What is human trafficking anyway?

Dressember Reading Day #2

Every day during the month of December, we’re answering common questions and breaking down different aspects of human trafficking on our blog and Instagram. Join us in raising awareness about the injustice of human trafficking by sharing, donating, or joining the Dressember campaign (it’s not too late!).

It is estimated that there are over 40 million people enslaved globally.

But what exactly is human trafficking?

The Department of Homeland Security says that human trafficking is “the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.”

Let’s define those terms.

Force and coercion will involve some measure of violence against the trafficked person, which may include the threat of violence, and fraud indicates some kind of deception. Traffickers will often lure in victims with the false promise of a lucrative job or a loving relationship, subsequently isolating them from family or friends in order to create dependency.

In the United States, law depicts that the commercial exploitation of anyone under the age of 18 even is considered a victim of human trafficking even when there is no coercion or means of force involved.

**What human trafficking isn’t.**

When we talk about human trafficking, it is important to distinguish it from the term “human” or “migrant smuggling,” which involves transporting a person across a border with that person’s consent, in violation of immigration laws. While human smuggling may lead to the individual being trafficked, human trafficking refers specifically to those individuals who are forced into labor or sexual exploitation.

Let’s talk about the myths surrounding human trafficking.

Trafficking occurs in nearly every country and every demographic, including the United States. It is not limited to a certain age, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic class, although a disproportionate number of victims are female.

Victims of trafficking are not always able to seek help when in public. They may be afraid to come forward because of threats of violence by their perpetrator. In addition, they usually do not possess their own identification documents.

There are a number of indicators that can help you identify a trafficked victim, which you can read about here. It is important to note, however, that if you suspect someone to be a victim of trafficking, you should alert law enforcement rather than attempt to rescue the victim yourself.

What can I do?

One of the easiest ways to fight human trafficking is by shopping consciously. Because trafficking happens around us in various ways we may not be aware of, it is likely that we have unknowingly bought something that came through slave or child labor. Rather than feeling hopeless or guilty, we can simply change our habits. Dressember has a helpful directory of ethical clothing companies, and you can find a report of some of the biggest perpetrators of unethical production at Fashion Revolution or a list of goods that are often produced through child or forced labor from the Department of Labor. For more information on the increasing transparency being required in the apparel industry, Human Rights Watch published a helpful article last year.

In addition to ethical consumption, funds raised during Dressember go directly to programs that train law enforcement in identifying and protecting victims as well as holistic aftercare programs, training, and prevention.

Allison McCune is a girl of many interests. Whether it’s slinging drinks as a barista, hiking 600 miles in one summer, or dissecting poetry and literature, she brings passion and insight to everything she does. She hopes to refine her writing in the next few years while using her skills to work with non-profit groups. Her goal is to eventually return to school, complete a doctoral degree, and be able to teach at the undergrad and graduate levels.

DressemberDecember 2, 2019dressember 2019