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 HUMAN TRAFFICKING

There’s another humanitarian crisis spreading, yet hidden from view. Each year, an estimated 800,000 to 900,000 human beings are bought, sold or forced across the world’s borders. Among them are hundreds of thousands of teenage girls, and others as young as five, who fall victim to the sex trade. This commerce in human life generates billions of dollars each year — much of which is used to finance organized crime.—U.S. President George W. Bush
     
   

How do they get here?

Traffickers lure individuals with false promises of jobs as waitresses, nannies, maids, models, factory workers or exotic dancers. They often are recruited by unlicensed or unregulated employment, travel, model or matchmaking agencies. They also may promise that children will be educated, well fed, and completely provided for.

Rising unemployment, disintegrating social networks, and the low status of women who are promised high wages and good working conditions all contribute to the increasing numbers of trafficking victims.

Human Trafficking: Available Statistics

Due to the “hidden” nature of trafficking activities, gathering statistics on the magnitude of the problem is a complex and difficult task. The following statistics are the most accurate available, given these complexities, but may represent an underestimation of trafficking on a global and national scale.

Each year, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders (some international and non-governmental organizations place the number far higher), and the trade is growing. (U.S. Department of State. 2004. Trafficking in Persons Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of State.)

Of the 600,000-800,000 people trafficked across international borders each year, 70 percent are female and 50 percent are children. The majority of these victims are forced into the commercial sex trade. (Ibid.)

Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. (U.S. Department of Justice. 2004. Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Fiscal Year 2003. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.)

Traffickers can make five to twenty times as much money from a woman as they paid for her. Unlike drugs, a women can be resold many times, and there are fewer risks of being caught, prosecuted or convicted than if they are doing drugs or arms trafficking.

Human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity, following only drug and arms trafficking. An estimated 9.5 billion is generated in annual revenue from all trafficking activities, with at least $4 billion attributed to the worldwide brothel industry.

 

Modern-Day Slavery in the USA and Abroad in other countries.

Slavery is a frightening fact of life for many persons living in the United States today. It may not be as visible as it once was, and it is certainly not lawful, but modern-day slavery occurs all over the country.

There are four main types of slavery in the United States today.
• Sex slavery (forced prostitution)
• Domestic servitude
• Agricultural debt bondage slavery
• Forced marriage (aka mail order brides)

We know about pre-Civil War slavery, but not about what’s happening today. Most Americans would be appalled to know about the 21st Century victims bondage. We have the power to make a difference as we communicate to others what is going on in our own world, sometimes in our own communities, and perhaps even in our own back yards.

Exploitation practices by traffickers of Nigerian Women

Nigerian women and children are trafficked to Europe --primarily to Italy but also to Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Turin, in northern Italy, is the most common Italian destination for Nigerian trafficking victims. (UN Maps Human Trafficking, Associated Press, 14 May 2003). The study also found that Africa's 3.3 million refugees and it's estimated 12.7 million internally displaced people are those most vulnerable to trafficking.

Nigerian victims of human trafficking are deceived and exploited in different ways by human traffickers within Nigeria, along the routes as well as when they arrive in Italy. These coercive and exploitative practices take various forms:

Deception about conditions of work  ♦  Coercion of victims  ♦  Seizure of travel documents  ♦  Sexual and physical abuse during travel  ♦  Threats of and physical violence to victims  ♦  Threats to family members and friends of victims  ♦  Oath-taking and voodoo rituals  ♦  Restriction of movement / communication  ♦ 

Global Projects Provides a  Passport to a New Life

When we were invited by Bishop David Azenobar in Texas to join him in Italy to minister to African women who have been lured into prostitution through human trafficking we immediately sensed the urgency of this need. We were clear that God was calling us to help set the captives free spiritually, emotionally and physically from this modern day slavery. Many of these women feel hopeless, helpless, worthless, and without options. They need to know that they were not forsaken nor forgotten; they needed to experience the love of God. In a foreign land with no identifying documents, fearing death and/or deportation they need a passport to a new life in Christ Jesus. Our focus is providing counseling and psychological services, serving as a community liaison, researching housing, healthcare, childcare, literacy, skills acquisition, economic empowerment and social entrepreneurship.