Introduction
The war against human trafficking can be assessed in three ways: the motives behind it, the manner it is conducted, and the strategies implemented to combat the adverse practice. Human trafficking comprises the illegal receipt, harboring, or transfer of an individual or individuals (Unhavaithaya et al., 2021). The practice is mainly conducted in deceptive or violent techniques such as; abusing power, payments, coercion, or threats. Forced labor and sexual exploitation are the principal inspirations of human trafficking. Human trafficking has become a global menace since almost persons in diverse states worldwide are victims of the practice. For this reason, human trafficking has become extensively challenging to combat with limited policies and laws. Although multiple states globally have enacted stringent rules to counter this international dilemma, there are still many strategies that people worldwide can undertake to make the fight against human trafficking more successful and effective. Emotionally or psychologically susceptible individuals are the primary targets of human traffickers. As a result, such individuals fail to ask for help as they do not view themselves as human trafficking victims. Some feasible solutions to effectively combat human trafficking include; being well-enlightened about the problem, enhancing advocacy, helping survivors, learning human trafficking signs, and volunteering.
Advocacy
Advocacy is highly paramount in the war against human trafficking. The federal and state representatives of human trafficking organizations should first understand people’s views and concerns regarding the adverse practice. This action enables the federal and state governments to acquire the citizens’ support in the fight against human trafficking. Further, educating the citizens on the dangers or detrimental consequences of human trafficking makes them passionate about contributing to the dilemma’s fight. For instance, in the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act- the foundation of anti-trafficking laws in the United States lapsed or lost its validity in 2011 (Steinburg, 2020). However, the act was reinstated in 2013 after massive protests and advocacy from anti-trafficking nonprofits. Government and corporations’ supply patterns should advocate and operate utterly free from slavery and human trafficking. Contrarily, multiple products across the globe are produced by slave laborers. Lastly, schools should collaborate with the government and human rights activists to inform and enlighten children and ordinary citizens on identifiable human trafficking signals to shield themselves from the practice easily.
Educating people on Human Trafficking
Educating children will allow them to quickly recognize or detect any human trafficking signs preventing them from becoming victims of the practice. Schools should be at the forefront of human trafficking education since children are the primary victims, as they are mostly emotionally and psychologically susceptible. Social media platforms are very fundamental in teaching children about human trafficking. A recent study by UNSEEN revealed that teenagers on social media are the primary targets of human traffickers. Noteworthy, traffickers emulate children’s behaviors in online avenues like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and later deceive them into meeting them at specified places only to be kidnapped. Such child victims are later forced to engage in non-consensual sexual activities or hard labor under harsh conditions and with little or no payments. In the past, the school curriculums in many states comprised “Stranger Danger” lessons where children were always taught to avoid strangers and the potential dangers they pose. However, such learning has slowly faded, leading to an increase in human trafficking cases. To combat the subsequent rise in human trafficking, parents and teachers must re-introduce such lessons and further enlighten children that they are principal targets of human traffickers. Notably, to combat the practice, many countries have hired bloggers to create articles and YouTube videos enlightening people on human trafficking, its dangers, and common deceptive tactics used by traffickers (Borrelli et al., 2020). Human traffickers live within our neighborhoods and lead decent lives making it challenging to detect them. For instance, it is difficult to detect an enslaved child or woman residing within one’s locality as they behave like normal human beings. Thus, everybody should be educated on human trafficking warning signs or any indicators of the crime’s victims and where to report such incidents. In summary, law enforcement officials, the community, schools, and human rights advocates should all work harmoniously to enhance human trafficking awareness.
Fundraising and volunteering
Donating or fundraising to raise funds to support the different anti-human trafficking nonprofit organizations is highly essential (Onyekachi et al. 2021). These organizations act as homes for human trafficking victims; hence, holding fundraisers or donations helps them to maintain or run their operations effectively. Fundraising also increases awareness of this slavery type, enlightening people that it still exists. Donations and fundraisers also incentive and expedite the building of anti-trafficking institutions. Individuals who escape human traffickers’ residences or ones’ who have been rescued do not have specified homes, hence, are sheltered mainly by anti-human trafficking organizations. Society should work harmoniously with such institutions by donating necessities like food, clothes, and other personal effects. Community volunteers can also help trafficking survivors acquire internships and jobs or further their education enabling them to lead decent lives.
Conclusion
In summary, enhancing advocacy, educating people on human trafficking, and encouraging people to volunteer and donate towards supporting human trafficking organizations are effective strategies to counter human trafficking. Advocating involves government officials championing effective legislation to combat human trafficking. On the other hand, federal and state governments should employ effective mechanisms to enhance human trafficking awareness. Such techniques include; using the media and schools to educate people-mostly children- on the warning signs of human traffickers and how to detect and respond to trafficking victims quickly. Lastly, the community should support human trafficking institutions by donating items and money to allow them to build safe shelters for rescued victims.
References
Borrelli, D., & Caltagirone, S. (2020). Non-traditional cyber adversaries: Combatting human trafficking through data science. Cyber Security: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, 4(1), 77-90.
https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10191333
Onyekachi, E. B., & Azubike, A. J. The Menace of Human Trafficking Across the Sahel Region and the Efforts of NAPTIP.
https://www.idosr.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/IDOSR-JAM-61-15-29-2021-DG-P2.pdf
Steinberg, J. (2020). Human trafficking in the United States
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cb7e5637d0c9145fa68863e/t/5dbc66a8132ebb151f644ce1/1572628136646/SP_NSC_1.pdf
Unhavaithaya, J., & Ammartsena, A. (2021). Measures to Protect Fishing Workers and Solutions to Human Trafficking. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 24, 1-5.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jintana-Unhavaithaya/publication/364841351_MEASURES_TO_PROTECT_FISHING_WORKERS_AND_SOLUTIONS_TO_HUMAN_TRAFFICKING/links/635d46b88d4484154a45674c/MEASURES-TO-PROTECT-FISHING-WORKERS-AND-SOLUTIONS-TO-HUMAN-TRAFFICKING.pdf
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