Global Business. Prof. Dr. R.J.M. van Tulder. 25 September 2008 HUMAN TRAFFICKING. Helene Johansson Erik Brodtkorb Philip Wright

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1 Global Business Prof. Dr. R.J.M. van Tulder 25 September 2008 HUMAN TRAFFICKING Helene Johansson Erik Brodtkorb Philip Wright

2 Table of Contents I. Executive Summary. II. Introduction... Issue Identification.. III. Background... Forced Labour... Boys and Sexual Exploitation... Geographic Distribution... IV. Causal Factors... Highlighting Supply and Demand... V. The Process of Human Trafficking... Recruitment Transportation... Exploitation. VI. Consequences of Human Trafficking.. Individual.. Health Issues... Legal Issues... Lack of Education... Society... Organized Crime... Reduced Human Capital... Reduced Government Control... Health Issues... VII. Role of Companies/Organisations... Part of the Problem... Part of the Solution & Corporate Sustainability... VIII. Conclusion... IX. Analytical Limitations... X. References

3 Executive Summary Human trafficking is a global issue affecting individuals as well as societies. In this essay we focus on trafficking with the purpose of sexual exploitation and look at the causes and consequences of trafficking as well as the transportation process of the victims. We discuss whether companies are part of the problem and/or the solution and how they contribute to both. The major causes of trafficking are dependent on both supply and demand factors. Identified supply factors include poverty, lack of education, corruption, political instability and violence against women and children, among others. Demand factors are linked to prostitution and include demand for sexual services and significant profit incentives that criminal organizations can earn by trafficking and exploiting people. Consequences of trafficking can be viewed from an individual and society level, resulting in health issues, legal issues, lack of education, fueling/strengthening of criminal organizations, reduced human capital and reduced government control. The transportation process of trafficking can be divided into three stages: recruitment, transportation, and exploitation. Analysis of the process of human trafficking enables us to understand how traffickers find their victims, move them and force them to work under inhumane circumstances. Regarding corporate responsibility, companies can bee seen as both a part of the problem and part of the solution. Companies associated with criminal organizations are a major part of the problem since they are the ones organizing this business. Legitimate companies such as hotels can also be part of the problem through ignorance to sexual exploitation occurring in their rooms, or they can be active in preventing and stopping the exploitation of people by providing information and education, for example. Companies that invest in origin-countries can also help to stop trafficking by being part of building up governmental and civil structures in addition to providing employment. Finally, the way to stop trafficking is by using the three P's Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention. Prosecution is to punish the traffickers, protection is to decrease the vulnerability of victims and prevention requires a cooperative fight against the causes of trafficking on a global basis with concrete actions instead of mere goals. 3

4 Introduction In this assignment we will discuss trafficking. We wish to do so because trafficking is major issue affecting all or most countries in the world today. Trafficking is the slavery of this century. It has been estimated that between and have been forced into sexual servitude, child soldiering, forced labour, and debt bondage 1. What makes this issue far more concerning is the fact that the most vulnerable parts of society are targeted. In this assignment we seek to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the issue by looking at reasons for trafficking, the process of trafficking and the consequences of trafficking. We will start by providing some background information, so we can have a clear idea of the issue before we delve into our primary discussion. We will finish off our discussion by concluding and giving our thoughts on how to address the issue going forward, with anti-trafficking efforts focused on prosecution, protection and prevention. Trafficking in humans is a vast issue as traffickers have found various sources of demand. With respect to this, we have chosen to specifically address trafficking with the aim of sexual exploitation in order to avoid superficial analysis of every aspect of this issue. However, we understand the importance of addressing the issue as a whole in order to obtain a thorough understanding. Therefore, we will comment on other aspects of trafficking throughout our discussion in order to provide an accurate representation of the global impact of this issue. Issue Identification According to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Trafficking in Persons Protocol), trafficking is defined as The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of 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 or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. 2 Human trafficking is considered as a crime against humanity Date accessed 24 September Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p10-12) 3 Date accessed 21 September

5 Background According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), about 12.3 million people are forced into labour, child labour, bonded labour or sexual labour across the world. Other figures estimate it to be between 4-27 million. US Government sponsored research has calculated that about people annually are trafficked across borders and millions more are trafficked within their own national boundaries. It is estimated that 80 % of victims trafficked across borders are women and girls, while roughly 50 % are minors. The most common victim is a female trafficked with the purpose of sexual exploitation. These numbers are excluding the millions of people trafficked within their country for forced or bonded labour. Not surprisingly, the most vulnerable people in society, women and children, are also the most susceptible to being trafficked. They are lured, tricked or forced by creative and ruthless traffickers that promise them a better life, love, employment or education somewhere else. Women are promised work as au-pairs, waitresses or models, and then forced into prostitution upon arriving to the new country without anywhere to turn for help. Others are enslaved in forced or bonded labour within their own country. Parents may also sell or give their children to adults, usually relatives, who promise to give them an education and who in turn sells the child into exploitation. 4 Two years ago, before all this happened to Natasha, my sister who lives in Russia invited Natasha and her sister to St. Petersburg for vacation. The girls called me to tell me that my sister my own sister had tried to sell them to some Turks. 5 Forced Labour Forced labour usually occurs in regions also affected by unemployment, poverty, crime, corruption, and political conflict and/or in regions where the method of forced labour is generally accepted. Individuals instead of groups may organize forced labour, but these individuals can control up to hundreds of workers. Even though immigrants are those most vulnerable to forced labour, there are many cases where people are forced to work within their own country. Women and girls that are forced or bonded into labour, especially domestic service, are often also sexually exploited. Bonded labour means that someone is using a bond, a dept, in order to completely control another person. The victim accepts the initial dept, but the traffickers then exploit this. In some traditional systems, a debt can also be inherited. In relation to forced labour, domestic service means that a 4 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p7-8) 5 Date accessed 22 September

6 person is working involuntarily in someone else's household. The victim is forced to do this with the use physical or emotional abuse. Domestic service is difficult to discover, since it occurs in private homes, and is often unregulated by the authorities. 6 Boys and Sexual Exploitation The ILO and UNICEF estimates that about two percent of the victims trafficked for sexual exploitation are boys or men, however, the number may be higher but social sigma connected to sex with boys decreases the numbers. Some scientists believe that in cultures where men and women are strongly separated, boys may become victims of sexual exploitation, since there are no women accessible. However, a study in Costa Rica came to the conclusion that older men used boys for sex since homosexuality was stigmatized. The stigma led respectable men to pick up boys for sex instead of having a homosexual relation with a man the same age. Sexual exploitations with boys usually occur in informal, unorganized environments, which lead to an increased vulnerability and diminished chances of being helped by government authorities, or in public meeting places such as parks, rail stations and movie theaters. The possibility for boys to find help may also be lacking due to the fact that a society assumes that boys cannot be exploited for sex. Therefore there are no help or protection to be found. Boys living on the street may turn to older boys for protection, and are then forced by the older boys to have sex with older men and earn money as part of the relationship. Boys are often sexually exploited in tourist areas, where older men or other boys pimp them out. If a boy has a pimp, the pimp may inject hormones into the boy's body to increase the speed of physical maturity and improve sexual performance, causing pain and log-term health effects. Sometimes the traffickers make the boys dependent on drugs and alcohol, and then force them into prostitution. 7 The victims of prostitution are human beings, who in many cases cry out for help, to be freed from slavery, because selling one s own body on the street is usually not what they would voluntarily choose to do. Of course, each person has a different story to tell, but a common threat of violence, abuse, mistrust and low self esteem, as well as fear and lack of opportunities, runs through them. 8 6 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p19-21) 7 Ibid (p9) 8 Ibid (p36) 6

7 Geographical Distribution Human trafficking is present in almost all countries around the world, but can take different forms of expression. Countries can be divided into mainly origin-, transit-, destinations or in some cases origin-, transit- and destination countries African countries such as Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Morocco are considered origin countries for people trafficked to Western Europe and Western Africa (UNODC) Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns April 2006 (p17) 10 Map from: Ibid 11 Ibid (p22) 7

8 Asia is a region considered to be both an origin and destination of human trafficking. The regions composing the Commonwealth of Independent States are considered origin states, while Thailand, India, Pakistan and Taiwan are intraregional countries and identified as origin-, transit-, and destination countries. Japan is a destination country for human trafficking, especially from other Asian countries In Europe, the Central and Southeastern nations are mainly origin or transit countries, but there appear to be some intra-regional human trafficking as well, especially with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Western Europe is a destination region, with the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Italy and Germany as the highest ranked destination countries. The CIS is mainly an origin 12 Map from: Ibid (p23) 13 (UNODC) Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns April 2006 (p24) 14 Map from: Ibid (p25) 8

9 region for human trafficking, with the most victims going to Western Europe and North America On the American continent, the Caribbean and Latin America are mainly origin regions, however, there appears to be intra-regional trafficking there as well. 15 Ibid (p26-28) 16 Map from: Ibid (p27) 17 Map from: (UNODC) Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns April 2006 (p29) 9

10 North America is a destination region for people trafficked from Latin America and the Caribbean Oceania has been identified as a destination region for victims mainly from South Eastern Asia Causal Factors Highlighting Supply and Demand In order to fully understand the root causes of trafficking in human beings, one must analyze this issue from an economic perspective. Globalization and the worldwide advances in technology, specifically Internet accessibility, have resulted in a global market for the sex industry and exploitable labour. 22 When viewed as a global market, victims and their vulnerability to trafficking are identified as supply, while those responsible for sexual exploitation represent demand in the market. Although it has been important to identify supply factors contributing to vulnerability of victims to trafficking, it has not been until recently that agencies have addressed the demand aspect of the issue as a way to combat trafficking of human beings. Organizations such as The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) identify the need to 18 Ibid (p30) 19 Map from: Ibid (p31) 20 (UNODC) Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns April 2006 (p32) 21 Map from: Ibid 22 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p18) 10

11 address supply and demand issues. Their mission statement highlights this issue, stating The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) mobilizes State and non-state actors to eradicate human trafficking by: (a) reducing both the vulnerability of potential victims and the demand for exploitation in all its forms. 23 As there are a number of contributing factors to the prevalence of trafficking, the necessity to address supply and demand as a means of identifying the root causes of human trafficking is apparent. In order to identify the contributing factors to the supply of the human trafficking market, one must focus on the vulnerability of victims. Global issues including poverty, lack of education, corruption, political instability, and violence against women and children fuel the supply of trafficking victims. 24 Furthermore, the use of coercion by traffickers is prevalent. Lack of employment opportunities leave victims susceptible to the attraction of perceived higher standards of living in destination countries. 25 There are also cultural characteristics that contribute to the vulnerability of trafficking victims. It remains a tradition in some societies to have a third or fourth child who is sent to live with relatives and work in urban centers in order to generate income for the family. Traffickers target this tradition by positioning themselves as employment agents, inducing parents to part with their child only to be trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation or migrant labour. 26 Although there are a number of contributing factors to the vulnerability of potential trafficking victims, the issue is complex. There is no single categorization and a review of trafficking reports reveals how little we actually know about the vulnerability of victims. 27 For example, poverty is a main contributing factor to the vulnerability of victims. Poverty results in susceptibility, as people are not able to exert any social power. However, individuals who experience extreme poverty conditions are not necessarily those who are most susceptible to trafficking (UN.GIFT) Human Trafficking: An Overview (piii) 24 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p17); Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p28) 25 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p17) 26 Ibid (p18) 27 (UN.GIFT) Human Trafficking: An Overview (p17) 28 Ibid (p18) 11

12 Sex trafficking comprises a significant portion of overall trafficking and the majority of modern-day slavery. Sex trafficking would not exist without demand for commercial sex flourishing around the world. 29 In the most recent Trafficking in Persons Report released by the United States Government in June 2008, demand for victims of sexual exploitation is identified as a key issue that needs to be addressed as a means of trafficking prevention. There are strong links between prostitution and human trafficking. Any environment where prostitution is rampant will also be an environment that fuels the demand for human trafficking with the purpose of sexual exploitation. 30 In particular, the United States Government has stressed the importance of this issue with their policy position on prostitution, identifying it as inherently harmful and dehumanizing, and fuels trafficking of persons. 31 With high demand for sexual exploitation within the global market, there are significant profits to be made by traffickers. It will take global cooperation and the leadership of influential nations such as the US in order to combat trafficking through regulation of the commercial sex industry. The high demand for sexual exploitation has created a market where human traffickers can make significant profits. Significant advances in technology have created a global market where buyers and sellers are introduced with use of the Internet. Globalization has had a serious impact on human trafficking by severely stimulating demand. So-called consumers now enjoy the benefits of a global market, with a significantly expanded selection and the ability to make transactions almost instantly and with little fear of detection. 32 With such large demand, traffickers enjoy significant profit incentives. The human trafficking industry is thriving, generating billions of dollars in yearly profits and it is growing. According to the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report generated by the US Government, money generated by sex trafficking alone is conservatively estimated at $7 billion per year, although Interpol has given a higher estimate of $19 billion annually. 33 Not only are traffickers enjoying profit incentives generated by significant demand, but also there is little fear of conviction, making it an even more lucrative business for participants in the market. As long as demand continues to thrive and there is negligible-to-low risk of prosecution, trafficking will continue regardless of other contributing factors. 34 The Process of Human Trafficking 29 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p23) 30 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p8) 31 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p23) 32 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p18) 33 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p34) 34 Date accessed 23 September

13 In order to understand the process of trafficking, it is important to outline the sequence of events that leads to a person being taken from their home country to a destination country for, for instance prostitution. This process consists of three major stages: recruitment, transportation, and exploitation. 35 It is important to have knowledge of the process of trafficking in order to be able to efficiently combat it. For instance, by identifying which modes of transportation traffickers use, governments will be able to concentrate their efforts. Having knowledge about the initial stage the recruitment stage is especially valuable as one can identify the types of individuals that are most likely to be attractive victims. This will enable authorities to take a pro-active approach, fighting trafficking in the early stages. This way, the victims won t have a strong connection to the trafficker if any connection at all and the fear of punishment is therefore much smaller. Recruitment In the recruitment stage a victim is identified and approach by a trafficker. The victim will either be lured into cooperation or forced to obey. The methods traffickers employ to lure individuals are several and diverse. One classic example is the Good Samaritan who promises a better life in a wealthy country. As a rule, the trafficked person is completely unaware of the conditions that await him/her in the country of destination. 36 In particular, women and children are usually victims, especially for trafficking with the aim of prostitution. They often have backgrounds characterized by violence and instability. 37 Transportation The stage in which the victim is moved from the country of origin to the destination country alternatively via a transit country is known as the transportation stage. There are different modes of transportation being used, such as smuggling victims in lorries. However, it is common to use ordinary transportation, as this does not draw any attention from border control. The Schengen agreement might lead to easier transportation of victims within the Schengen area, as there are no need for passports and the relaxation of border control. 38 It should also be noted that in some cases victims are not being transported to another country. Internal trafficking occurs when victims are taken away from for instance villages and being held as prostitutes in major cities (UNODC) Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns April 2006 (p57) 36 aining/3_chapter2.pdf (p31) Date accessed 22 September Ibid (p31-33) 38 Ibid (p35) 39 Ibid (p34) 13

14 Exploitation This is the stage where the victim has reached the designated destination country. In this stage the victim will be forced to perform the activities he/she was brought there for, such as prostitution, organ theft or forced labour. Their documents, sometimes including fraudulent passports are taken away from them, to limit their possibility to move. 40 During exploitation victims might be subject to additional cruelties such as brainwashing, threats, sleep deprivation, violence and starvation. For victims being exploited for sexual services, getting infected and the fear of getting infected by sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV is common. 41 Consequently, the life quality of victims is further decreased. In some cases, victims are actually aware of that they will have to sell sexual favours when they reach the destination country. However, very few are aware of the terrible conditions under which they much do so. 42 Consequences of Human Trafficking The consequences of human trafficking can be seen on the level of both the individual and the society. Individual Health Issues For the individual, the fact that someone has worked as a prostitute often leads to a social stigma that is hard to escape. 43 Furthermore, victims of trafficking are at risk of contracting diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections. They are also at the risk of unwanted pregnancies, forced abortion and possible complications that abortions entail. Some victims reproductive organs are damaged for life. The use of alcohol and drugs are prevalent. The psychological trauma of being forced in to prostitution, rape and abuse may lead to insomnia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and murder. 44 I have very bad back pain now, and painful periods. I had Chlamydia and pelvic problems. I can't eat, I can't concentrate and I can't sleep, although I am very 40 Ibid (p36) 41 Ibid 42 aining/3_chapter2.pdf (p35) Date accessed 22 September Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p13) 44 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p50) 14

15 tired. I have nightmares in the day as well as in the night. 45 This can be increased by social isolation if the victim is brought to a country where she does not speak the language and is prevented from everyday interaction with the general public. The poor living conditions that trafficking victims are subject to can harbor or spread diseases such as scabies and tuberculosis. 46 Legal Issues In addition to being exploited by the people that has trafficked them, people that have been trafficked are often considered illegal immigrants in the countries that they are brought to. This leads to a dual problem for the victims, which have nowhere to turn to for help. 47 Lack of Education Origin countries of trafficking may be affected by social breakdown due to loss of family structure. This can be self-reinforcing if people in society make a profit from trafficking and identify potential victims in the area as being particularly vulnerable. To avoid being trafficked, women and children become recluse, hiding from the community, which leaves them without education and family relations. This only serves to intensify the problem, as a lack of education merely increases the vulnerability of being trafficked if the future. 48 Society Organized Crime Human trafficking is often closely tied to other organized crime such as smuggling of humans and drugs, money laundering and counterfeit of documents. Money generated from human trafficking is sometimes used to finance the above-mentioned organized crime. 49 "It is a crime that has a devastating effect on the lives of individuals, and contributes to the overall harm caused to the country by organized crime. 50 Reduced Human Capital Trafficking deprives origin countries of human capital, reducing the people available to the labour market and therefore prevents the country from developing. Wages may be depressed; there are not enough people to take care 45 Date accessed 22 September Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p50) 47 Date accessed 22 September Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p13-14) 49 Ibid 50 Date accessed 22 September

16 of the weak and the old, leading to a reduction in future productivity. If children are forced to work they are deprived of an education, which may have lead to higher future income. Trafficking may therefore contribute to the cycle of poverty causing countries to never increase their standard of living. 51 Reduced Government Control The strength of the state and civil society within a nation determines the span of protection for its most vulnerable people. Where state and civil societal strength is lacking, the government is often fighting to control the country, making trafficking far more effortless. If trafficking of people plagues a particular region, the government may be seen to be lacking authority, which only intensifies the problem. In countries with weak governments, the authorities may have difficulties protecting women and children from being taken from their homes and schools. Bribes given to government officials to look the other way causes corruption within government ranks which further reduces its efficiency. 52 The United States Government State Department have found that there is a link between effective battling of human trafficking and a healthy, democratic society. Strong democracies are able to effectively work to curb the issue of trafficking. In strong democracies there is respect for individual and human rights, and freedom for all; men, women, children, prostitutes and immigrants. If societal strength is lacking, trafficking can blossom because in reality there is no help or protection to be found, regardless of whether or not it exists in theory. In a strong society, government authorities can convict and enforce punishment upon criminals. For this to be possible, widespread corruption among government lines cannot exist. It is the role of police, judges and government officials to protect victims, not traffickers. For society to be strong, there also has to be independent members of civil society, such as NGOs, who cooperate with the government. Governments are often not able to effectively combat trafficking where there is a lack of effective cooperation between the government and NGOs. 53 Health Issues HIV/AIDS is common among prostitutes. For example, roughly 20% of the prostitutes in Nepal are infected with HIV/AIDS. In South Africa the number is 70%, in Cambodia 29%, and in Zambia 31% in red-light areas. People that visit prostitutes may contract the virus and other diseases, which in turn can be transmitted to others in the society. Some experts have seen a connection 51 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p14) 52 Ibid (p13-15) 53 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p34-36) 16

17 between the HIV/ AIDS, trafficking and mutation of the virus, which means that subtypes are being spread throughout the world. 54 Role of Companies & Organizations Part of the Problem? Companies and industries mainly responsible for contributing to trafficking are criminal organizations and firms involved in the tourism industry. Criminal organizations that traffick people within countries and across national borders are run as successful enterprises, making a profit from other peoples misery. They control people and force them into hard labor or prostitution once they arrive to their destination, and are therefore a major cause to this problem. These organizations abuse the power discrepancy, forcing and controlling people to work for several hours, every day of the week. Victims are physically and mentally abused: facing diseases, injuries, threats and addictions. Without these criminal organizations, prostitution would still be present and people would continue to cross borders in search of a better life. However, they would not be subjected to such harsh consequences upon arrival if there were not people willing to profit from it. If there were fewer individuals targeting these vulnerable people, some people would still get hurt, but not as many and not so severely as what occurs today. The problem is aggravated by the fact that criminal organizations can work more effectively in societies with weak governmental and civil structures in developing countries for example. If a criminal organization is effective in infiltrating bureaucracy, whether it s with bribes, connections or force, they may further weaken governmental-, civil- and family relations, causing a downward spiral. Through a lack of recognition or active prevention, legitimate companies such as large hotel chains also contribute to the possibility of sexual exploitation of women and children. "The reason I am enthused about this corporate commitment is that most major hotel chains have dragged their feet to make a public stand against sex trafficking- -it's almost as if they are afraid to draw too much attention to the crisis, and thereby be identified as a site of exploitation. Their silence, however, is damning, as we will never offer serious resistance to sex trafficking if the tourist industry does not get involved in a major way--it's that simple, and urgent." Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 (p50) 55 &DocTypeId=1&ObjectId=MjIwNzg&URLBack=result.asp?txtDocTitle=trafficking&txtDocText=traff 17

18 David Batstone Part of the Solution & Corporate Sustainability Legitimate, socially responsible companies can make a huge contribution when it comes to stopping human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Hotel chains can implement the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel & Tourism which has six different components. For example, personnel are trained to recognize sexual exploitation activities and provide information to guests, warning them about sex trafficking and exploitation, especially concerning children. "Taken in isolation, corporate policies like the one that Marriott has developed in partnership with NGOs will not deliver the total solution to child slavery, but each advance in policy and public awareness builds an environment wherein kidnapping children from their homes and forcing them to heinous acts will not be tolerated. 56 David Batstone The application of this prevention method could effectively diminish the sexual tourism industry if it is implemented in association with other efforts including, investment in origin countries and cooperation with NGO's and local officials. However, when companies make investments in origin countries and create new businesses, they must pay employees decent salaries. Salaries must sufficiently offset the wish to go somewhere else for a better life or else the population will diminish, leading to fewer people accepting the offers of work far from their home. Companies also have to pay taxes and have their employees pay income taxes, which will help strengthen the government and assist the enforcement of law and punishment against criminal organizations in particular. Taxes also mean that government authorities are less inclined to take briberies, as there is a risk of losing employment and salary. With a stronger society, newspapers can freely publish what they wish without upsetting authorities. This will stimulate reporters to write about trafficking and thereby inform potential victims about the process, what it entails and where a person can go for help. Projects such as building schools and support of civil organizations will also help the civil structure of developing countries to grow, further preventing criminal organizations to control society. Corporate investment in countries harshly affected by trafficking also serves their own self-interest. Trafficking causes countries to lose human capital, leading to a diminished pool of eligible labour. This can make it difficult for companies to find enough qualified people to effectively run their operations. icking&doctypeid=1&sortorder=&curpage=1 Date accessed 25 September Ibid 18

19 Trafficking also reduces an individual s health status since it spreads diseases, meaning that the pool of eligible workers will be reduced even further. Investment in a country s heath system, for example by providing annual medical-checkups for employees or making medicine available at reduced prices, helps to secure a company s access to qualified and physically strong people, thereby securing human resources and strengthening human capital. Conclusion Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention It will require global cooperation and commitment from all stakeholders to combat the issue of trafficking in the years to come. Although this issue continues to be over-shadowed by current hot button issues such as global warming and climate change, human trafficking is a global issue affecting men, women and children worldwide. The 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report highlights the three P s prosecution, protection, and prevention as a means of targeting a reduction in demand. 57 The Report stresses the need to focus on concrete actions instead of mere goals for anti-trafficking efforts. Prevention methods will only succeed when victim protection initiatives are coupled with a government efforts focused on convictions. By increasing the risk of prosecution, profit incentives for traffickers that drive demand will no longer be enough. All foreign governments must adopt this approach in an effort to curb the issue of human trafficking and put an end to slavery in the 21 st century. Analytical Limitations Having limited time available to complete our paper, we wish to point out to the reader that the analysis in this paper has limitations. Maybe most important, the numbers describing the scope of trafficking are highly inaccurate. This is demonstrated both by the fact that there are so many different estimates and also, that most sources directly state that the estimate is a very rough figure. Another point we would like to bring to the reader s attention is the fact that we focused on trafficking with the aim of prostitution and sexual exploitation, without in depth analysis of the other aspects of trafficking, including migrant labour and trafficking in drugs. After having worked on this paper, we fear that trafficking is present to a much larger extent in society than most are aware of. It would have been interesting to attempt a more rigorous analysis regarding the scope of this issue. It would also have been interesting to look more closely at trafficking involving adult males. This is because it is the trafficking in women and children that is usually brought to ones attention. We fear that low awareness of trafficking in adult males might lead to an increase in the scale of this issue. Further research could also be done 57 Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 (p5) 19

20 linking human trafficking to other global issues. A number of pressing global issues including poverty, organized crime, and corruption were identified as causal factors in the supply of trafficking, but focused analysis would reveal the truth with regards to these supposedly causal relationships. References Baue, B., Marriott Combats Child Sexual Exploitation [online]. Socialfunds.com, 11 December. Available from: &txtdoctext=trafficking&doctypeid=1&objectid=mjiwnzg&urlback=resu lt.asp?txtdoctitle=trafficking&txtdoctext=trafficking&doctypeid=1&sortor der=&curpage=1 [Accessed 25 September 2008]. BBC News, Forced to have sex from 11am to 10pm [online]. BBC News, 19 March. Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2008]. Council of Europe, Slaves at the heart of Europe [online]. Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2008]. 20

21 Mendenhall, P., Escaping Brutal Bondage in Europe [online]. MSNBC, March. Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2008]. Polaris Project. What is Human Trafficking [online]. Available from: =26&Itemid=86 [Accessed 23 September 2008]. UN.GIFT, Human Trafficking: An Overview [online]. Available from: [Accessed on 23 September 2008]. Unknown. The Trafficking Process from the Perspective of Trafficked Persons [online]. Available from: /published_docs/books/mhd_training/3_chapter2.pdf [Accessed on 22 September 2008]. UNODC, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns [online]. Available from: [Accessed 23 September 2008]. UNODC, UNODC and Human Trafficking [online]. Available from: [Accessed 21 September 2008]. US Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report June 2005 [online]. Available from: [Accessed 23 September 2008]. US Department of State, For the Courageous, a Modern Day Fight to Abolish Slavery [online]. Available from: [Accessed 24 September 2008]. US Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008 [online]. Available from: [Accessed 20 September 2008]. 21