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EnriqueLuna
ProfessorHamlet
English102
8December2015

TheStatesofHumanTrafficking
Inthisgreatlandofthefreewecallithumantrafficking.Andsolongaswedont
partakeintheluxury,ignoringslaveryisofnoconsequence.Itismucheasiertolooktheother
awayandignorethevictims.Thepersonwhoignoresslaveryjustifiesitbyquicklydeducting
thevictimisawillingparticipanthamperedbymisfortuneDAndreLampkin.Human
traffickingisbecomingabigsocialproblemintheUnitedStates.Manypeoplearoundtheworld
arebeingtraffickedforcommercialsexandorforcedlabor.Buthowmanypeopletrulyknow
thathereintheUnitedStates,thelandofthefree,wefaceasevereproblemofhumantrafficking
withinourownborders.Humantraffickingfallscompletelyundertheradarformostpeople
simplybecausemostpeopleunfortunatelydontknowaboutitandhavenoclueitsoccurring.
Forsomepeople,theysimplydonotcarebecausetheybelievethattraffickingisnthappeningto
peopletheymaypotentiallyknoworthatthereiseventraffickingarisingaroundthem.Inreality,
humantraffickingishappeningmuchcloserthanmostAmericansliketobelieve.Themost
commonformoftraffickingthatAmericansareawareoftendtobeconsistentwithhuman
traffickinginwhichwomenareoftenfoundsellingtheirbodiesforcommercialsex.
Unfortunately,thereareseveralmoreformsofhumantraffickinggoingonwithintheUnited
Statestoday.Peopleneedtobecomeawareofthefactthathumantraffickingdoeshappenherein

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theUS,anditisveryhypocriticallyofAmericanstojustignorethisproblembecauseof
Americanmorals.Thisproblemcanbemitigatedbysimplyeducatingpeopleabouthowhuman
traffickingoccursthroughtheutilizationofvariousprogramsthatexemplifythenumerousforms
ofhumantrafficking,andbychangingthewayshumantraffickingisportrayedorexpressedin
themedia.

MostAmericanswillnotevenbelievethathumantraffickinghappenshereintheStates,
butitdoes.Amajorreasonforthisbeing,mostpeopleactuallydonotknowwhattheentire
meaningofhumantraffickingconsistsof.AccordingtotheNationalInstituteofJustice,human
traffickingistherecruitment,transportation,transfer,harboring,orreceiptofpersonsby
impropermeans(suchasforce,abduction,fraud,orcoercion)forimproperuseincludingforced
labororsexaulexploitation.Americanstendtobelievethathumantraffickingonlyhappensin
thirdworldcountrieslikeLaosorCambodiabutinrealityitismuchclosertohome.According
toRocioGarza,theauthorof
AddressingHumanTraffickingAlongtheUnitedStatesMexico
Border:TheNeedforBilateralPartnership
,about175,000Mexicanscrosstheborderintothe
UnitedStatesbetween2008to2009.Someweresmuggled,butothersweretraffickedintothe
US.Unfortunately,theactualnumberofindividualswhomaretraffickedareunclearbecauseitis
verydifficulttokeepdocumentsonsuchillegalsmuggling.Theremayonlybeafewthousand,
oritcanbeamillionpeopleinthehumantraffickingsystem,butthepointofthematteristhatit
doeshappen.StephanieHepburn's,anauthorandjournalistwhograduatedfromtheUniversity
ofMichiganandtheWashingtonCollegeofLawatAmericanUniversity,exemplifiesinher
academicjournal(
HiddenInPlainSight:HumanTraffickingIntheUnitedStates)
howa10year
oldEgyptiangirlwasforcedtododomesticlabor.ThistenyearoldgirlnamedBennuwas

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forcedtoworkforacouplenamedAbdelandAmalin2000inIrvine,California.Bennuhada
stepsisterwhohadworkedforthecouplefarlongerthanBennuhas,andthesisterwasaccused
oftheftandthreatenedtobedeportedbacktohercountry.Bennudidnotwantthistohappento
herstepsister,sosheofferedtogivethecoupleapaymentofthirtydollarsamonthforthenext
tenyears.Shewasgoingtobecomeindebtedtothecoupleforaverylongtime,butfortunately
enoughshewasrescuedtwoyearslater.InthosetwoyearsBennuwaspaidnothing,shereceived
nomeansofeducationwhatsoever,andshewasverballyandphysicallyabusedthroughoutthat
timeframe.Therearemanycasessimilartothisone.Peopleinhumantraffickingareeitherused
forcommercialsex,whichmostpeoplearefamiliarwith,orareforcedtocompletemanuallabor
whichcanpotentiallybeseenalmosteveryday.Somelegitbusinessestendtousehuman
traffickingasanoutsourcedmeansofcheaplaborforce.Businesseswilloftentimessend
recruitersdowntosomepoorcountry.Theserecruiterswillthenpromisepeoplethattheywillbe
givenagoodpayingjobandanopportunityatabetterlifeaslongastheycancomeandworkfor
theminadifferentcountry.Mostofthesepeopledonotknowanybetter,sotheywillbuyinto
theselies.Thecompanywillthenhavethesepeopletransportedtothestates,butthecompanys
willforcethepeople,whomarebeingtransported,topaytheirway.Normallythetransportation
feeisextremelyhigh,andtheycannotpaythefeerightaway.Thecompanieswillthenconjure
upsomecontractsthatforcesindividualstocompletesomeformoffreelaborforaperiodof
timeinordertopayofftheirfeeswhilealsosecretlychargingpeopleasteepinterestonthe
moneyloanedtotheseindividuals.Whattheyaregettingpaidisveryinsignificant,andontopof
thattheymayhaveotherbillstopay.Thisthenforcesindividualstoextendtheperiodoftime
neededtopaybacktheirdebts.Nowsomepeoplewillarguethatohwelltheyshouldhave

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knownbetter,andshouldntbeinasituationlikethis.Itstheirownfault.Remembernowinthe
definitionofhumantraffickingthatdeceptionisoneofthemethodsusedtoforcepeopleinto
sexualexploitationandforcedlabor.Itwouldbesurprisingifnotoneformofhumantrafficking
didnotaffectpeople.
Someofthemosttrivialthingsthatmostpeoplewouldnotbelieveareaffectedbyhuman
trafficking,mayinfactbetouchedinonewayoranotherbyhumantrafficking.Oneexample
couldbetheforcedlaborersthatsendcompaniesmeatoftenfoundinfastfoodrestaurant.
Anotherprimeexamplewouldbehousekeepersorhouseladieswhocleanhotelrooms.We
mightseethesepeopleeverydayandnotonceconsiderthepossibilitythattheyarebeingforced
toplayapartinhumantrafficking.Notonlyareweaffectedbyhumantrafficking,peoplealso
unconsciouslycontributetotheseformsofhumantrafficking.Hereisaclassicexampleofthis,
peoplewhogotoanyfastfoodrestaurant,andorderahamburger.Mostpeopledonotliketo
thinkaboutwheretheirmeatcamefrom.Thismeatnormallycomesfromaslaughterhouseinthe
Midwestthatuses,forthemostpart,aforcedlaborforce.Agoodvisualofthiscanbeseeninthe
movie
FastFoodNation
.InthemovietheyshowhowpeoplefromMexicocrosstheborderin
ordertoworkformajorslaughterhouseortoworkasmaidsincheaphotels.Thepeopleareall
placedintoonesmallsecludedareaandaretoldwheretheyaregoingtoworkat.Themovie
showsthebadconditiontheworkersfacedintheslaughterhouse.Oneexamplebeingthelackof
safemachinery,lowpayandlonghours.Attheendofthemovie,someoftheworkerswantto
leave,butfinditverydifficulttodoso.OntheonehandtheylovetheirbetterlifeintheUnited
States,andareafraidofbeingdeportedbacktoMexico.Ontheotherhandtheycantaffordto
leaveeither.Sotheyarestuckinthishorriblesituationinwhichthesepeoplewhooverseethem

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holdtheworkerslivelihoodintheirhands.Thatishowmostpeopleareaffectedbyacertain
formofhumantrafficking.Whyistherenotalotofpeoplewhotalkorevenknowabouthuman
trafficking.Well,foronethereisnotalotofcoverageinthemediaabouthumantrafficking.
NewmanandGenevieveBirktalkabouthowTheprincipleofselectionthenservesasakind
sieveorscreenthroughwhichourknowledgepassesbeforeitbecomesourknowledge.intheir
essay
Selection,Slanting,andChargedWords.
Thisisimportantbecausethewholeconceptof
humantraffickingiscomplicated,aswellashardtoincludewithallofthefactorsthatpartakein
asegmentonthenewsoranarticleinanewspaper.Sothemediaselectsonepartoftheof
humantrafficking,anditisnormallythesellofcommercialsexofwomenandchildren.This
formofhumantraffickingismostoftentimeiscoveredinthemedia,andnotonlythatthemedia
callitbyadifferentname.Themediacallsitprostitution,andmostpeoplethinkthatprostitution
isconductedbyfemaleswhoarewillinglychoosingtobeaprostituteovercompletingnormal
work,andoftentimeswantthemtobepunishedfortheircrimes.Itisnotwrongtocallit
prostitutionbecausethatiswhatitis,butitisstigmatizingsomuchthatpeopledonotknowthat
someofthesewomenareactuallyforcedtodothiskindofwork.Womenwhoareconvictedof
prostitutionfaceverylittlejailtimeandusuallytendtopayasmallfee.Ontheotherhand,the
menwhoarepimpingthemoutusuallyfaceacoupleofyearsofjailtime,andpayan
enormousfee.Thatisanotherthingthatiswrongwithconvictingwomeninprostitution.Itdoes
notmatterwhyorhowtheyaresellingtheirbodiesforcommercialsex.Thosewomencould
havebeeninthehumantraffickingsystem,andcouldbeforcedtobeaprostitute.Theyarestill
criminalized.Everydaypeopledousethetraffickedgirlsforcommercialsex,andthatishow
somepeoplecontributetoit.Thisdoeshappen,butthisisnottheonlyformofhumantrafficking

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thattakesplaceinthestates.Themediadoesnotcovertheundocumentedworkerswhoare
workingterriblejobs,goingwithoutpay,andtryingtopayofftheirdebtsortheirbillsandbarely
stayingafloat.Instead,whattheysayisthatimmigrantsarecomingtothestates,takingourjobs,
andarecominginverylargeamountofnumbers.Thisisamythtoextent.CaroleVance,a
clinicalprofessorofSociomedicalScienceandAnthropologyatColumbiaUniversity,talks
aboutthissubjectinherAcademicJournal
StatesofContradiction:TwelveWaystoDo
NothingAboutTraffickingWhilePretendingto
.Sheexplainshowimmigrationstatisticsare
oftentimesarebeingexaggeratedandthesenumbersarethenbeingusedtocreateasenseof
panictohelpjustifylawsagainstimmigration.Oneexampleoftheseunjustlawsisthelawin
Arizonathatstateslawenforcementcancheckthelegalstatusofpeoplewholooksuspicious.
ArizonaisrightnexttotheborderofMexico,sothepeoplethataremostlybeingtargetedare
Mexicanswhoarebelievedtobeillegalimmigrants.Thislawistargetedagainstillegal
immigration,andnottocombathumantrafficking.TheUnitedStatesmakeslawsthathelpfight
againstillegalimmigration,andwhiletheStatesdohavelegislationtocombathumantrafficking
itisveryineffective.
TheUnitedStatesofAmericapresentsitselfastheherothathelpsfightevilsagainst
humanity,yetdoesnotwanttoseeitsownevils.InmostoftheadvertisementsfortheUS
military,aselectionofwordsareoftentimesusedoverandoveragain.AdsfortheArmysay
thattheyhavedealtwithprobleminGermanyinWorldWar2andintheVietnamwarand
mentionsthatthenextproblemcanbeanywhereintheworld,andthatwillyoubereadyforit.In
someoftheadsfortheNavysaythattheNavyiswatchingtheworldatalltimes,readytohandle
anyproblemsthatmayrise.ThisisallfineanddandythattheUnitedStateswatchesandprotects

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theworldagainsttheterriersofevil,butwhatabouttheproblemsbackhome.Howcanwebethe
landofthefree,andyetvirtuallydonothingaboutthemoderndayslavery,humantrafficking.
Thelegislationforhumantraffickingisveryflawed.Onelawthathasbeencriticizedthemostis
theTraffickingofVictimsProtectionAct,alsoknownasTVPA.TheTVPAbasicallymeansthat
itisillegaltotraffickedhumansforanyreason,andthatpeoplewhoarecaughtdoingsowillbe
punishedseverely.Notonlythattheydoprovideservicesforthevictimsofhumantrafficking,
andalsoprovidesthosesameservicestothevictimswhocamefromoverseas.Thislawisavery
goodlaw,buttheTVPAisnotenough.GirishJ.Gulati,aprofessorofPoliticalSciencewitha
PH.datBentleyUniversity,explainsin
NewFramesandStoryTriggerinTheMedias
CoverageofHumanTrafficking
oneoftheconsistcomplaintwiththeTVPAisthenarrow
lenswithwhichpolicymakershaveconceptualizedtheproblem.Basically,policymakersand
alsothemediapaintsthispicturethattheTVPAcombatsextraffickingofwomenandchild
becausethatiswhathumantraffickingistomostAmericans.WhiletheTVPAisfightingsex
traffickingpeopledonotpayattentiontotheotherformsofhumantrafficking.Another
complaintpeoplehaveoftheTVPAisthattheagenciesarewayunderfundedandtheyarenot
properlytrainedtomakethedistinctionbetweenpeoplearejusttryingtocometotheStatesand
thepeoplewhoarebeingtraffickedtotheStates,andtoalsoapprehendtheperpetratorsof
humantrafficking.MiriamPotocky,ainternationallyrecognizedexpertonrefugeeresettlement,
doesastudyonhumantraffickingtraininginlocalagenciesinSouthFloridainheracademic
journalHumanTraffickingTrainingandIdentificationofInternationalVictimsintheUnited
States.Thetrainingprogramwentsomethinglikethis,theylastedanywherefromonetothree
hours,andtheprogramstendedtofocuson,potentialsignsthatsomeoneisbeingtrafficked,how

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tomakecontactwiththepotentialvictim,andtobeabletoprovidethelocalhotlineforhuman
trafficking.Thistrainingprogramsoundslikeitshouldbeveryeffective,butisitreally?
Porockyalsosaysthataccordingtothegovernmentthatabout14,500to17,500peoplearebeing
traffickedfromcountriesacrosstheseas,butlatersaysthatabout2,076peoplehavebeen
certifiedasvictims.Howcanthisgreatnationoffreedomhavethesekindofnumbersofpeople
whoarebeingtraffickedintotheStates?TheUnitedStatesiswillingtotheforcesofevilinall
partsoftheworld,yetcannotevendoanythingsignificantabouthumantraffickingwithinits
borders.MorallythisshouldbothereveryAmericanwhoisproudofournationsfreedomthat
weallowshouldaheinousactcontinueinournation.Wecanhelpothercountriesfighttheir
demons,nowitistimefortheUnitedStatestodothesame.
ManypeoplewillaskhowcanIdoanythingabouthumantraffickingintheU.S?
Honestly,therearealotofdifferentthingsthatanypersoncandointhefightagainsthuman
trafficking.Oneofthebiggestthingapersoncandoisjusttocompleteunderstandthemeaning
ofhumantrafficking.Mostpeoplepartiallyunderstandhumantrafficking.Mostpeoplebelieve
thathumantraffickingcanonlyhappentowomenandchildren,andthattheyarebeingforced
intodoingso.AlsothathumantraffickingdoesnothappenintheUnitedStates.Ifwecanchange
theideologythathumantraffickingdoeshappenintheUnitedStatesandthatbothmenand
womencanbetrafficked.Thegeneralpublicbelievesthatpeopleinhumantraffickingareonly
usedforcommercialsex,butinrealitytherearewaystotraffickedhumanslikeforcedlaboror
forceddomesticwork.Awaytogeteducatedabouthumantraffickingistomakeprogramslike
theonesthatareusedtotrainlawenforcementtohelpeducatedtheaveragecitizens.Notonly
willithelppeopleunderstandtheentireconceptofhumantrafficking,butitwillalsoteach

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peoplethesignsofhumantraffickingandhowtopotentiallyputastoptoit.Therearealready
programsthatteachabouthumantraffickingthatareprovidedbythegovernment.Gotosomeof
theseprograms,geteducated,andbringbackwhatyoulearnandteachittootherpeople.One
greatplaceyoucangotoistochurch,andmaybethechurchcanhelpsetofaprogramabout
humantrafficking.Churchesarealwayslookingfornewwaystohelpthechildrenofgod.
Thereisnodoubtthathumantraffickingisoneofmankind'sworstaspects,butas
AmericanstherearesomewaysthatAmericanscanminimizethisproblem.Itishardformost
AmericanstobelievesomethingsobarbaricevenexistsintheUnitedStates,butitdoes.Itmay
seemlikehumantraffickingdoesnotaffectAmericans,andsomearenot,butthosewhoare
shouldrisetothechallenge,andhelptofightagainstthisheinousact.Therestoftheworldmay
seeusasabigbullyandshouldonlybeworriedaboutsitsownproblems,andhumantrafficking
shouldbeoneofthosebigproblemstheUnitedStatesshouldbedealingwithfirst.

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WorkCited
Banks,DurenandTraceyKyckelhahn.CharacteristicofSuspectedHumanTrafficking
Incidents,20082011.SpecialReport.April2011.Web.Nov.15.
Birk,GenevieveandNewmanBirk.Selection,Slating,andChargedLanguage.Language
Awareness:ReadingforCollegeWriters.Ed.AlfredRosa,PaulEschholz,VirginiaClark.
10.Boston:Bedford/St.Martins,1977.395403.Print.
Garza,Rocio."AddressingHumanTraffickingAlongTheUnitedStatesMexicoBorder:The
NeedForABilateralPartnership."CardozoJournalOfInternational&ComparativeLaw
19.2(2011):413452.AcademicSearchComplete.Web.15Nov.2015.
Gulati,Girish."NewsFramesAndStoryTriggersInTheMedia'sCoverageOfHuman
Trafficking."HumanRightsReview12.3(2011):363379.AcademicSearchComplete.
Web.17Nov.2015.
Hepburn,Stephanie,andRitaSimon."HiddenInPlainSight:HumanTraffickingInTheUnited
States."GenderIssues27.1/2(2010):126.AcademicSearchComplete.Web.16Nov.
2015.
NA.NationalInstituteofJustice.HumanTrafficking.June13,2012.Web.Nov.15.
Potocky,Miriam."HumanTraffickingTrainingAndIdentificationOfInternationalVictimsIn
TheUnitedStates."JournalOfImmigrant&RefugeeStudies9.2(2011):196199.
AcademicSearchComplete.Web.17Nov.2015.
Vance,CaroleS."StatesOfContradiction:TwelveWaysToDoNothingAboutTrafficking
WhilePretendingTo."SocialResearch78.3(2011):933948.AcademicSearch
Complete.Web.14Nov.2015.

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