work in several industries that come under the standards of human trafficking.” Moreover, Balakrishnan noted that "trafficking across the border inside India continues to rise due to increased mobility and northern industries that use forced labor such as construction, textiles, manufacturing...horticulture..” among others. He also pointed out that "boys from Nepal and Bangladesh continue to be subjected to forced labor in coal mines in the state of Meghalaya”, where coal mining is not mechanized, so workers physically dig holes to get to the coal. “After digging for some period into the earth, it is difficult for a [tall] person to crawl inside; so they make use of children to crawl inside and take the coal… about 20,000 children are working in the coal mines in Meghalaya”. He noted the importance of working on this problem and especially on efforts to “prevent the children from being used for this work”. In summary – he noted that although the UN is taking serious steps on this issue “the problem is only increasing”, thus he was “happy that Principal, Dr. Mercy Thekkekara, has addressed this very important subject which requires some serious action so we can solve the problem and at least [be able] to rescue some children subjected to these [realities]”. Good session at the Kerala Judicial Academy (Kochi, Kerala). During an overview on Human Rights Law and a focus on human trafficking, Professor Pati reminded attendees that when researching and looking at human trafficking, we have to “look beneath the surface”. Especially when culture can be a tool to hide the crime that is happening right under our noses. It is crucial to be knowledgeable and inquisitive as to what elements in culture are enabling human rights violations, such as human trafficking, and look for ways to change it. Human trafficking is thus deeply rooted in culture. Many of us postulate that human trafficking is not existent in our community, in our city, in our state, in our country – but that would be a quick unfounded assumption. It is important to “identify and prove it”, as it is present in some capacity everywhere, worldwide. Human trafficking occurs in many forms, not just sex trafficking but also forced labor, children labor including begging, domestic servitude, among others.
As part of the judicial community it is also important to increase our knowledge and training on what current legislation and tools exist, both at an international and domestic level. Then make sure proper legislation is in place and more importantly work to put it into effect. Just “because the law is on paper, it is not enough” - training and implementation is crucial. In the end, holistically speaking, the connection of culture and attitude towards the law in society is key. International Conference at Bharata Mata College - Institute of Management, School of Social Justice (Kochi, Kerala) on the Role of Universities in Human Trafficking Law. The topic anchored around the prevalent question to ignite action: What can students do? Aside form research and coming up with recommendations – a simple yet effective effort is always needed: Raise awareness and advocate for change wherever needed through the lens of Human Rights Law: “we have to be our brother’s keeper” shared Professor Pati especially when “nature can feed everyone’s needs but not everyone’s greed”.
When asked what is human trafficking, one of the students put it perfectly, the illegal “commodification of human beings” stripping a human of their rights. It is crucial to pay attention to the value and respect society has for all human beings. Dr. George Madathiparambil offered some additional perspecitve by adding “A day ago the President of the U.S. was in India – and he said in his parting message to the students of Delhi – that every woman should have the right to walk freely through the streets of India. And only when that happens then everyone is equal before the law. And everyone is given the right to enjoy what is given in the Constitution of India. Then India becomes a democracy; independent and fully capable of advancing to the Modern Era. So this is what we have to accomplish”. He reminded the students that as community that is also on the cusp of great prosperity and development; “you have a great role to perform and once you take up this project and fight for these issues not only will your academic knowledge grow but also your human life will develop”. |
gaby DeBellisLL.M., J.S.D., 
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