Human trafficking, in the US in particular has little attention paid to it which arguably is part of the problem. A relatively undetectable crime, trafficking requires a great deal of resources and information in order to locate where forced prostitution is occurring. Freeing the victims of human trafficking is a difficult task and does not have an easy solution. We have seen many cases in class from other countries of how they are tackling prostitution, most common is the legalization of prostitution. I am not convinced that legalizing this practice would have a noticeable impact on human trafficking. It might push some "owners" of these illegal prostitution rings to come out from underground, however, this would likely cause them to lose some funds but some may prioritize a loss of funds over being caught by the authorities. Underground operations would still exist.
Some might also say that legalization of prostitution would allow for a change in perception, regarding it as a legitimate profession. Changing people's perception takes a great deal of time so this solution would not be efficient in changing the social implications of being a prostitute. Overall, I believe the international community and the US need to prioritize stopping human trafficking and raise awareness among the public that it is present in modern day society and how to recognize the signs of someone who may be held against their will or of illegal brothels. When the public is disheartened or feels passionate about an issue they are likely to pressure their elected officials and local authorities to actively do something.
I think it is interesting that you mention the US and how the US has paid little attention to human trafficking. You mention the US but then go to talk about the international community. Do you think the US needs to be more involved internationally? Because human trafficking is a huge problem within the United States. I think that the US should be focused on preventing the problem from happening here. The US is a place that many trafficked people pass through on their way to their destination. There is also a marked for human trafficking within the US. I think that the US needs to prioritize is actions domestically before it can help internationally.
ReplyDeleteI think you're absolutely right about the public feeing passionate about an issue. This is something that cannot be avoided any longer and needs drastic reform. By mobilizing people and getting them passionate around the world, we could better resolve the issue then more laws and regulations, though I think those are needed as well.
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