Daniqua Polk
Karen Morris
Eng 1102- HHH
12 February 2011
Comparison and Contrast
In the United States and many East Asian/ Pacific countries there is a similar problem faced by both regions, sex trafficking. Just recently according to the investigation by Dr. Janice G. Raymond and Dr. Donna M. Hughes of international and domestic trends; the,” U.S government estimates that 50,000 women and children are trafficked each year into the United States” (Raymond and Hughes 2001). Viewing such high numbers leads to one main concern, How are these same rights for women in children in foreign countries different in comparison to the right for women and children in the United States. Some opposition may argue that even though these women and children have these rights, some do still decide to go into sex trafficking voluntarily why make a social issue of it.
In the United States, woman and children are brought here from many East Asian and Pacific countries involuntarily. These women and children who become victims have brought about several acts in congress today to ensure that their rights violated by their offenders are recognized, and future victims receive justice. According to the One hundred sixth Congress of the United States of America, an act was passed “to combat trafficking in persons, a contemporary manifestation of slavery whose victims are predominantly women and children, to ensure just and effective punishment of traffickers, and to protect their victims”(Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000). Upon this act congress found that women and girls were the principal targets for international traffickers. Many of these women and children were forced into labor, and sexually activities that jeopardized their health.
In "The ninth annual Trafficking in Persons Report,” it shows the new updated provisions to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, according to how sex trafficking is related to today’s society. It elaborates on the definitions of human trafficking and its various forms (sex, sweat shops, street beggars). Due the growing number of victims other programs have been formed to enforce this act and have the rights of women and children brought to light in courts against their offenders. Programs such as the “Coalition against Trafficking in Women, Human Rights Watch, Global Alliance against Traffic in Women, and Anti-Slavery International," has been helpful and gaining revising to the the amount of punishment a trafficker can receive for taking a minor against their will and forcing them into performing sexual acts.
Looking at a country in connection to East Asia/ Pacific, Thailand is a major country for the source, destination and transportation for sex trafficking. (Humantrafficking.org/Thailand) Many of Thailand targeted women and children between the ages of 12-16(Connors 2010) come from the regions where families are in poverty. Many of the traffickers who abducted these women and children don’t become prosecuted due to family not reporting a family member missing, and lack of faith in Thai government.
In Thailand’s government is the “1997 Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Women and Children Act,” which gives offenders prison time from five to twenty years and a fine. Due to this act Thailand has also signed “anti-Trafficking memorandums,” with Cambodia and Laos. (Humantrafficking.org/Thailand) Unlike the United States Thailand was shown to have not been perusing the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
Opposition on the other hand would bring about those traffickers who a prosecuted even though some women and children go into sex trafficking voluntarily. This would address minors and women who work as prostitutes or commit statutory rape, to provide for their family, or pay off a family debt. These individuals are different from the actual victims of sex trafficking and the law. They willingly go and prostitute to make money, even though some are forced into the lifestyle and some do it to live. The women who get caught receive jail time and maybe fine if repeat offenders. Even though they have rights as minors, they deliberately ignore the laws. Some children on the other hand are sometimes lured in by Internet trafficking (Kunze 2010). In Erin I. Kunze research on how Internet can be a modern day agreement to sex trafficking, she highlighted how children are misleading when they go on social networks and talk to strangers. They often times make agreements that later leads to their disappearance or bodily harm. Children do voluntarily give out their personal information, but do not consent to the consequences following their action. So individuals who abduct and rape them should be prosecuted.
Even though this is a social issue it continues to happen today repeatedly. There are acts and rights to prevent traffickers from continuing this practice, but when it’s a billion dollar business a year, offenders find it hard to walk away. In the end Women and children are left being the victims and getting swallowed up in the whole ordeal. The one down fall in Acts like “Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000,” men are not protected fully or represented at all. Today there are many informative resources to educated people on the issue, as well as prevent it from happening to them, but when you are in a region of little money, and resources you will always fall victim.
Countries overseas usually ignore the laws and policies behind minors involve in prostitution and trafficking. Due to this fact women and children there are just left with no justice or the opportunity of ever receiving help. Today more polices are beginning to come into effect in their government to better ensure women and children have a way to speak out on crimes committed against them as minor, recieve therapy, and bring to light others who are in their similar situations, but voices and cases went unseen by authorities.
Countries overseas usually ignore the laws and policies behind minors involve in prostitution and trafficking. Due to this fact women and children there are just left with no justice or the opportunity of ever receiving help. Today more polices are beginning to come into effect in their government to better ensure women and children have a way to speak out on crimes committed against them as minor, recieve therapy, and bring to light others who are in their similar situations, but voices and cases went unseen by authorities.
Works Cited:
Bertone M. Andrea, PhD. Dir. Humantrafficking.org. Academy for Educational Development. 2001- 2006.Web. 12 Feb 2011.
Connors, Steph .Race Routes. N.p., 7 May 2010. Web. 12 Feb 2011.
East Asia and Pacific. Bureau of Democracy. Human Rights and Labor. Thailand. 28 Feb 2005. Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs. Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
Kunze I. Erin. Sex Trafficking Via The Internet: How International Agreements Address The Problem And Fail To Go Far Enough. 10 J. HIGH TECH. L. 241 (2010). Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
Raymond G. Janice, PhD, and Hughes M. Donna, PhD. Coalition against Trafficking in Women: Sex Trafficking of Women in the United States. Mar 2001. Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
