Research Blog

My research thus far has been both appalling and heart-wrenching. Some of the facts are literally unbearable to read. In the most recent chapters that I've been reading in "Human Trafficking" edited by Christina Fisanick, corruption in the government, the legalization of prostitution, and the things individuals and organizations can do to reduce human trafficking are just some of the themes that are touched on in the book, a collection of articles that are either for or against one of the themes aforementioned.

I found it incredibly interesting, although not so surprising, that corrupt governments yield the most profits in human trafficking. In fact, "it is an underlying root cause and a facilitating tool to carry out and sustain this illicit trade" according to The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking. At this UN discussion they talked about the four steps involved in human trafficking including: recruitment, transportation, exploitation, and the dealing of profits. Corruption, in turn, leads to close relationships between the traffickers and those who are supposed to be prosecuting the traffickers. The whole system of justice is undermined when people turn a blind eye on the situation for a fee, bring down one trafficking ring just to keep another one going, or even require the victims to do a "favor" for their services. "Corruption," therefore, "ensures that trafficking in persons remains a low-risk, high-profit crime" (48). Sometimes victims won't even come forward because they know of the backwards government officials.

However, something more backwards than those corrupt government officials is starting to bloom: the legalization of prostitution. The legalization of prostitution is not only increasing prostitution rates but also increasing the human trafficking trade. What was meant to control the industry has made it out of control. The legalization of prostitution has "turned pimps into respectable businessmen" (34). While legalization was meant to help the prostitutes and victims of the sex trade by giving them benefits if they ever decided to register themselves as a prostitute (highly unlikely and unreasonable given their already dire situations), it has ultimately benefitted the wrong people. There has been a significant drop in "legal" (native) prostitutes and sex slaves but an alarming increase in illegal sex slaves taken from other countries. What we need to realize is that the sex industry is organized pimping which is organized crime and should be treated as such rather than an entertainment industry. Furthermore, the expansion of legal prostitution only leads to more problems and higher statistics of human trafficking. 

In another chapter they talk about ways in which individuals and organizations can combat human trafficking. First and foremost, it's important to differentiate between sex slaves (people forced into the sex industry) versus prostitutes (people who willingly sell their bodies for money). In San Fransisco, the local governmen has instituted what they call "Johns schools". These schools have a unique curriculum in that they include "a series of 'scared straight' talks about the ills of prostitution mixed with some seriously graphic sexual-health education" (62). This program will not only help the victims of the sex trade, by lowering the demand for sex slaves but it will also help possible customers realize what they are doin is wrong. By reducing demand, the government can get a handle on prostitution and human trafficking.