Human trafficking is a crime against our brothers and sisters which must be addressed by everyone. It is a violation of human rights that no one can afford to ignore. Although it’s impossible to be certain of the exact amount of people being trafficked, it’s easy to be certain that anyone can become its next victim.

What it is
Basically, human trafficking is the non-consensual enslavement or bondage of people for the purpose of exploitation. This mistreatment frequently takes the form of sexual exploitation, forced labor, servitude, or forced removal of organs. The enslavement or bondage can occur as the result of recruitment, various means of coercion and threats, and abduction. It can also result from fraud, deception, abuse of power, and abuse of a person’s vulnerability. Despite mankind’s claims to being a civilized and humane species, these barbaric activities are very prevalent in today’s global society.

Countries of origination and destination
Every country has some degree of internal trafficking occurring, and so can be a point of origination. However, trafficking is done on an international basis as well. International human trafficking involves utilizing countries of origination, transit, and destination.

The origination countries are normally countries that are destitute, war-torn, politically corrupt, or suffering from the effects of climate changes or natural disasters. Albania, Bulgaria, Belarus, China, Guatemala, Moldova, Nepal, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Vietnam are known to be source countries. Transit countries, like Israel and Mexico, are temporary stopping points in between the origination and destination countries.

These countries are generally neither extremely destitute nor affluent. Most of the destination countries are affluent ones like Belgium, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States. Some countries, like Cambodia and Thailand, are so open to human trafficking that they are used for all three purposes.

More information can be found here: CHW Human Trafficking Page.

How and why it’s used
Human trafficking is a highly-profitable type of supply and demand business venture which requires low start up funds and little risk. Traffickers supply humans to fulfill various consumer demands. The consumer demands may range from individuals seeking sexual pleasure to a couple seeking to adopt a child. The consumers can also include military organizations, medical facilities, and many other legitimate businesses seeking cheap labor. Since the demand frequently outnumbers the supply of humans voluntarily meeting the demands, traffickers enslave people to meet the remaining needs.

In order to make a profit, traffickers must obtain “merchandise” at a cheap price. Therefore, they usually lure their victims into a trap or simply abduct their victims. In 46% of the trafficking cases prosecuted in the U.S., the victim already knew the recruiter. Many people, especially children, become victims due to relatives selling them or placing them into the trafficker’s care.

When luring their victims, traffickers frequently use legitimate business marketing and sales techniques. The traffickers will advertise jobs, promise better living conditions, and sometimes will even arrange legitimate immigration visas. They rely on their prey’s hopes and fears to lure the victims into making initial contact. Once contact has been made, the trafficker uses a variety of methods to control the victim. These controls frequently entail debt bondage, drugs, physical restraint, emotional and sexual abuse, feigned affection, and physical violence.

Who’s targeted?
Due to the various types of demands that need to be fulfilled, traffickers target people from all ages, nationalities, genders, educational levels, socio-economic backgrounds and lifestyles. However, the majority of victims are women between the ages of 18 and 24 and children. These victims are most commonly used for sexual exploitation.

Members of the homeless, displaced, impoverished, and uneducated segments of society are highly likely to become trafficking victims. Run-away teens, people with drug/alcohol addictions, victims of domestic violence, and immigrants are extremely vulnerable.

Effects of human trafficking
Human trafficking has manifested various effects. On one hand, it generates wealth for the countries involved with trafficking, due to the types of jobs performed at a lower cost. It’s estimated that a global annual profit of $31.6 billion is made from the exploitation of trafficked forced labor. On the other hand, trafficking reduces jobs for the general population. Trafficking also creates higher safety and health risks for both victims and the general population. Human trafficking increases drug trafficking, violent crimes, immorality, and social unrest. These in turn create higher expenditures on healthcare, welfare and other social services, and penal systems.

Victims must endure social exclusion, intolerance, and stigmatization in the source and destination countries, even after they are returned to their homes. The victims most likely will develop post trauma distress, as well as other mental and physical health problems. Victims frequently must face the ramifications of criminal sanctions due to the criminal activities they are forced to carry out.

Solving the problem
There is no easy solution to the problem of human trafficking. The solution entails many socio-economical changes to be made on a global basis. It also requires the co-operation and coordination of every country in existence. It’s essential to set one standard universal definition and punishment for human trafficking. Once the universal law has been enacted, it’s essential that every law enforcement agency ensures it is enforced.

ABC news video:

Any solution requires every government to address three areas:

1) Prosecution of traffickers, which would increase the traffickers’ risk and reduce trafficking’s profitability
2) Protection for victims by making it easier for people to receive assistance before and after they become victims, and
3) Prevention of human trafficking by increasing public awareness, reducing consumer demand and reducing the population’s vulnerability to traffickers.

Addressing one area without addressing another one is futile.

Human trafficking is not just a crime against our brothers and sisters; it’s a crime against all decent human beings. No one government or person is going to eliminate the trafficking and exploitation of humans. All humans must make a conscious effort to work together to resolve the problems that allow trafficking to flourish in a global society.

More information can be found here: NOT-4-Sale.org/trafficking.html

Kathleen Hubert is a blogger who writes on a variety of topics. You can read some of her other work at auto loan rates.

We would like to thank our guest writers on The CHW Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in our CyberHood, we all live in…
help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partners

Dave Ballard & Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalists

© 2006 – 2011 CyberHood Watch

In our frist edition of Thoughts 4 Tuesday, we will covering the topics of predators, pedophiles and child pornographers these are some of the main topics in upcoming new release of Think It Won’t Happen To You? version 3.0 due out later this month!!

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Police said Wednesday they have smashed a huge international pedophile ring, rescuing 230 children from abuse and arresting 184 suspects — including teachers and police officers.

The three-year investigation code-named Operation Rescue uncovered 670 suspects and identified and safeguarded children in more than 30 countries by arresting people accused of abusing them, said Rob Wainwright, director of the European Union police agency Europol.

The ring was centered on an Amsterdam-based online forum called boylover.net, which Wainwright described as “probably the largest online pedophile network in the world.” Read more

To read more tips and ideas for these subjects, click images below:

also here:

There are 624,000 known child pornographers that law enforcement are completely aware of and know where they live, because the pedophiles are using P2P networks to share child pornographic images and videos, yet law enforcement cannot go after them because of the lack of funds!

Only YOU can make a difference in your community… that is the attitude you have to make a difference because predators and pedophiles know people are not watching out for others and they use this to their advantage!!

PLEASE do not turn a blind eye to this problem and/or have the excuse of APATHY, that you don’t, won’t or can’t make any changes happen!!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalist

© 2007 – 2011 CyberHood Watch

Who: Everyone… from teenagers to senior citizens!

What: Adult conversations and sharing images of themselves in a state of undress!

When: 24/7

Where: Everywhere mobile communication makes this very simple!

Why: Fun, excitement, experimenting and sharing time (dating) with others!

How: type it ~ SEND IT!

Learn how to protect you and your family from this exploding online problem and potential life changing consequence of engaging in this criminal activity at any age!

Adam J. Schwebach Ph.D. talks about cell phone safety… Adam practices at the Neurology Learning & Behavior Center in SLC and he joined The CyberHood Watch partners in the Hood today… and shared his knowledge and wisdom about Texting, Sexting, Cyberbullying!

All the info you’ll need to understand SEXting

Your Online Security Authority eZine – OSA Investigates “Sexting”

Thanks Adam for your time today… and we’re looking forward to your new website and system to help parents with the problems concerning teens and mobile communication: http://ClarityLearningCenter.com will be open mid-May and www.samgoldstein.com

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Bill Wardell

Related articles by Zemanta

• Survey: Teens love cell phones; schools, not quite (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

What is the opposite of LOVE, is it HATE? NO!! it’s ABUSE in all of it’s insidious forms, that includes: Child, Sexual, Spousal, Human Trafficking, Animal, ect… ABUSE – comes from the inability or lack of communication and/or understanding, and that always breads contempt, cruelty and then HATERED!

Your Online Security Authority eZine
February, Is The Month Of LOVE… OSA Investigates

Check out this months OSAeZine, click the link above!

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Bill Wardell

After watching the show on Wednesday night I thought I would write a post about the subject and cover some of the concerns the CHW Partners have had and have also found in talking with professionals that deal with this daily…

Such as Carlos Flores, who is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years experience, listen to the interview:

This is the search string I typed into Google to do my initial research for today’s post. I came up with the title in my mind and thought what other info could I find doing a quick search of: The Choking Game Goes “Primetime” crazy how this was the first result that was listed in Google’s Top 10…

Here is the video [clip] If you get a chance please watch this episode, and learn and listen to the kids in this story this happens everyday and it only takes one bad experience and your CHILD is dead! no Second Chances… just like a drug overdose, in the choking games is DEATH!

A few months ago we highlighted some more heart breaking videos in the OSA Investigates The Choking Game… Click cover below to see:

Your Online Security Authority eZine
OSA Investigates The Choking Game…

Another recent story: Choking game’ more popular with rural kids.

A new report suggests a large number of eighth-graders in Oregon have taken part in the “choking game,” the dangerous practice of choking each other to get a feeling of euphoria.

Criminal Minds episode “Risky Business” an excellent job on relaying many facts about the Choking Game in a prime time drama.

Criminal Minds

Don’t let your Child become a Statistic?!

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Bill Wardell

Related articles by Zemanta

• Study: ‘Choking game’ more popular with rural kids (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Vital Signs: Choking Game No Mystery to Children, Oregon Study Finds (nytimes.com)

As we begin the new year many thoughts have passed through my mind of the CyberHood Watch and how we can share this website resource and our sister site CHWradio.com to as many RCC aka… Responsible CyberCitizen’s as we can!!!

Check out our last Show of 2009 to get a full overview: CHW 2010 Goals

Also, check out the latest OSA Investigates Magazine of 2010:

Your Online Security Authority eZine
OSA Investigates – Looking to the Future

Thanks everyone,

Your CHW Partner

Bill Wardell