What Can ‘You’ Do About, ‘Human Trafficking’?

 

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It is the buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of using their bodies for sex and labor through coercion, control, domination, and manipulation.

 

There are a number of ways that people may become enslaved to human trafficking including:

– being born into the slavery,

– being abducted and forced into trafficking,

– being deceived by a person offering companionship or a romantic relationship and then taken captive,

– being sold by family members into trafficking,

– being conned and trapped through force or manipulation,

– being made to believe that they will be getting a job and then faced with the terrible fact of being lied to and deceived into being trafficked.

Human trafficking has affected both young and old, male and female, and it has crossed all geographical boundaries.

This article has been written to shine some light on things that people can do to support the victims of human trafficking along with joining in the fight against this evil. A big part of this involves creating greater awareness of the subject and hopefully preventing and stopping trafficking altogether.

 

Below is a list of things that you can do to help:

1. Awareness and education:

Firstly, ‘being aware’ that human trafficking exists and knowing that it needs to be stopped.

One can’t do anything about human trafficking if they don’t even know that it exists or know what it is.

– Read up about human trafficking and do research on the subject.

– Know the signs:

Some Of The Signs Indicating A Possibility Of Human Trafficking:

(Please Note: Some of these signs can be indicators of sexual, physical and emotional abuse or neglect while some of these signs are very indicative of trafficking and slavery).

– someone else keeps their documents such as their passport, identification or visas.

– they could show signs of abuse such as bruises, cuts, scars and other physical marks.

– they may have signs of being deprived of food, sleep and medical care.

– they may show signs of extreme distrust of authorities or anyone who tries to talk to them or help them.

– they may only carry a cell phone even if they don’t carry their own identification documents (their trafficker will control who they can call on their phone and will threaten them in order to make them comply).

– they may not be able to speak the language of the country and have to rely solely on someone to communicate on their behalf.

– they may not have their own car or means of transportation and therefore have to rely on another person to pick them up or drop them off.

– they are frightened to talk to others or develop relationships because their controllers are monitoring them.

– they may show signs of being overly submissive to a person.

– they may not have access to their own money or earnings.

– they may believe that they are indebted to ‘their controller’ and may even show signs of affection towards them (Stockholm Syndrome).

– they are not allowed to have a job, or their actual job is different than their job description.

– they feel that they are trapped and unable to leave their current situation.

– they are deprived of education and work experience.

– they often defer to their employer or the person they stay with instead of having their own opinion.

– they show signs of believing that they have to run everything by a particular person before doing anything.

– they wear very revealing clothing or clothing that covers their body (due to bruises and marks or shame) – this sign should not be taken by itself but can accompany some of the other signs.

– they may have frequent trips to the emergency room.

– they may have wounds or physical issues without being able to get medical attention.

– they may be yelled at, name called or even beaten by their employers or ‘controllers’ yet they show signs of submission and loyalty.

– they may have substance abuse issues (to either cope with their enslavement or purposefully created by their traffickers to control them).

There are times that none of these signs are present (especially as traffickers know how to cover their tracks and hide what they are doing) therefore, one needs to learn how to spot other things that may be suspicious. A captive may show signs of wanting help but not be able to talk to anyone about what they are going through. They may leave signs, write notes for people to find, speak through their facial expressions and perform certain actions to attempt to show that they are trapped. Most victims will either keep their distance as they are afraid to be caught by their controllers or you will not be able to get to know them as they are taught to not disclose information that could expose their captivity.

 

Secondly, ‘making others aware’.

– You can start a blog, write articles or build a website shining a light on human trafficking.

– Host or get involved with walks, runs, and parades for human trafficking awareness (and to support those who have been taken captive).

– You could host a party and share insights about human trafficking.

– Get involved and show your desire to fight human trafficking by writing or meeting with local, state or federal government representatives and ask them what they are doing to combat these crimes.

– Host a human trafficking awareness-raising event to watch and discuss films about human trafficking.

– Get involved in educating the younger generation about human trafficking. Some organizations have a curriculum regarding trafficking for educational purposes.

– Students can join or establish groups to help raise awareness about human trafficking or raise awareness by including ‘human trafficking’ themes in their research and papers.

– Report any ‘human trafficking’ that you are aware of to the authorities because many times the victims are so enslaved that they can not do it themselves.

 

2. Ways to help financially

– Purchase and wear clothing and jewelry that raises awareness about human trafficking.

– Give funds to anti-trafficking ministries and organizations that support victims.

– Purchase gifts for others made by victims of human trafficking.

– Help alleviate poverty in areas where trafficking is rife (poverty is one of the reasons that trafficking occurs in certain areas). One can support ministries and organizations that help the poor in areas where trafficking is widespread.

– Be an informed consumer as much as possible by finding out where your goods and services are produced. There are certain lists that share companies who use forced or child labor to produce their products.

– Help provide jobs, skills training, resources and aid for victims of human trafficking.

– Professionals in various trades can use their ‘position’ or job to help raise awareness about human trafficking and/or offer free or reduced rate services to victims (or organizations that support victims of trafficking).

– Organize or get involved in fundraising to raise money for anti-trafficking organizations or ministries.

– Health care providers can become aware of the signs of trafficking and also offer their services to those who help victims by doing pro bono work or offering their services at reduced cost.

 

3. Volunteer work

– Volunteer for anti-trafficking efforts as you are able. Certain ministries and organizations offer internships, volunteer work, and opportunities to get involved in the battle against trafficking.

– People from various professions such as doctors, dentists, health care providers, attorneys, etc. can volunteer their services to help victims of human trafficking and those who are poverty stricken (and who may be vulnerable to trafficking if not provided with aid).

– If you are able to, you could look into adopting children who are vulnerable to human trafficking or those who have been rescued and are now living in an orphanage or group home.

– You could become a foster parent to those children who have been removed from their homes because of being forced into human trafficking by family members etc.

– You could open your home and family to a victim of trafficking who has nowhere else to go and no other family members to stay with. If the victim is young you could adopt (as already mentioned) and if the victim is an adult then you could make them a part of your family).

 

4. You can pray

– You can pray that victims of human trafficking are found, rescued and rehabilitated.

– You can pray that trafficking operations are exposed and taken apart.

– You can pray that people become aware of human trafficking and the need to help victims (and notice when it is occurring).

– You can pray that people are protected from being trafficked and that their needs are met so that they are not vulnerable to these situations.

– You can pray for those in authority who can do things about trafficking and create laws that will aid in preventing and stopping this horrible crime.

– You can pray for God’s justice in this area and for Him to raise up those who can stand up for the victims.

– You can pray for God’s compassion to touch people’s hearts for victims.

– You can pray for the healing, rehabilitation, and restoration of those who have experienced trafficking.

– You can pray for the alleviation of poverty and ask God to shine the light on those who are struggling financially and are more vulnerable to becoming victim to traffickers.

– You can pray that traffickers are caught and apprehended.

– You can pray that the victims of trafficking will have safe places to go.

– You can pray that those targeted for trafficking will be protected and be able to get away from their attempted captors

– You can pray that all trafficking routes, routines, and methods of operation are exposed and stopped.

– You can pray that God reveals Himself to the traffickers and changes their hearts just as He did to Paul on the road to Damascus.

 

Above are some of the ways that one can join in the battle to stop human trafficking and help those who have been the victims of this horrible crime.

 

…Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere…

Martin Luther King