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What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extraction of organs or tissues, including for surrogacy and ova removal.

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What are the different types of Human Trafficking*

There are many forms of exploitation into which people can be trafficked and held in slavery. 

These crimes are happening in every corner of the world and can include any person, regardless of age, socio-economic background or location.

As a result, each case can look very different. Below are some of the most commonly reported forms of human trafficking and modern slavery.

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Sexual Exploitation

This is when someone is deceived, coerced or forced to take part in sexual activity. Places where someone could be sexually exploited:

• Prostitution

• Brothels – massage/sauna

• Escort agencies

• Pole/lap dancing

• Forced marriage

• Stripping on a web cam

• Phone sex lines

• Internet chat rooms

• Pornography

• Mail order brides

• Sex tourism

 

Labour Exploitation

This refers to situations where people are coerced to work for little or no remuneration, often under threat of punishment. There are a number of means through which a person can be coerced, including:

• Use of violence or intimidation

• Accumulated debt

• Retention of identity papers

• The threat of exposure to immigration authorities

All types of labour, within every industry, are susceptible to labour exploitation. Some common sectors and industries that are identified as vulnerable include:

• Manufacturing

• Factory work

• Hospitality

• Construction

• Agriculture

• Fishing

• Car washes

• Nail bars

 

Domestic Servitude

This refers to situations where people are coerced to work for little or no remuneration, often under threat of punishment. There are a number of means through which a person can be coerced, including:

• Use of violence or intimidation

• Accumulated debt

• Retention of identity papers

• The threat of exposure to immigration authorities

All types of labour, within every industry, are susceptible to labour exploitation. Some common sectors and industries that are identified as vulnerable include:

• Manufacturing

• Factory work

• Hospitality

• Construction

• Agriculture

• Fishing

• Car washes

• Nail bars

 

Forced Marriage

This refers to situations where people are coerced to work for little or no remuneration, often under threat of punishment. There are a number of means through which a person can be coerced, including:

This is when a person is put under pressure to marry someone. They may be threatened with physical or sexual violence or placed under emotional or psychological distress to achieve these aims.

Situations where you may find forced marriage used:

• To gain access into a country

• To gain access to benefits

 

Forced Criminality

This is when somebody is forced to carry out criminal activity through coercion or deception. Forced criminality can take many forms, including:

• Drug trade, e.g. cannabis cultivation, drug distribution

• Begging

• Pick-pocketing

• Bag snatching

• ATM theft

• Selling of counterfeit goods

Forced criminality also encompasses social welfare fraud. This takes place when exploiters falsely apply for tax credits and other welfare benefits using the victims’ details. It is not only the state that is the victim of social welfare fraud, there is often horrific abuse used against the individual in order to coerce them into falsely applying for benefits.

 

Child Soldiers

These are children and young people, ranging from as young as four up to 18, who are used for any military purpose. It affects both males and females.

Children may be used for frontline combat – which means they are made to commit acts of violence – or within auxiliary roles, such as informants or kitchen hands. Often, the children are also sexually abused.

This type of practice is most prevalent in parts of Africa and Asia.

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Organ Harvesting

The trafficking in organs involves removing a part of the body, commonly the kidneys and liver, to sell often as an illegal trade. Organs can be taken in a number of ways:

• Trade – a victim formally or informally agrees to sell an organ, but are then cheated because they are not paid for the organ, or are paid less than the promised price

• Ailments – a vulnerable person is treated for an ailment, which may or may not exist, and the organs are removed without the victim’s knowledge

• Extortion – a victim may be kidnapped from their family and organs removed without consent

 

Significant Signs

There are a number of signs that are common across all types of exploitation. Including, if a person:

• acts as if instructed by another, as though they are forced or coerced to carry out specific activities

• demonstrates signs of physical or psychological abuse, such as lacking self esteem, seeming anxious, bruising or untreated medical conditions

• seems to be bonded by debt or has money deducted from their salary

• has little or no contact with family or loved ones

• is distrustful of authorities

• has threats made against themselves or family members

• is not in possession of their own legal documents

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We are trying to help people which have been victims of Human Trafficking and soon will be holding workshops which are informative as well as supportive and empowering for the survivors of Human Trafficking.

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If you observe any kind of Human Trafficking Please get in touch with the relevant organization in your Province or Country, and if we can help you with offering our low-cost and affordable counselling and Psychotherapy sessions, please kindly get in touch with us. 

We are here to help.

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Reference:

* https://www.stopthetraffik.org/about-human-trafficking/types-of-exploitation/