Human trafficking, or modern slavery, is the international and domestic transportation of human beings solely for the purpose of their exploitation. “The top countries of origin of federally identified victims in fiscal year 2013 were the United States, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, Honduras, Guatemala, India and El Salvador” (Orlando). Traffickers of these victims exploit them physically for domestic labor or sexual services, while taking advantage of lax laws. A number of human rights organizations work to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking. Governments are also beginning to acknowledge that trafficking is a human rights violation, and they are starting to create laws to protect survivors and raise awareness foramong
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The series of events begins with a naive and desperate young woman attempting to escape bleak employment prospects at home. Next, she receives offers for good wages and “legitimate” work abroad as a waitress, dancer, or secretary from traffickers posing as “employment brokers.” Instead, she is unknowingly selling herself into virtual slavery. She will end up working as a domestic servant, in a sweatshop, or in the sex industry. She will also be forced to pay off exorbitant travel debts to her traffickers for smuggling her into the country. Like most other trafficked women, she might find herself confined to her place of employment, forced to work almost continually, and denied wages. For example, a case reported by Legal Aid of North Carolina in 2011 involved debt bondage of agricultural workers. “Laborers were brought from Florida to North Carolina with the promise of full-time work. Traffickers ran a camp, charged the workers for two meals a day and prohibited them from leaving the camp. Their debts were more than their wages. They didn't know where they were” (Anderson). The traffickers frequently move the victims so they do not know where they are and do not have an opportunity to develop a connection with a customer who might help
The series of events begins with a naive and desperate young woman attempting to escape bleak employment prospects at home. Next, she receives offers for good wages and “legitimate” work abroad as a waitress, dancer, or secretary from traffickers posing as “employment brokers.” Instead, she is unknowingly selling herself into virtual slavery. She will end up working as a domestic servant, in a sweatshop, or in the sex industry. She will also be forced to pay off exorbitant travel debts to her traffickers for smuggling her into the country. Like most other trafficked women, she might find herself confined to her place of employment, forced to work almost continually, and denied wages. For example, a case reported by Legal Aid of North Carolina in 2011 involved debt bondage of agricultural workers. “Laborers were brought from Florida to North Carolina with the promise of full-time work. Traffickers ran a camp, charged the workers for two meals a day and prohibited them from leaving the camp. Their debts were more than their wages. They didn't know where they were” (Anderson). The traffickers frequently move the victims so they do not know where they are and do not have an opportunity to develop a connection with a customer who might help