Human Trafficking Victim Protection Act

Human trafficking is a prominent problem within the United States that is often overlooked. The definition of human trafficking is, “Human trafficking - the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation” (“Human trafficking”). People in the United States believe that human trafficking is a problem that occurs in other less developed countries compared to the United States. What these individuals do not realize is that human trafficking occurs on American soil contrary to popular belief. The United States is one of the top three destination countries of human trafficking and human trafficking is a top criminal enterprise across the world (“WEAVE, Inc.”).

Human trafficking, or the selling and buying of people, is a well-hidden yet prominent issue within today’s society. It is both an immoral and horrific topic that needs brought to attention and dealt with. When human beings are manipulated into work, sexual servitude, or economic hardship, human trafficking is occurring. In the year of 2006, only one individual is convicted of human trafficking per 800 victims (UNGIFT). By looking at straight statistics, reasons human trafficking happens, and the toll it has on people, it is very clear that this is a major issue that is happening in our world.

Up to 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked annually, of which about 80 percent are women and up to half are children. Human traffickers take people against their own will in order to make some money for themselves, and they have no compassion towards their victims. Several solutions have been brought up, but most will not fix the problem. Some people state that we just need to add to law enforcement efforts and put harsher punishments into effect, just like Koh Tsin Yen did in her 2016 article “Point: Human trafficking is a domestic and transnational crime. Governments should strengthen their law enforcement efforts to combat it” that was published on InfOhio’s Point of View Reference Center. On the other side of this argument, opponents

Human trafficking,the illegal practice of trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation, is a crime that affects the most vulnerable citizens of society. After drugs, it the largest criminal activity globally! The victims must be the primary concern for all law enforcement units. Human trafficking in the world can be diminished and possibly erased through teachings, government intervention, and awareness.

Situation: Every year in the United States, there are an estimated 14,000- 17,500 people trafficked across our boarders. The issues of international human trafficking have only recently been brought to light as an increasing problem within the United States. The department of homeland security, which consists of many branches such as Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S Coast Guard, are some of the top combating agencies against human trafficking. With the rise of the amount of victims estimated to be trafficked into the U.S each year, there is much more that needs to be done in order to better address the issue.

Furthermore, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was best known for providing the framework to respond to human trafficking (Feldman, 2011). Likewise, it also helped for the redesigning of the laws in the United States by making sex trafficking an individual crime and allowing the government to focus on the victims. Even though this law has been reauthorized in 3 years the latest time, 2008, is the one that actually strengthens protections for the victims as well as, improves the protections for the victims. While this law already helped to develop people to prohibit the crime, the reauthorization of it, created a new set of criminal tools to reach unscrupulous labor recruiters (Feldman, 2011). Although the revisions of this law

Although, smuggling and trafficking involve both humans, human trafficking differs from human smuggling because it is “compared to a modern day form of slavery”, involving “the exploitation of unwilling people through force” (Schmalleger, 2012, pg.605). Capturing, arresting and prosecuting human trafficking kingpins wouldn’t eliminate the problem, but rather encourage aspiring cartels to continue a “legacy”. However, fighting human trafficking is perhaps the most dangerous and difficult problem because of drugs and weapons, but nevertheless a rewarding accomplishment because “women and children compromise the largest group of victims” who are “often physically and emotionally abused” (Schmalleger, 2012, pg.607). A solution to this problem would probably be awareness, where the Federal government communicates to states, cities and communities to report suspicious activity. Therefore, proper help can be admitted to the victims by allowing new identities to be assigned; in addition, this would lower fraud and provide

Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) and Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (TVPRA) trafficking victims may receive services that are similar to those of refugees. These benefits and services are federally funded and the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement must certify individuals as trafficking victims. In addition to federal program benefits under TVPRA, there is a state-funded program for trafficking victims who have not yet been certified by ORR. Senate Bill 1569 (Chapter 672, Statutes of 2006) extended eligibility for benefits and services to non-certified victims of human trafficking (Human Trafficking. (n.d.).http://www.cdss.ca.gov/refugeeprogram/PG1268.htm). One of the problems however,

Human trafficking is already a severe crime in the United States. To make matters worse, it 's the sex trade that has the lives of so many young girls turned upside down. The single largest demographic age for new targets and victims is roughly between ages 12-14. New targets are chosen every day. Most are very random choices; but then again some are watched and even have contact with their abductor. The solution for the human trafficking issue can be in many various way and type. But the solution must be strong enough to prevent and bring the human trafficking criminal to justice. We need to help create counter-measures for the elimination and prevention of human trafficking of the United States through the heightening of targeted public awareness to individuals and organizations with the potential for contributing or raising funds.

Policies and regulations to combat human trafficking are motivated by diverse concerns; the concern for the humanity of those who are exploited and the concern for the United States’ economy as it participates in the importation of goods from countries who are knowingly active in the various forms of exploitive work. The following policies have been staples in the movement to combat not just a national but a global issue.

With the high amount of U.S. victims involved in human trafficking, one might think the government is not doing anything about it. In addition, governmentwide agencies have not developed a way to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts combating international trafficking. However, within the U.S., Congress enabled the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) which allows aliens identified as trafficking victims special benefits and services. By doing so, the U.S. government is able to combat the issue of human trafficking and establish the Interagency Task Force. The reauthorization of this Act requires the Secretary of State to annually report to Congress on foreign governments’ consent with America’s minimum standards for the total elimination of trafficking.

A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a market characterized by some form of noncompliant behavior with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services whose production and distribution is prohibited by law, non-compliance with the rule constitutes a black market trade since the transaction itself is illegal. Parties engaging in the production or distribution of prohibited goods and services are members of the illegal economy. There are many different illegal “services” that the black market is economically supported by. The most common are drugs, alcohol, exotic animals, currency, and, the main focus of this paper, sex trafficking.

Despite many efforts to stop human trafficking in general, there are still many underground dealings of trafficking that happen while we speak. People who were kidnapped, and have yet to be seen, have not been crossed off as possible victims of this horrendous act. Why has the government done nothing to stop human trafficking dealings if it outlawed slavery? Because they are frightened to reveal the horrors of the world to its people and they want to control us by promising us something will be done, but it is often never mentioned again. The American government enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, better known as the TVPA, in 2000 and it expired in 2011. After six years, they finally decided to reintroduce this bill and hoped Congress

Human trafficking is the modern day equivalent of slavery and must be recognized as such by the international community. The problem cannot be solved unless the whole world takes action and collaborates. A good solution may be to create a force commissioned to combat and eradicate trafficking. Also, the security in border patrol can increase its efficiency allowing the checking of everyone coming in and going out. Another solution could be the education of people about it. Beginning in schools and educating children can be a huge benefit so that they become aware of the situation. It's time to take action over this problem and reduce what can be named one of the world's worst

Trafficking is one of the most profitable industries. Counter-trafficking strategies and programs have failed to stop the expansion. Traffickers are usually not persecuted and some countries where they work, there are no laws criminalizing their unsuccessful practices. Where laws exist, law enforcement has not prioritized human trafficking. International cooperation to fight this problem is inadequate, and protection is not enough for victims. While trafficking happens all across the world, it is very familiar is the United States.