Causes and Probable Solutions to Human Trafficking

Essay , 2016 , 6 Pages , Grade: 99

Politics - Topic: Public International Law and Human Rights

According to McCarthy, human trafficking is the reincarnation of the old form slavery that took place in the 17th Century. Usually, human trafficking happens to young women in poor countries who are promised greener pastures if they migrate to another country- usually a more developed country. When they reach their new destinations, the victims are forced to indulge in prostitution by the same people that promised them a better life. The victims usually end up serving a better portion of their life abroad as sex slaves.

The question that arises is why these victims of human trafficking do not report their ordeal to the authorities. This text discusses the major contributions to human trafficing.

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Causes and Probable Solutions to Human Trafficking

Content

Content ... 2

The Topic ... 3

The Controversy ... 3

Pro-side of the controversy ... 4

Con side of the controversy ... 5

Tentative thesis statement ... 5

References ... 6

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The Topic

According to McCarthy (2014), human trafficking is the reincarnation of the old form

slavery that took place in the 17

th

Century. Usually, human trafficking happens to young

women in poor countries who are promised greener pastures if they migrate to another

country- usually a more developed country. When they reach their new destinations, the

victims are forced to indulge in prostitution by the same people that promised them a better

life. The victims usually end up serving a better portion of their life abroad as sex slaves. The

question that arises is why these victims of human trafficking do not report their ordeal to the

authorities. Quite often, they enter the foreign country without the legal documents. As for

those who are in a foreign country legally, the trafficker usually confiscates the legal

documents of the victim and consequently barring her from travelling back to her home

country.

The Controversy

An ongoing controversy is the debate regarding whether prostitution is a driving force

of human trafficking or it is purely a product of poverty. Most of the victims of human

trafficking usually may end up in forced prostitution. It is the perceived demand for

prostitutes that leads to increased human trafficking. On the other hand, some people may

agree to be trafficked into a life of prostitution in another country because they want to evade

the biting poverty in their home country. Cases of poverty leading people to leave their

country for any available opportunity have been used to show the extent that the locals take to

find better incomes elsewhere. This They would rather be sex slaves in a developed country

than remain to be commercial sex workers in their underdeveloped home country. This makes

the controversy substantial as people argue legalization of the practice will make it easier for

people to travel to other countries for prostitution.

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Pro-side of the controversy

Legalizing prostitution in many developed countries was a major blow to efforts that

aim at eradicating human trafficking. By making prostitution legal, it is hard to separate the

genuine prostitutes from those who are forced into it. Many clients have inadvertently

received the services of a victim of human trafficking thinking that they were genuine

commercial sex workers. Legalizing prostitution has also attracted many commercial sex

workers from undeveloped countries to actualize their dreams in developed country

economies. These commercial sex workers from poor countries will be willing to do anything

to reach the developed countries, including unorthodox methods.

Legalizing prostitution has also made the industry more lucrative for unscrupulous

business people. The taxes and stringent controls have forced the industry to charge clients

extra, sometimes exploiting them. The meager earnings that are advanced to commercial sex

workers from the humongous profits motivate pimps threefold. In a bid to maximize profits

and cut on overhead costs, some pimps resort to trafficking poor girls from third world

countries. They calculate that the girls will double their profits because they might never have

to pay them because their illegal status in a foreign country will make them slaves.

Legalizing prostitution did not come with adequate controls. The authorities lack a

mechanism to counter check the situation of every commercial sex worker in the legal

brothels. The rich owners of the said brothels have compromised the immigration department.

Some brothels are home to numerous victims of human trafficking yet the authorities are not

doing anything about it. It is for this reason that the legislature should criminalize prostitution

or place more controls.

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Con side of the controversy

According to McCarthy (2014), those who are opposed to this theory claim that

human trafficking would still be in place even if prostitution were criminalized. Even if

prostitution were illegal, people would still find means of doing it without the knowledge of

the authorities. In most developing countries where prostitution is illegal, the vice is more

rampant that in the developing countries where it is legal. This vice is especially rampant in

developing economies where the commercial sex workers have to do it for survival.

In addition, not all the victims of human trafficking end up as sex slaves; some

usually become domestic slaves working at no pay. Others end up working in casinos,

restaurants, and massage parlors. Criminalizing prostitution will not diminish demand for

these victims of human trafficking in other sectors of the economy. The root cause of human

trafficking is poverty, greedy businesspeople and lack of information. Placing more controls

for business owners who employ immigrants, teaching young people the benefit of getting the

right papers before moving to a foreign country, and placing measures in place to eradicate

poverty, might be the only solution to human trafficking.

Tentative thesis statement

Both prostitution and poverty are major contributors of human trafficking. One factor

compliments the other. Whilst poverty makes young people to throw caution in the wind in

their pursuit for greener pastures in foreign country, prostitution forms the biggest recruiting

ground for the victims of human trafficking. In order to eradicate this vice from the face of

the earth, better controls in the commercial sex industry and lowering levels of poverty are

eminent.

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References

McCarthy, L. A. (2014). Human trafficking and the new slavery.Annual Review of Law and

Social Science,10, 221-242

Frequently asked questions

What is the topic of the document "Causes and Probable Solutions to Human Trafficking"?

The document discusses human trafficking, comparing it to a modern form of slavery. It highlights how young women from poor countries are often lured with promises of a better life in developed countries, only to be forced into prostitution upon arrival.

What is the controversy discussed in the document?

The main controversy revolves around whether prostitution is a driving force behind human trafficking or simply a consequence of poverty. Some argue that the demand for prostitutes fuels trafficking, while others believe that people willingly enter prostitution to escape poverty in their home countries.

What are the arguments on the "pro-side" of the controversy (prostitution as a driver of human trafficking)?

Arguments in favor of the theory that Prostitution is a driver of human trafficking. Legalizing prostitution makes it harder to distinguish genuine sex workers from victims of trafficking. It attracts commercial sex workers from poorer countries, making them vulnerable to traffickers. Legalizing prostitution also increases profits for pimps, motivating them to traffic women from third-world countries due to their illegal status.

What are the arguments on the "con-side" of the controversy (poverty as the main driver)?

Those who oppose the link between prostitution and human trafficking argue that human trafficking would exist even if prostitution were criminalized. They point out that it thrives even where it's illegal. Moreover, victims of human trafficking are exploited in other sectors like domestic work and restaurants. Ultimately, poverty, greed, and lack of information are identified as the root causes.

What is the tentative thesis statement presented in the document?

The tentative thesis suggests that both prostitution and poverty contribute to human trafficking. Poverty makes individuals vulnerable in their pursuit of a better life abroad, while prostitution provides a recruiting ground for traffickers. Eradicating the vice requires better regulation of the commercial sex industry and poverty reduction.

What reference is used in the document?

The document references McCarthy, L. A. (2014). Human trafficking and the new slavery. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 10, 221-242.

• Course: EH 1020
• Grade: 99
• Author: Selina Kolls (Author)
• Publication Year: 2016
• Pages: 6
• Catalog Number: V337850
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668276048
• ISBN (Book): 9783668276055
• Language: English
• Tags: Human trafficing, prostitution, poverty