National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Today marks the first annual Human Trafficking Awareness day in the United States. This day intends to raise awareness and vigilance for the millions of victims of trafficking in persons across the globe.

Human trafficking happens all over the world. In the U.S., the Justice Department estimates at least 17,000 people are brought here each year and forced to work in slave-like conditions. Other groups say the number is higher. While estimating the number of victims to trafficking is very difficult, however it is considered to be the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world, projected to be worth about $32 billion.

For coverage of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, visit National Public Radio.

Also on National Public Radio:

• How, where human trafficking begins
• Selling your own flesh and blood
• The cost of slavery

Trafficking in persons, also known as human trafficking, is considered to be a form of modern-day slavery. It is regarded to the second largest criminal industry in the world, after arms and drug dealing. Traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits every year while victimizing millions of people around the globe.

Trafficked persons are forced or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Under international law, all children who are commercially sexually exploited are considered trafficking victims, even if no force or coercion is used. Sex trafficking is one of the most lucrative sectors of the trade in people, and involves sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography, bride trafficking, and commercial sexual abuse of children. Labor trafficking is widespread not only in situations of domestic servitude and small-scale labor operations, but also in sweatshops and farms that are subcontracted to major multinational corporations.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that traffickers often lure their victims to the United States with promises of an arranged marriage, financial security or a job opportunity. Once in the clutches of traffickers, victims are often kept from running away by threats that escaping would bring harm to their families.

Related news:

• Vigils being held for victims of trafficking in San Diego
• Florida immigrant advocates call for an end to modern-day slavery
• Developing new approaches to the study of trafficking in persons in Egypt
• Turning to prostitutes to help beat trafficking in India
• Cops arrest six involved in Canadian human trafficking ring
• Man accused of human trafficking in Northern Ireland
• Toronto police charge three men with human trafficking, forced prostitution
  

For more information on trafficking in persons, visit Polaris Project.