I have an ignorant question.
How does one get to be a victim of human trafficking, exactly?
I was reading an article on all this illegal immigration undocumented worker stuff. The author is an Asian-American woman and was talking about how there needs to be solidarity amongst all the immigrant groups, and within the ethnic groups, both legal residents and otherwise. She included the data point that Asians are the second largest group of illegals (at 13%, Latinos are the largest with 78%), and the majority are either folks who came over as students and stayed illegally or are victims of human trafficking.
So I'm asking because it's hard for me to imagine how one gets oneself into that situation. Are there people from Asia who are trying to get here but are misled as to how exactly that's going to happen? Or are folks captured and thrown on a boat? Or what?
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I think that human trafficking can take a few forms - for starters, being sold into prostitution or slavery by your parents, husband, local drug lord, etc. The other thing that comes to mind are groups that promise to transport you to the U.S. and help you find a job and get legal, who then hold your passport and make you work as a drug mule or something.
Mac's right.
Sometimes, these folks pay a 'coyote', aka smuggler, to bring them here. Oftentimes, said smuggler promises them pre-arranged jobs, etc.
Once the person gets here, they are forced into whatever labor the person's real business is. Usually, it's women and children sold into prostituion.
We also have to remember that these are desperate people in poor countries who are probably willing to do about ANYTHING for a better life. Thus their susceptibility.
Also remember that the only way to end the abuses of illegal immigration - and try to do something about the abuses of forced human trafficking - is to enforce our immigration laws. Anyone who opposes enforcing our immigration laws is creating conditions that lead to worker abuse and worse.
Okay, that all makes sense. Thanks, guys.
the thing that makes my heart hurt even worse than hearing that this actually can/does happen is that there is a MARKET for prostitutes and such evil in someone's heart that they could devalue a human life so as to enslave someone.
I think BigMediaBlog is missing the point...there is not just ONE way to end these types of situations. People are flying under the radar and entering the country illegally - even passing through border patrol at times. There definitely needs to be re-education and training for many enforcers on how to detect situations like these.
Don't forget that human trafficking can happen to U.S. Citizens too - we have plenty of poor and uneducated that are legal citizens and looking for ways to make money and be valued (in a crazy sense).
the thing that makes my heart hurt even worse than hearing that this actually can/does happen is that there is a MARKET for prostitutes and such evil in someone's heart that they could devalue a human life so as to enslave someone. -- I KNOW!
And I'm with Crystal. It's not so much a lack of enforcement of our immigration laws that's the problem. Cracking down is not gonna eliminate the black market for people. It's like outlawing guns or legalizing drugs. Criminals are always going to do or have stuff they shouldn't, so how do we manage what we do have in a way that minimizes the dangers?
"Black market for people." Ugh.