Human Trafficking In Latin America

Modern day slavery. This is the term used to describe human trafficking. According to the United Nations human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability…. for the purpose of exploitation”( Haerens, 98). Victims of human trafficking suffer from force and coercion. Traffickers may use violence in order to get their victims to do what they want. Coercion involves threats against a family member or loved one (Winckelmann). There are many factors that contribute to human trafficking. These include a high global demand for domestic servants, agricultural workers, political, social or economic crises, government …show more content…
This is likely to occur in countries such as Thailand, and Nepal. Traffickers will find the poorest families, those with drugs or alcohol problems or serious medical problems. They will then assure the family that they can provide a better future for the child and offer a payment (Lee).
For the purpose of this paper, case studies of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia will be used.
Human trafficking is a growing issue in Latin America and the Caribbean. This region is the major source, transit and destination countries for victims. The major forms of human trafficking include commercial sexual exploitation of girls and women, labor trafficking within national borders. According to the State Department 17,500 are trafficked into the United States. Along with poverty, unemployment, a history of physical or sexual abuse, homelessness and drug use contribute to human trafficking (Lee). Haiti, the third largest country in the Caribbean, is a victim of human trafficking. It is estimated that over five million girls and women have been trapped by criminal networks