Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery

            On Thursday September 26, Reverend Noelle Damico presented a lecture on human trafficking here at Rhodes College. Usually when we think of human trafficking we think of sex slaves; however, those forced into labor make up almost half of the statistics. In addition to sex and forced labor, people are trafficked for their organs and other body parts.  Because the focus has been on those forced into sexual slavery, we have not been looking for male trafficking victims nor have proper remedies and forms of addressing forced labor been developed. The United States government and other governments need to develop policies and procedures to aid all victims of trafficking and to develop preventative measures to stop it from happening.

            Over a century after the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment, slavery is still present in the United States. Just this year in Ashland, Ohio two men and a woman were arrested and charged with forced labor for holding a mentally disabled woman and her daughter captive. In addition to collecting the woman’s government benefits, the perpetrators forced the two to do manual labor, denied them access to the bathroom and other items of comfort, and threatened them with vicious animals (like pit bulls and pythons). This case demonstrates similarities between the enslavement of blacks prior to the Thirteenth Amendment and modern day slavery. Like black slaves of America’s past, present day victims of human trafficking are stripped of their dignity and basic human rights. The woman and her daughter were dehumanized: forced to eat dog food while the animals ate food from the table. They were also locked in a room. Likewise, Rev. Noelle told how many forced into agricultural labor are often kept locked in the trailers of trucks.

Holding people captive and forcing them into labor is an international crime and a violation of their basic human rights. Our ancestors realized that slavery was immoral. Despite knowing that slavery was a major source of income for the country, they still abolished it and recognized the rights of black people. Yet people today are so greedy that they choose to ignore and strip others of their rights for a profit.

During the lecture Rev. Noelle said that “those who are free have a moral obligation to use their powers wisely and well to free our brethren.” This reminded me of David Walker’s Appeal. Walker, a black abolitionist in the nineteenth century, argued that blacks had a moral obligation to assume responsibility and claim their freedom. Today’s practice of human trafficking is not is not socially acceptable like slavery was in the American south; it is hidden. Your neighbor could be holding someone captive in the basement of the house next door and you would not even suspect it. We cannot sit idly and ignore the issue.  By becoming informed of the problem, we can create remedies and preventative measures.    Rev. Noelle said that slavery grows from a system of poor working conditions (e.g. a sweat shop or farmers) where the pay is minimal and the work hours are long. Employers in such situations have incredible coercive powers that could lead to abuse. Chances of being abused increase when one is in a foreign land without contacts. This is the case of many South American immigrants brought to the US and forced into labor on farms. They may not speak the language or are afraid to ask for help because they are here illegally. Our government is creating policies to prevent immigrants from being so susceptible to human trafficking. But it’s still a work in process. Obviously laws and human rights are not enough to hinder people from enslaving others. What steps do you believe should be taken to prevent human trafficking? http://q13fox.com/2013/06/18/3-arrests-in-modern-day-slavery-case/#axzz2giZZlEv4