Human Trafficking

Nakisa Pirooz

Univ 112

12/09/2013

Final Unit III Essay

What is the definition of human trafficking? Could it be slavery or shockingly even terrorism? According to the definition given by the United Nations, trafficking: “involves the movement of people through violence, deception or coercion for the purpose of forced labor, servitude or slavery-like practices” (“COR”). Since the end of the American Civil War, the United States’ has kept a strong vow to abolish any kind of slavery and based on that definition, human trafficking included. To further emphasize the severity of this epidemic problem, trafficking aids drugs lords and gives the money to support terrorism. This has become evident to the U.S. which I will explain later on. A problem with this level of urgency and vitality, time is of the absolute essence. The U.S. must act and has a responsibility to increase federal funds to serve victims of human trafficking. Therefore, why hasn’t the public grown attentive to this problem? What’s keeping the U.S. from acting on it?

Human trafficking has become entrenched in society and requires aggressive action to reveal and combat against it. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and the United States Congress ratified the Thirteen Amendment of the Constitution which states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude...shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (“Abolition International”). Human trafficking goes against hundreds of thousands to millions of people’s basic human rights, starting with their freedom. According to Sandra L. Keefer, Colonel of U.S. Army on the subject of human trafficking, “It is a dark and uncomfortable subject, but one that must be illuminated (Keefer). Trafficking can only be eliminated through combined efforts at national, regional and international levels (Keefer). President Bush has made the fight against slavery an American priority (Keefer). In a September, 2003 speech he made to the United...