Women Trafficking: The Dark Side of Global Job Opportunities

 

Be wary of attractive offers of employment, education or marriage abroad which may be false; every year thousands of girls and women fall into the trap of such offers and are forced into prostitution.

Many young women are lured with false promises of employment or educational opportunities and then forced into prostitution in foreign countries. For instance, in the UAE, African women are often lured to Dubai with promises of employment and then forced into prostitution in brothels, backstreets, bars, hotels, and dance clubs. Similarly, in Malaysia, young women are brought to cities with initial promises of better forms of employment but are eventually lured into the sex industry.

Human sex trafficking is a widespread practice used to exploit people, with the majority being women and children, in the commercial sex trade, often through forced prostitution. The worldwide sex trade is a largely underground, multi-billion dollar industry that is inextricably linked to the feminization of poverty. According to UNICEF, as many as two million children are subjected to prostitution in the global commercial sex trade, in addition to adults.

According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime-71% of trafficking victims around the world are women and girls while 29% are men and boys. Trafficking minors for sex is a multibillion-dollar industry that spans the globe. One region in India and Bangladesh has emerged as a hub of this illicit trade. Girls are often lured with false promises of employment or educational opportunities, and then forced into prostitution. These women and girls are often supplied to Thailand, Kenya, South Africa and Middle East countries like Bahrin, Dubai, Oman, Britain, South Korea and the Philippines.

It is a lucrative criminal activity, touted as the third most profitable business for organized crime, after drugs and the arms trade, at an estimated $32 billion per year. This is a huge global network that traffics young women and forces them into the sex trade. 161 countries have been identified as affected by human trafficking.

The United States of America is primarily a transit and destination country for human trafficking. It is ranked as one of the worst countries globally for human trafficking. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 11,500 reported cases of human trafficking in the United States in 2020. However, it is estimated that the actual number of incidents is much higher, with 199,000 incidents occurring in the United States every year.

The most common type of trafficking was sex trafficking, with the most common venues being illicit massage/spa businesses and pornography. In addition to domestic girls who are exploited, about 14,500 to 17,500 girls from other countries are smuggled into the United States for this purpose, according to the State Department.

The Department of Justice estimates that more than 250,000 American youth are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The average age of entry for female prostitutes in the United States is between 12 and 14 years, and children and youth older than 12 are prime targets for sexual exploitation by organized crime units, according to a 2001 report.

The UAE is another major destination for sex trafficking, where African women are forced into prostitution by illicit networks operating within the country, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and Reuters has found. Emirati authorities do little to protect these women, according to anti-trafficking activists, Nigerian authorities and interviews with trafficked women.

Human trafficking is a complex issue that affects many countries around the world. According to the U.S. State Department, Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan remain among the worst countries when it comes to providing protection against human trafficking (particularly women) and deeply involved in sex trade. While, various migration flows linked to trafficking in women and prostitution can be seen in present-day Europe, originating in the Balkans, Central Europe and Eastern Europe. There is also trafficking in women within these countries.

Much evidence indicates that such global networks are not only operating within the ranks of our society’s most influential governing bodies and institutions, but are also being protected from legal recourse by those same institutions. Implicated by this evidence are countless well-known politicians and officials, educators, entertainers, media heads, and public and religious figures, many of whom are claimed to enjoy the calculated protections of conspirators within the political, media, religious and justice systems — the systems that are meant to protect young ladies interests, not their abusers.

Human traffickers have developed a multibillion-dollar industry by exploiting those forced or willing to migrate. These traffickers employ various methods to recruit women, such as through false job advertisements, fraudulent marriage proposals, or direct abduction. They may also exploit existing networks, such as friends, family, or acquaintances, to recruit victims. Once recruited, victims are transported across national or international borders, often under false identities or with forged documents. Traffickers may use various means, including air travel, land routes, or even sea routes, depending on the circumstances and locations involved. Upon arrival at the intended destination, victims are subjected to physical, psychological, and emotional abuse to establish control. This may involve confiscating their identification documents, isolating them from their social networks, and using threats, violence, or substance abuse to maintain dominance. Women may be forced into various forms of exploitation, including forced labor in sweatshops, agricultural work, domestic servitude, or forced prostitution. The ultimate goal of human trafficking is to exploit the victims for financial gain.

Human sex trafficking is a widespread practice used to exploit people- (the majority being women and children) in the commercial sex trade, often through forced prostitution. The worldwide sex trade is a largely underground, multi-billion dollar industry that is inextricably linked to the feminization of poverty. In addition to adults, UNICEF suggests that as many as two million children are also subjected to prostitution in the global commercial sex trade.

According to World’s Children, around 66% of child trafficking victims are girls. The U.S. Government estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 women, children and men are bought and sold across international borders every year. UN Women reports that in 2020, for every 10 victims of human trafficking detected globally, about four were adult women and about two were girls.

It is indeed unfortunate that women who are victims of human trafficking and are also illegal immigrants face double discrimination. This makes their situation even more challenging, as they are often denied basic human rights and legal protection. Such representations directly impact the lives of women, denying them a voice and depriving them of their legal rights.

However, many cases of human trafficking go undetected and unreported. Human trafficking is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 for help.