Ayanna Joseph

Int 470
September 25, 2015
Human Trafficking in the United States shows that very common crime that
most people are unware of. Out of all the states California seems to be the worse.
California is a hot spot for domestic and international human trafficking because of
its large population, international borders, large economy, extensive ports, and
metropolitan regions.(What is Human Trafficking?, 2012) California harbors 3 of
FBIs 13 highest child sex trafficking areas in the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco,
and San Diego. (What is Human Trafficking?,2012) Laws have been put in place to
eliminate this viscous crime. In the United States alone The average entry age of
American minors into the sex trade is 12-14 years old.(Shared Hope, 2009)
Children that age are typically in 6th to 8th grade. The new age of having access to
the internet has fueled the rapid growth of sex trafficking, making the trade of
women and children easier than ever before. The hotline for Human Trafficking is a
way for polices and other sources to try and help people in human trafficking.
Between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2014, the NHTRC hotline received reports of 5,042
potential human trafficking cases in the United States. 1,581 of these cases (31.4%)
involved minor victims. (Statistics, 2015)
It is said that human trafficking is a 32 billion dollar industry that are
impacting many people lives and causing this industry to grow each and every day.
600,000 to 800,000 women, children and men bought and sold across international
borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercial sex. (Child
trafficking Statistics, 2014)The largest group of at-risk children for human trafficking

are runaway, homeless American children who use resources such as sex, labor
services to acquire food, shelter, clothing, and other things needed to survive on
America's streets. Average life span of a victim is 3 to 7 years (found dead from
attack, abuse, HIV and other STD's, malnutrition, overdose or suicide). It is
important that the continued growth of Human Trafficking be stopped. The number
of victims are growing each year and this industry is profiting on acts that are
illegal.

Health problems for victims involved in Human Trafficking is a huge issue.

Victims of trafficking may come into contact with healthcare professionals when
seeking treatment for bodily injuries such as fractures resulting from violence,
torture or sexual assault; traumatic brain injury; sexually transmitted diseases
including HIV, gonorrhea, etc. Also miscarriages or forced abortions may result as
from acts done during trafficking. Victims of trafficking have increased rates of
post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide. Social harms from trafficking include the
public burdens of dealing with its health consequences as well as the distribution of
infectious diseases into the general population. (Human Trafficking Ethics
Statement.) These problems represent only a partial list of the massive medical and
social consequences of human trafficking. One study found that 28% of trafficked
women saw a health care professional while still in captivity.(Dovydaitis, T) Human
trafficking can be viewed as a public health issue. Estimating the number of
affected people is an important public health effort, but is quite problematic in
human trafficking for several reasons. Trafficked people and survivors are hidden,
and we lack access to them (Human Trafficking IS a Public Health Issue.) Human
trafficking is a complex health issue, health problems are formed while social and

legal issues can be difficult. Preventive health care is virtually non-existent for these
individuals. Health issues are typically not treated in their early stages, but tend to
become critical over time, even life-endangering situations. In many cases, health
care is managed initially by an unqualified individual hired by the trafficker with
little if any regard for the well-being of their patients and even less regard for
disease or infection. Health care professional have a chance to come in contact
with victims and hopefully provide help. Human trafficking is a global issue but
public health is a huge issue as well.
Common ground theory would be the best to apply to this issue. Allowing for
different disciplines and knowledge to form together to find solutions to this growing
issue. Human trafficking calls for people to know that the issue does exist and most
people do not have a choice. In common ground theory allows for individuals who
can help, to learn tools that can aid with different ways of reducing human
trafficking. Common ground can focus on the cultural, political, and social
perspective of the issue.
Human trafficking is a global issue that needs more attention that it is
receiving. Becoming more aware in the public health field as well as the business
field. Both areas can help integrate ideas that will bring disciplines to the issue.
Public health can provide medical treatment from doctors, nurses, and hospitals.
Business can provide the numbers and ideas to take down the illegal businesses
that human trafficking has created.

Sources
What is Human Trafficking? (2012). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.caseact.org/learn/humantrafficking/s
The national report on domestic minor sex trafficking America's prostituted children.
(2009). Vancouver, WA: Shared Hope International
Statistics. (2015). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.traffickingresourcecenter.org/material-type/statistics
Child trafficking Statistics. (2014, February 22). Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics
Human Trafficking Ethics Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from
http://cmda.org/resources/publication/human-trafficking-ethics-statement
Dovydaitis, T. (n.d.). Human Trafficking: The Role of the Health Care Provider.
Retrieved July 12, 2015, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3125713/
Human Trafficking IS a Public Health Issue. (2013, May 1). Retrieved July 12, 2015,
from https://gorelentless.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/human-trafficking-is-a-publichealth-issue/