Introduction
I have been raised hearing about how God formed the heavens and the earth at the start of time. I have been taught how He separated the light from the darkness and the dry land from the waters. I have also learned that God created the sea and land creatures, finished by creating humankind through His image and likeness. I have been taught that God saw that everything he had made was good, and He gave mankind the responsibility of naming and creating more things, but it saddens me because this has not been the case. Out of all God’s creations, humankind is the most destructive one. People have destroyed the same planet that God left in their hands to protect in so many ways, and one of those ways that are shameful and against God’s will is human trafficking. Human trafficking falls under the gender and age of the victims, organized crimes, sexual exploitation, and forced labor.
Human trafficking is a global problem that is affecting millions of individuals by robbing them of their dignity. Traffickers deceive men, women, and children worldwide and force them to participate in exploitative situations each day. The best-known form of human trafficking is sexual exploitation (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2021). However, there are other forms of trafficking where the victims are subjected to forced labor, child begging, domestic servitude, and some end up with their organs being removed for sale (“Human trafficking: people for sale,” 2021). God is not happy when some individuals decide to trade others and benefit from the evil deeds.
Organized Criminal Groups
Organized criminal groups are known to benefit significantly from human trafficking. Human exploitation is viewed as being highly lucrative by organized criminals. More than 2.4 million individuals fall victims to human trafficking every year. The profits realized from this illegal business are about thirty-two billion dollars per year (UNODC, 2021). Human trade is considered one of the most rewarding illicit businesses in Europe because criminal groups make about three billion dollars per year from the trafficking (“Human trafficking: people for sale,” 2021). The quick wealth has made human slavery a large business among criminals and targets the most marginalized individuals. Individuals are regarded as commodities or things that can be exploited and transacted for profits by these traffickers. Males are majorly involved in this business, but there has been an increase in female traffickers (Zimmerman & Kiss, 2017). The growth has been attributed to the fact that women are more effective in gaining a victim’s trust.
Gender and Age Exploitation
Different genders and age groups are trafficked for various purposes. Minors are exploited through child sex or pornography and children soldiers in war zones (Reid et al., 2017). Children are like angels, and they should not be exploited but instead should be loved and protected. Young women are trafficked by being lured with false jobs, and they are raped, beaten, drugged; some are imposed with debt that they should pay to acquire their freedom. Boys and men are trafficked to serve the purpose of forced begging, sexual exploitation, and forced labor. The percentage of the female is disproportionately higher than that of men due to various reasons, for instance, the fact that anti-human trafficking regulation for many years has emphasized trafficking children and women (Reid et al., 2017). The bible is against human trafficking because the act goes against the will of God. Exodus 21:16 says that if a person steals another and sells them, any individuals found in possession of the victims should be put to death.
Forced Labor and Sexual Exploitation
I consider forced labor and sexual exploitation as dehumanizing and evil. It scares me to know that the individuals who carry out these unmentionable acts roam freely and even go to bed without feeling any guilt. Sexual exploitation is the most common type of human trafficking. It accounts for more than seventy percent of all global cases, while the remaining thirty percent is for other forms of exploitation (Reid et al., 2017). 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 indicates that the unrighteous who include individuals involved in sexual immorality, adulterers, drunkards, thieves, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Human trafficking is the modern form of slavery and brutal and cruel. This cruelty threatens the very existence of humankind which was created in God’s image. Each year millions of kids, women, and men are traded like goods and are later exploited through forced labor and sexual activities. This form of contemporary slavery can be fought through self-involvement in community activities that fight human trafficking. Many non-governmental institutions and government authorities are involved in the anti-trafficking job, and we should try and help them through volunteering and raising funds for such campaigns. We should also avoid consuming products that we know have been produced through forced labor, such as corn from Bolivia and shrimp from Thailand. We should also be vigilant to anything that might seem related to trafficking and inform authorities so that proper actions can be taken. Helping fight against human trafficking helps us develop solid bonds for each other under God’s will. Human trafficking should be dealt with from national to international because no individuals should go through what these victims go through. Thank you, everyone, for coming and giving me your time.
References
Human trafficking: People for sale. Unodc.org. (2021). Web.
Reid, J., Baglivio, M., Piquero, A., Greenwald, M., & Epps, N. (2017). Human trafficking of minors and childhood adversity in Florida. American Journal of Public Health, 107(2), 306-311. Web.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2021). Global report on trafficking in persons 2020 (20th ed.). United Nations.
Zimmerman, C., & Kiss, L. (2017). Human trafficking and exploitation: A global health concern. PLOS Medicine, 14(11), Web.