Kaitlyn Davidson

Trevor Godwin
Kyler Lada
Alex Schlorff
Brittany Smith
English 12B (3)
Mr. Gross
8 May 2015
Human Trafficking
Thirteen year old Natalia was told by her parents she was moving to the U.S. with family
friends who would allow her to receive an education and learn English. For the next six years she
was forced to clean the house, wash clothes, cook, and care for their three children, often
working 18 hours a day while receiving no form of payment. Shortly after she arrived in the US,
the father she was living with began to physically and sexually abuse the young girl, creating a
constant environment of fear for Natalia (Natalia 6). They say that we as human beings have a
right to to be free from any form of slavery, abuses, violence and fear (End Human 10). Human
trafficking mentally and physically changes many peoples lives whether they are rescued or not.
Human trafficking happens not only in the United States but also around the world in many other
countries such as Ghana, where young Natalia was raised (Natalia 6). People are taken by illegal
means such as force, fraud, deception, abduction or coercion for the purpose of exploiting them.
Women and girls make up 98% of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Sex trafficking
whether within a country or across national borders violates basic human rights, including the

rights to bodily integrity, equality, dignity, health, security, and freedom from violence and
torture (Global 7).
When a person is a victim of human trafficking, they are more likely to be mentally or
physically damaged. One of these people is a girl named Dai. Dai was a survivor of human
trafficking and exploitation. Dai was asked by a female to join her escort service. While Dais
unawareness of the proposition was overwhelmed by the need for food, she accepted the offer.
Dai was sent to Nevada. After several weeks she was well provided for and well fed. A client
then attempted to bargain for sex. After she refused her offer, she was forced to the floor, beaten
and raped. She states To this day, I am still haunted by flashbacks regarding certain smells, as
well as cold floors which numbed my bare feet. Many times, panic ensues when I find myself in
a line of women; it resurrects the nightmares of all the humiliating inspection line-ups I had to
endure. Depending on how much the attacker who was involved has done to them, they could
have visions or flashbacks haunting them for the rest of their lives. Holly Smith--a human
trafficking victim--said that the man that convinced her to run away with him took his time to get
to know her first. He would ask her personal questions and he portrayed to be a trusting man. He
asked her what her dreams were and she stated that she wanted to be a famous songwriter. He
lied to her by assuring that he could help her make her dream come true. Like most other human
trafficking predators, he said he had connections and her songwriting dream could be an easy
accomplishment (Smith 1). Victims are often recruited with promises of jobs abroad or even
within their own countries, but once in the grip of the traffickers, they are essentially slaves
(Washington 2). The perfect prey for a trafficker is a poor, struggling woman. They are in
desperate need of jobs and these persuasive predators are--unfortunately--good at what they do.
Barabar Kralis specifically states what traffickers do to these women by saying that they

promise

high-paying

jobs

as

house

cleaners,

housemaids, nannies, cooks, and models (Kralis 1).

Various forms of subjugation are involved, such as debt
bondage

resulting

from

exorbitant

fees

for

transportation, food, and housing; however, it all

amounts to a system of violently enforced servitude
from which escape is only a remote possibility
(Washington 2). Many human trafficking predators prey on families by pretending to be adoption
agencies that take children to better lives. They are then turned around and used as sex slaves
and/or child soldiers (2). Most children get passed along to other buyers or predators in many
different countries before reaching the final destination and once a child is in the buyer's hands it
is almost impossible for the child to escape.
The United States is among the top ten destination sites for human trafficking (2). Sex
trafficking is estimated to bring in around 50,000 women and girls into the US, mainly for
prostitution (2). The UN crime-fighting office announced that 2.4 million people across the globe
are victims of human trafficking at any one time, and 80 percent of them are being exploited as
sexual slaves (Human Trafficking 12). In one case, upon arrival to the United States, the
traffickers raped the women and girls, confiscated their travel documents, and forced them to
become prostitutes. Guards prevented them from leaving the brothels, and if the victims tried to
escape they faced severe physical punishment as well as threats of deportation (2). Sex
trafficking businesses are sometimes disguised as different types of businesses such as spas or
massage parlors. As earlier states, human trafficking is a major issue all around the world, not
only in the United States. For instance, women in Iraq are extremely vulnerable to a variety of

crimes, including human trafficking (2). One trafficking ring sold 128 Iraqi women to Saudi
Arabia in 2008 and 2009 (2). The ring was made up of Iraqi police officers, members of the
Governorate Council and security officials (2). When families can no longer economically
support themselves in countries like Iraq mothers will sell their own children into the sex slavery
ring whether it is wanted or not it becomes a necessity and something that must be done in order
to survive (2). In Asia, sex trafficking is higher than any other continent in the world. It is
believed that sex trafficking is more common in areas where education and legitimate
employment opportunities are limited or unavailable, and women and girls are often either
kidnapped or lured in with promises of legal work as shop assistants or waitresses.
Prostitution needs to be legal because of the fact that it is a multi-billion dollar service
that brings worldwide income. Just a couple types of human trafficking are labor trafficking and
sex trafficking. Labor Trafficking is a modern day form of
slavery in which people perform services or labor through the
use of force or fraud. Labor Traffickers use threats, lies or
even violence to force people to work in their industries
against their will. Victims of Labor Trafficking frequently
work long hours for little to no pay. Some common types of
Labor Trafficking in the United States include people forced
to work in homes as servants, farm workers forced by violence as they harvest crops, or factory
workers held in bad conditions. Labor Trafficking has the second highest income next to Sex
Trafficking. Sex Trafficking is the illegal trade of people for commercial gain or exploitation.
This may include prostitution, pornography production, phone sex, strip clubs, etc. Children,
being especially vulnerable, are often easy targets for sexual exploitation. Sex Traffickers will

often lure people into a false sense of love that would normally lead to a romantic relationship.
This then gives the traffickers easy access to people worldwide to be used for sexual pleasures.
This is the leading income for Human Trafficking around the world. Once again, sexual
prostitution needs to be legal because of the fact the it has such a high income for the world.
Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that brings money into the economic system
and helps balance out the economic system. Legalizing prostitution can both stimulate the
economy and reduce the number of issues related to human trafficking involving sex.
Prostitution becoming legalized will reduce many sex related crimes. It has been proven that
rape, kidnapping, domestic violence, and murder rates will be reduced by legalizing prostitution.
Brothels in Nevada generates approximately fifty million dollars annually and if taxed those
businesses could generate $3,000,000 in taxes per year which could be used by the United States
government in order to be used for state and federal programs that are funded by taxpayers.
Along with all the funds from legalizing prostitution, more taxes and fees could be added with
sexually transmitted diseases.
Human trafficking occurs everywhere around the world, and it is something that can not
be ignored. The people taken are cousins, friends, sisters, daughters, and even parents. It could
happen to anyone. The majority of victims are women and children. There are many ways the
victims get violated such as sexual and physical abuse. Human trafficking must be ended, and
prostitution must be legalized. We have shown evidence that people are harmed and this causes
problems in our society. With the legalization of prostitution to aid in the battle against human
trafficking. Women like Natalia and Barabar must be helped. They are just two women among
millions that are taken by force or coerced. The trading of human lives through trafficking must
be stopped.

Works Cited
1.

"Human Trafficking In Australia. This Essay Will Be Covering Different Aspect

of Human Trafficking and Slavery in Ways of Legal and Nonlegal Response. It Will Also
Be Responding on How Effective the Legal System Is in Regards of Human Trafficking
on the - A-Level Law - Marked by Teachers.com." Human Trafficking In Australia. This
Essay Will Be Covering Different Aspect of Human Trafficking and Slavery in Ways of
Legal and Nonlegal Response. It Will Also Be Responding on How Effective the Legal
System Is in Regards of Human Trafficking on the - A-Level Law - Marked by

Teachers.com. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

2.

"HUMAN TRAFFICKING AROUND THE WORLD Hidden in Plain Sight By

Stephanie Hepburn and Rita J. Simon." Washington Post. The Washington Post. Web. 10
Nov. 2014.
3.
"Human Trafficking | Polaris | Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day
Slavery." Human Trafficking | Polaris | Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day
Slavery. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Smith, Holly A. "Survival Stories." Richmond Justice
Initiative. N.p., 27 July 2012. Web. 04 May 2015.
4.
"WriteZillas.org." Essay Sample On How To Prevent Human Trafficking Of
Children. Web. 12
5.
"Natalia | Domestic Servitude Labor Trafficking | Polaris | Combating Human
Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery." Natalia | Domestic Servitude Labor Trafficking |
Polaris | Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 07
May 2015.
6.
"Global Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet." Global Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet. N.p., n.d.
Web. 07 May 2015.
7.
"Labor Trafficking." National Human Trafficking Resource Center. N.p., n.d.
Web. 07 May 2015.
8.
"Labor Trafficking in the US | Polaris | Combating Human Trafficking and
Modern-day Slavery." Labor Trafficking in the US | Polaris | Combating Human
Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.
9.
"ECONOMICS of TRAFFICKING." Fight Slavery Now. N.p., 26 Nov. 2009.
Web. 07 May 2015.
10.
"End Human Trafficking Before It's Too Late." RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May
2015.
11.
"HumanTrafficking.org | News & Updates: U.N.: 2.4 Million Human Trafficking
Victims." HumanTrafficking.org | News & Updates: U.N.: 2.4 Million Human Trafficking

Victims. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2015.

12.
"A Survivor's Story." N.p., 20 July 2011. Web. 08 May 2015.