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JANUARY IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH
Credit: CNS photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters
Human Trafficking defined by the US Department of State is the “use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide- including the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations. “
Traffickers look for people susceptible for a number of reasons. People coerced or lured into trafficking often have vulnerabilities such as; psychological, emotional, economic hardships, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability. Trauma induced by traffickers is so great, many do not identify themselves as victims, preventing them from asking for help, even when help is available.
The International Labor Organization estimates there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally. The exact number is impossible to determine as so many cases go undetected. Of the 40 million, 71% are women and girls, while men and boys account for 29%. Global profits for traffickers are roughly $150 billion a year, $99 billion of which comes from commercial sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation accounts for 4.8 million victims globally.
Based on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2018,9; Harroff-Tavel and Nasri 2013,13; States, around 600,000 victims of human trafficking are present in the Middle East and represent around 45 nationalities. Around 51% of the victims are from the Middle East itself.
Human trafficking in the Middle East is often overlooked and rarely reported on. There are a lack of services and organizations working to combat this horrific crime against human beings. FAI is working to see this change. We have established a base location in the Mediterranean basin to combat human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking throughout the Middle East.
Photo: CNS photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters
Sources:
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report/
https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/facts
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-human-trafficking
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/global-report-on-trafficking-in-persons.html
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm
http://praemon.org/human-trafficking-in-the-middle-east/
AFRICANS AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Credit: Miriam Gathigah/IPS
Many Africans are being targeted by human trafficking networks made up of employment agencies, recruiters on university campuses, family, friends, and pastors. Many of which are trafficked to Middle Eastern nations. According to the Trafficking in Persons Report there is an estimated 40 million slaves globally. In 2016 it was estimated that 9.2 million trafficking victims were from Africa. Africans are especially vulnerable due to the lack of resources and opportunities in their home countries.
Traffickers prey on the desperate, weak, and vulnerable populations for financial gain. Victims are promised better opportunities for themselves and their families. Most have no idea they are entering a sophisticated network of organized crime. They are unaware of the trap set before them of sexual exploitation, domestic labor, baby factories, child labor and child soldiers. Once the reality of their situation sinks in, it is too late; they are already trapped in a situation many cannot escape. Those able to escape or are rescued are sent back to the desperation they were fleeing in the first place. They are as desperate and vulnerable as before but now secretly suffering the trauma endured from being trafficked. Many African nations do not offer support or trauma based care once victims return home. Without support and trauma care many victims are susceptible to being trafficked again.
Efforts to bring awareness and education on the tactics of trafficking networks are desperately needed. Without these efforts to prevent them falling prey to human trafficking disguised as opportunities for a better life; we will continue to see more and more Africans bought and sold as modern day slaves. We understand the severity of the global slave trade we also know prayer and action changes things. We ask you to join us in prayer for the vulnerable and the broken being trafficked world wide.
Photo: Miriam Gathigah/IPS
Sources:
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report/
http://www.ipsnews.net/2019/10/human-trafficking-came-disguised-opportunity-lifetime/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49877287?SThisFB
https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/facts
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm
https://www.borgenmagazine.com/top-10-facts-about-human-trafficking-in-africa/
WARS AND VIOLENT CONFLICTS ARE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Credit: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett
The world has her eyes on the events taking place in the Middle East. The concerns for security and stability in the region are mounting with each new threat. As long as war and conflicts rage so will human trafficking. Trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation, forced labor, and child soldiers, and organ harvesting will flourish with every rising conflict. Human displacement is an enabling environment for human traffickers, who exploit and target refugees, forced migrants, and internally displaced persons.
Human traffickers work within a sophisticated network of criminal enterprises to lure and trap desperate and vulnerable populations into trafficking situations. There is direct correlation between trafficking in persons, sexual violence, armed conflict, terrorism and transnational organized crime. The Middle East is no exception and has a high rate of trafficking due to the lack of measures taken to prevent and protect those most vulnerable, such as women and children.
Yemen is just one example of how war, violence, and terrorism have plunged an already struggling nation into the clutches of human trafficking networks. The sad truth is this is the narrative for most war torn areas throughout the Middle East.
We, the body of Christ, have a responsibility to engage in the areas where wars, conflict, and violence are raging. We are to be the voice for the voiceless and the protectors of the weak. We have a voice to speak out against the atrocities and violence against those caught between war and desperation. As we all continue to watch the events unfolding in the Middle East, we must pray. We must pray for the destitute and vulnerable. We must be willing to go. We must be a physical presence in their lives as to engage them with the gospel. We must rise up and be the light of the world Jesus has called us to be. It is in His light that all darkness is dispelled.
Photo: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett
Sources:
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report/
https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/facts
https://citizentruth.org/yemens-forgotten-victims-of-war-children-being-sold-as-a-commodity-of-war/
https://www.mintpressnews.com/human-trafficking-booming-yemen-war/261818/