Determinants of Trafficking: Understanding the problem and the actors

The starting point for understanding the problem of trafficking and finding a solution is to figure out what we think and know about the problem. So this is where I started.

Recently, I read a report which said, half the districts in India are affected by human trafficking. I have read similar reports on different countries across the globe, and each report claims the problem exists because people know either nothing or very little about trafficking. While this may be true, what confused me is the fact that even though there are people or groups who know more than others, it is not always easy to figure out what those people or groups precisely think about the problem.

As I read more, I want to know what everyone thinks of the problem. To keep this exercise structured, I have broken down the study into multiple parts. Today's post is an attempt to understand the factors that influence activities of victims, exploiters, and buyers.

PART I: Determinants of Trafficking: Understanding the problem and the actors

It is crucial to understand all the actors involved in human trafficking as well as the dynamics between the actors and between the actors and the environment.

There have been many articles written on human trafficking, but there is no consensus on what the necessary conditions are to create and maintain human trafficking, i.e. what causes human trafficking and what keeps it going? The answers of course range from political factors such as war and conflict to social factors such as gender discrimination. Perhaps we can never have a uniform answer to these questions. It seems that only now we're beginning to agree on a definition of trafficking so it is hard to believe we will be able to find a set of common determinants of trafficking so soon. Hence, I am very interested in learning what everyone thinks about the questions below and where we differ in our ideas - I hope this exercise will help us see the problem from different perspectives. The goal of this post is to start a discussion on determinants of trafficking and to learn from others' views.

1. What conditions are necessary for trafficking to occur? What (plausible) assumptions can we make about the type of factors that influence trafficking and what makes these assumptions plausible?
• For example, in terms of economic drivers, we know poverty and high level of unemployment are some of the (essential) conditions traffickers look for in recruitment areas , but they may not be causes of trafficking, but rather conditions for it. There may be poor communities which may not be be suitable for 'recruitment' because those communities, for example, may not have well connected criminal networks.
  Categories:
1. Personal: literacy, communication channels, home environment, etc.
   
2. Economic: debt, high levels of unemployment, etc. :
   
• For example, we've read globalization may have created conditions that make it easy for criminal networks to flourish and hence for trafficking to occur. In this case, we would attempt to understand precisely how globalization creates these conditions.
  
3. Political: war, conflicts, exclusion by caste or some other group, etc.
   
4. Social: gender discrimination, marital status, etc.
   
5. Geographic: forced migration due to scarcity of water, etc.
2. How are the necessary conditions for trafficking (from question 1) created and maintained?
3. Who can we classify as exploiters (trafficker, pimps, etc) ? What assumptions can we make about the exploiters?
   
4. What assumptions can we make about the buyers? Who (and what process) creates the demand?
• We've read that trafficking enables "commodification" of humans. We also know that the demand for any commodity is much more complex than just the need of the buyer. Hence, what are these other variables that make understanding this demand and the buyers so difficult and complex?
5. Are we missing something? Who else plays a role and how important is it?

Input from everyone would be extremely helpful and I look forward to a discussion about the questions in this post.

MAKE THE DIFFERENCE -A Benefit Concert for Trafficking Victims

Young people are getting together to hold a benefit concert for human trafficking victims in Nashville on Dec. 12th, 2009. This is a fund raising and awareness raising event to reach out to the young generation in the U.S. to spread the word about the gravity of human trafficking, which is rampant around the world.

1. Tell me about this upcoming event in Nashville

The name of the event is Make The Difference. It is a benefit concert raising awareness and funds for the International Justice Mission.

2. How would you describe goal and mission of the event?

My vision with this is not to simply raise money and tell people about IJM; I hope people leave with an understanding of the horrible acts of injustice going on in the world today, and how easy it is for individuals to do something about it. [ Emphasis added.]

People simply don't realize that other human beings, who have every right to LIVE a life of opportunity- are being stripped of that right. If they were aware, I believe people would react. If a person walks down the street here in States and witnesses a kid being abused violently, he or she would do something to stop it. Because it is WRONG. It's the same with oppression in other countries and the underground sex market in the U.S. Something needs to be done. Thankfully, there are organizations working so hard to rescue people trapped in these situations. If people KNOW what is going on around them their human common sense kicks in and says "ACT." The "act" is as simple as writing a check and spreading the word…maybe even volunteering to help out.

3. What are some main activities in the event?

The artists performing are Derek Webb, Matthew Mayfield, and Cool Hand Luke. It will be an acoustic evening of incredible music; these artists write songs with meaning that are inspired by their own experiences; music from the heart, not fluff.For now, I'm running this event on my own. And it's only a one-time deal, but that may change. I have friends helping me with promotion, and I am VERY grateful for their willingness to lend a hand.

4. How did you first learn about trafficking?

I'm not certain how I first learned about trafficking; My freshman year of college, four years ago, I saw the Invisible Children documentary which completely blew me away. That was probably where it started. Somehow I ran across the International Justice Mission online a while later and learned the realities of human trafficking, and how the people of IJM work so selflessly to rescue people. I'm not an IJM spokesman or representative one bit, but that organization was heavy on my heart when I decided to plan this concert. No rhyme or reason.

5. What is your direct involvement? Do you utilize volunteers and, if so, how do you recruit volunteers and who are they?

For a while I've thought about using concerts to generate revenue for organizations and individuals who need support to do the hard job they selflessly signed-up for. Over the summer, I was thinking about it a lot; so I took the plunge. The way I see it, I have a general understanding of the horrid realities happening to fellow human-beings and [I know I am] therefore morally responsible to inform others and hopefully inspire them to react. So I guess it is sort of a responsibility to spread the words. Also, I'm pumped to be working with these artists; they are super generous for helping out.

6. What would you say to people who do not understand the gravity of human trafficking?

If a person is alive on this earth, he or she has the right to live a life of peace and opportunity. The unfortunate reality is that corrupt, evil people and governments willfully reject that right and force innocent, undeserving people into slavery, prostitution, and other violent oppression. We cannot simply write-off something that atrocious. If someone thinks human trafficking isn't of their concern, they might as well be running the underground slave and sex markets with the rest of the selfish, greedy villains. It is a sad and uncomfortable topic, but it MUST be brought into the light. A thing like this should unify people to act, regardless of background or belief.

7. How can people support the event?

People can support this event by coming to the show Saturday December 12 at Rocketown in Nashville at 7pm. The ticket price is $15 at the door or at Ticketweb.com. All of the proceeds will benefit IJM.

People can also spread the word about the event, and do some research on their own time and discover ways they can do their part to Make the Difference. More information is at www.makethediff.com

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Child Labor in Blueberry Fields

Earlier this week, ABC broke a story worked on by a group of Carnegie Fellows about child labor in blueberry fields in Michigan; in addition, the fellows investigated child labor in agriculture in New Jersey and North Carolina. According to the story, "A five-year-old girl, named Suli, was seen lugging two heavy buckets of blueberries picked by her parents and brothers, aged seven and eight. An 11-year-old boy in the Adkin fields told the Carnegie fellows he had been picking blueberries since the age of eight."

In addition to violating child labor lays, these young children are exposed to harmful labor conditions, particularly given the wide-spread use of pesticides and chemicals. According to the ABC story, "The nurse with a migrant health clinic program, Josie Ellis, told the fellows she is concerned for the health of the young children given the widespread use of pesticides in the fields." Health consequences includes respiratory problems, rashes, and neurological problems.

Like slavery, people may be aware that child labor is still a problem, but most do not think of it occurring in the United States. The ABC story quotes Zama Coursen-Neff of Human Rights Watch as saying: "Americans think of child labor as a problem elsewhere, but in fact we have that problem in our own backyard." Human Rights Watch is also conducting an investigation into child labor in the U.S.

Major US companies, including Kroger and Wal-Mart, used to purchase blueberries from Adkins, the grower whose fields have been worked by children, according to the Carnegie Fellows investigation. "Walmart and the Kroger supermarket chain have severed ties with one of the country's major blueberry growers after an ABC News investigation found children, including one as young as five-years-old, working in its fields."

In an interview with Democracy Now, Brian Ross, the chief investigative correspondent at ABC News, stated "we discovered a pervasive pattern, really across the country, of a situation that has continued for decades and has gone unenforced. There are laws against children this young working in agricultural fields. But for the most part, until very recently, those laws were largely ignored by federal authorities at the Department of Labor."

This raises questions about the responsibility of both the US Government and corporations such as Wal-Mart, given that these violations of child labor laws are occurring systematically and have been for years. Though Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor, released a statement in September stating that "Child labor and forced labor are inexcusable abuses of human rights," such abuses continue to occur in the U.S. The ABC story reports that "While advocates for children welcomed the enforcement efforts, many say the fines levied by the Department of Labor, are so slight they're little more than a slap on the wrist."

Ending child labor will take a commitment to enforcing child labor laws, as well as a commitment to economic and social justice for low-income families and migrant workers, since these practices will continue as long as families cannot survive economically under current labor practices.

Picture taken from ABC News Investigates

California Increases Penalty for Sex Traffickers

On October 11, 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law AB17, a bill which increases the penalty for human traffickers. According to the Legislative Counsel's Digest, the new changes include:

1) Adding "abduction or procurement by fraudulent inducement for prostitution," i.e. sex trafficking, to the definition of "criminal profiteering activity." Existing California law provides for the forfeiture of property and proceeds acquired through a pattern of criminal profiteering activity, so the new law will also now provide for the possibility of forfeiture of property and proceeds acquired through sex trafficking.

2) In cases involving "human trafficking of minors for purposes of prostitution or lewd conduct," or "abduction or procurement by fraudulent inducement for prostitution," money and proceeds from property forfeited will be placed in a fund to be available for appropriation to fund child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse victim counseling centers and prevention programs; 50% of such funds are to be granted to "community-based organizations that serve minor victims of human trafficking."

3) An increase in the maximum amount of additional authorized fine from $5000 to $20,000 for any person convicted of procurement of a child under 16, or abduction for the purpose of prostitution of a person under 18. 50% of such fines collected will also go to community-based organizations that serve minor victims of human trafficking.

Case Manager Position Open with Ayuda in DC

From Idealist:

Case Manager
Ayuda

Education: Bachelor (BA, BS, etc.)
Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Job Category: Direct social services
Last day to apply: November 24, 2009
Type: Full time Language(s): English, Spanish
Area of Focus: Human Rights and Civil Liberties

Description:
Ayuda is the DC area’s leading source of multilingual legal and social service assistance for low-income immigrants in the areas of immigration, human trafficking, domestic violence and family law. Ayuda is expanding social services to its Sterling, VA office and is seeking a Case Manager to join the Social Services Department. This position will provide comprehensive case management to immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking and conduct community outreach and trainings. The position will be based in Sterling, VA.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Conduct client intakes and safety planning, assess client needs, and develop individualized social service plans
• Provide comprehensive case management and crisis intervention to include culturally and linguistically appropriate referrals for housing, medical and mental health care, English classes, employment, etc.
• Coordinate and accompany clients to appointments as needed
• Collaborate with Ayuda’s Legal department to provide holistic services to clients
• Maintain client case files
• Conduct outreach and trainings to providers and community members and collaborate with project partners
• Other related duties as assigned

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree required, BSW or MSW preferred. Experience in case management and/or providing direct services to domestic violence clients and/or survivors of trauma is required. Demonstrated sensitivity to and knowledge of issues involved in working with diverse populations. Strong commitment to serving, empowering, and advocating on behalf of Ayuda’s low-income immigrant client base. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to work independently and part of a diverse multidisciplinary team. Required Bilingual in English and Spanish. Competitive salary and excellent benefits.

How to Apply:

Submit a resume with cover letter to: Renee Huffman, Ayuda, 1707 Kalorama Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20009 Or email to renee@ayuda.com

Human Trafficking and the EU

On October 19th, European Union marked the EU Anti-Trafficking Day. As the European Union inches closer to adopting a treaty that could, among other things, increase the EU's anti-trafficking work, it makes sense to consider the reality of trafficking in the EU as well as the EU's role in addressing trafficking as a supranational entity.

According to an article in the AFP, "the United Nations said on Sunday [October 18th] there could be around 270,000 victims of human trafficking in the European Union and urged greater efforts to combat the illegal trade." The article goes on to report that "Authorities in Europe were aware of only a tiny proportion of the victims, said the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), estimating there were 30 times more people affected than were known about."Human trafficking is also extremely underprosectued in Europe, according to the United Nations. Bernama.com cites a "report by the Press Trust of India (PTI) [on a] study that finds that fewer people are convicted for human trafficking in Europe than for less-frequent crimes like kidnapping."

While such incredible disparities between the number of victims and the number of victims identified are a universal norm around the world, action at the EU level is vital for effectively combating slavery in Europe. Near the end of October, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Eva Biaudet, and the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Ambassador Janez Lenarcic issued a statement underscoring the importance of the EU in addressing trafficking. A press release from the OSCE quotes Biaudet as saying "Fighting trafficking means having zero tolerance towards exploitation, particularly exploitation of women and children. . .If we fail to combat the increased tolerance of exploitation, the effects of the global crisis will be felt in our socio-economic development for decades to come."

The statement highlights different EU-level policies and programs that have a role in combating slavery. The report also addresses the role of the economic crisis in increasing the number of people vulnerable to trafficking, pointing to the EU's role in economic development and immigration policy, both of which impact people's vulnerability to trafficking situation. They applaud the EC Proposal for a Council Framework Decision on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims for its efforts to establish an EU-level policy that focuses on victims' needs, while addressing prevention and prosecution.

The EU also hosted the Towards EU Global Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Conference in late October. Its goals were:

• "to strengthen the EU policy ands action against trafficking in a the external dimension where action previously has not been taken comprehensively,
• to contribute to development of the EU’s increasingly important partnerships with third countries and in that context a particular challenge, i.e. trafficking,
• to consult with all concerned stakeholders in view of the Action Oriented Paper,
• to collect and collate best practices and concrete proposals for action against trafficking in partnership between the ERU and third countries."

In her welcome statement to the conference, Beatrice Ask, Minister for Justice, stated "But the work done so far is not enough. We need to broaden our approach. The main purpose of this conference is to strengthen the co-operation between government administrations, international institutions and NGOs in countries of origin, transit and destination. There is a mutual dependence between us in order to effectively fight and prevent trafficking in human beings. We have to work together, and we need to step up our efforts."

Minister Ask's words are applicable to all of us involved in working to end modern-day slavery.