In the news today, there is a lot more talk about human trafficking. It’s important to be aware of this important and timely topic, its impact on women and girls, and how it affects us all.
Over the years we have seen trafficking as a topic in movies but oftentimes those movies are not quite accurate. Sometimes, this is simply due to the people being misled by the media. There are some myths about human trafficking. For example:
You can not “tell” who is being trafficked and who is not being trafficked just by looking at them.
Trafficking hurts its victims and benefits those that are exploiting them. In today’s article, I will write about a few myths with explanations about why.
Myth #1: Sex trafficking is the same as human trafficking
Oftentimes, when someone mentions human trafficking, their mind instantly thinks about sex trafficking. Yes, one can definitely involve the other. However, some might even think they are the same, which is not the case.
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion in order to obtain labor.
Human trafficking involves children or adults working without pay, often under horrendous conditions without legal protections. Like human trafficking, sex trafficking is also exploitative and can be compared to slavery; it is the use of commercial sex and involves the victim being sexually exploited, specifically.
Myth #2: Human trafficking victims are physically tied up all the time
This common myth is seen in movies most of the time and people take this as truth. Although some victims are physically held against their will, the trafficker may do this, plus will also use manipulative tactics to take away the victim’s personal power, gain the victim’s trust, and take control of their lives by threatening those they cared about, providing shelter, giving them an illusion of safety, and/or making them believe that they owe the trafficker something. As mentioned above, the most common ways victims are trafficked is by:
Force
Fraud
Coercion
Photo credit: Jenna Hamra, Pexels
Myth #3: Human trafficking is the same as human smuggling
This is also commonly used in shows and movies and taken as truth. However, the two terms and concepts are different. Human smuggling involves providing a service such as transportation or fraudulent documents to someone seeking to gain illegal entry into a foreign country, eluding local immigration laws. Unlike with smuggling, victims of human trafficking can be trafficked in their own homes. All are exploited.
Resources
In conclusion, human trafficking is a very broad topic that can be scary but it’s good to educate yourself and be aware. If you or someone you know might be a victim, here are the numbers and links to the National Human Trafficking Hotline:
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