Monday, June 20, 2011

M,W,F 10:25am

45 comments:

Victoria Pupo said...

Human trafficking has been an issue for many years. Whether people commit this crime through coercion, abduction, deception, or fraud, it still goes on. Many people now a days can be ignorant due to a lack of education, which can lead them to be unaware of all the hazards out there in life. I believe that this ignorance and lack of education is part of why human trafficking goes on. For example, in the picture posted up under the topic of Human Trafficking, Maria gladly accepted this waitress job from a complete stranger, which was going to take her outside of the country. I mean, why in the world would you go with a complete stranger to another country just for a waitress job?

To add on to that, I also believe that society and cultures also have a part in human trafficking. In one of the links that were posted, there was a video about rape in Japan. In this video, there was basically an organization called “Super Free” in which they’d teach guys on how to gang rape girls by having these huge parties. There was also a movie in Japan made in the 1990s called “Rape Man” where it basically showed that kidnapping women and raping them wasn’t that bad because in the end they’d end up falling in love with you. Is this really what people in society should be depicted about human trafficking?

As I mentioned earlier, culture can also come into play with human trafficking. For instance, back then in the 1750s, it was normal for Japanese women to be sold and become geisha’s, when really, they were merely fulfilling men’s sexual desires and entertaining them with their performing arts.

For selfish reasons, some people take advantage of these vulnerable, naïve victims. These victims may be used as slaves and do all the dirty work, or others may be killed just for their organs. This is when someone’s patience level comes in hand because if someone desperately needs an organ transplant and isn’t soon on the transplant list to get one, then they can be devious enough to get someone to commit this human trafficking crime just for organs. All in all, whether someone is human trafficking for prostitution, slave workers, or organs, it’s just plain wrong.

Linett Negron said...

In regards to the child sex trafficking, I believe that in order to change what’s going on in Nepal, it is going to take more than a couple of dedicated women to change a society’s point of view. America may be in a “bubble” that is unaware of these atrocious actions, but it, nonetheless, happens in our backyard. Those people that commit to sex trafficking, they do that because that’s all they know; they were raised in a home where perhaps violence was innate and publicized everyday of their lives. I strongly believe that in order to change this issue, it would need to be known worldwide, even to those countries that appear to be in a “bubble”.

Think about it, would you want your own daughter taken away from you to work as a prostitute? Even those parents in Nepal that had their daughter disappear for over two years, and perhaps still counting, wouldn’t you think that the parents of that girl would want this to end, yet nothing is done about it. All those girls, that at the age of 9 where forced to give up their virginity to a total stranger, have parents out there that are possibly wondering where their little girl is. Society needs to be educated and understand that child sex trafficking is immoral. The lack of education is what allows this to happen. Society needs to change, or nothing will.

Linett Negron said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dan Eberhard said...

Human trafficking is an issue that is being battled in many parts of the world, and for a long time. In others, it’s merely accepted. The trafficking is not limited to older women, but children, as well as boys. In my opinion there are two forms: willing and unwilling.
In Berlin, Germany there are clubs that charge approximately $100 for 6 hours of unlimited sex. The price also includes access to saunas and an all you can eat buffet. This sex trade contributes greatly to the economy of these cities. In 2009, in Ukraine, the police experts estimated that the sex-industry would generate around $1.5 billion. So why would women want to work this type of job and why would a city or country allow it? In times of recession and high unemployment it is easy for women to find a job in the sex industry. As well, it creates revenue and an “attraction” for male tourists in a struggling economy. These establishments make it seem “ok” for money to be traded for sex.
Unfortunately, there are places where women are forced into being sex slaves. Many of them have been bought and sold since they were very young. So why don’t they leave? Find help? One, some cannot afford to leave. They rely on the little profit to survive. Other women fear for their lives. The tragic things done to these girls are far worse than any one of us would like to imagine. At certain times they’re simply overpowered which is the case in gang rapes. Some are abducted at any point in time in countries around the world. For example, very recently in Syria, the soldiers abducted a few young women. They were raped and then forced to serve the soldiers tea and coffee naked. Some women were gang raped, mutilated, and had their breasts sliced off.

The world cannot continue to turn their heads on this subject. People in society need to be educated and see the reality of human trafficking. It is occurring as we speak, and because we don’t see it, or its not happening to someone we know, we don’t seem to care.

Manoucheca said...

Manoucheca Prevert
June 22nd, 2011
Class Time: M W F 10:25 a.m. -12:40 p.m.
PHI 2010
My comments on the ethical issues that involving the sexual exploitation of women.
Sexual exploitation of women has caused a lot of damages to them; however I wonder why the commercial sex industry keeps growing every day. I think that as long as we continue to have problems in this world, problems such as unemployment, famine, financial needs prostitution will always be around. According to the facts that I have read, in a study of 475 people in prostitution, 92% of them said that they wanted to escape prostitution immediately. This fact shows what kind of cruel treatments these people are receiving. Prostitution harms mostly women, they are raped, violated yet some of them stay on this business. According to me the reason why they stay is because they feel helpless, they think that if they quit prostitution they will not be able to fulfill their physiological needs. Mentally, they see no way to escape their lifestyle so they keep doing what they are doing although it hurts them physically, mentally, and psychologically. I hope that one day we will have a world where there will be no need for prostitution, and if for some reasons some people would like to enter the commercial sex industry because they find entertaining, their rights might be respected.

Alina S. Martinez said...

Human trafficking is considered to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world. This is an unbelievable fact to many people, not because they don’t believe this to be a fact, but simply because most people don’t even know what human trafficking is and if they have an clue, most people have the wrong awareness of what it actually is. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of other human beings. Victims of human trafficking include mostly women; children as young as 6 years of age involved in the sex trade, adults age 18 or over who are forced or deceived into commercial sex acts, and anyone forced into different forms of "labor or services," such as domestic workers held in a home, or farm-workers forced to labor against their will. The fact that most of these women have no hope; many due to the fact they have lost all sense of faith and self-worth makes them an easy target for men to use and manipulate them as cattle. Most of these women do not believe in princess fantasies because after being sold by their family, this is a fantasy. Many of the factors that each of these situations has in common are elements of force, fraud, or coercion that are used to control people. Then, that control is tied to inducing someone into commercial sex acts, or labor or services. Numerous people in the field have summed up the concept of human trafficking as "compelled service." Every year, human traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits by victimizing millions of people around the world, and to your surprise these acts are not only in the typical places you may assume (Germany, Africa, Thailand, Russia), but also in the United States.

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking has existed as long as prostitution. The problem is that now there is more media around, so we know what happens around the world more often than prior to the media’s existence. However, in our country or “the real world” some people do trafficking for money, to get out of the misery in which they live. Is not justified, but people do what they have to do to survive. The traffickers are terrible people that use young women, even teen girls, to satisfy their hunger for money and ambition. The traffickers entice and trap the women offering a false job and a new life in other countries. After they leave with them, there is nothing the women can do about it (a new country, no job, no life of their own). These women do not have another choice and they are obligated to become prostitutes. What can we do to avoid this trafficking? In my opinion there is no clear solution, this chain of prostitution is so big and broad that the solution seems unachievable. Yennis Leyva

Alfredo Triff said...

Nice comments. Go on. Don't mind me.

Daniel Barenboim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Daniel Barenboim said...

Human trafficking, one says right while the other says wrong. All over the world it seems to happen and yet some parts choose to reveal less while places like the United States just makes it seem more appealing. In the United States, it is publicly known that we have escorts, prostitutes, and strip clubs. These type of places are used all over America by all sorts of people, even by our senators. Yet there doesn't seem to be any means to stop this abuse, because of this phallocentric society we live in where the men dominate a vast number of higher positions. Perhaps if many more women filled spots in congress and the senate then perhaps they would get together to do something about this issue but for now their biggest issue is just getting to that possession of power.
Deep inside Europe lies a greater issue though, around these areas women don't even get an option on what they want to become. Taken from their homes, or some even abducted, they are forced into what is basically slavery. Their futures are wiped clean with one foul swoop of the pimp's hand. If there is any place to focus on, it would be in those countries. Smuggling of women and children for sex is a very dangerous thing to have in our world. We can all look at our families and see that if one of the women in our lives were to be kidnapped, drugged, and forced into prostitution then we would do all we could to free them and stop it. But why wait, prevention is the best solution.

Anonymous said...

3467356745675

MN

Chris Horta said...

I think it all definitely deals mainly with education and the environment you were brought up upon. As horrible as it sounds there could have been a good chance that the girl who was offered a position as a waitress could have actually been doing just that, and by going with that man she would have raised her standard of living and even helped her family back in her home. It’s bad the odds were against her and she ended up as just another statistic but opportunity sometimes comes as a cost. I don’t want to sound like I’m pro-trafficking, because I’m not, but if that girl would have stayed back in her African home country what opportunity would she have honestly had? In terms of people thinking that prostitution as means of human trafficking is done to satisfy a sexual pleasure should be a little more educated on the matter. And that’s where education comes into importance. It is likely that a college student could be doing some sort of prostitution, as the example was given, but it’s not the norm. It is mainly done to make money to support some type of addiction as tests have proven. Educated individuals already have somewhat higher standards than to do something of that caliber. The more education is given widespread about prostitution and the harms it possesses the less it will happen.

Chris Horta said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Words are hardly enough to express my anger towards what I have read about human trafficking. As residents of the United States, we live in a bubble. Not geographically, but psychologically. We are presented with infinitely many opportunities, but we reach out to whichever one is closest. Information is handed to us. We don’t seek it ourselves. This is the answer to why many of us aren’t aware of the global human trafficking crisis. As a human being who feels, a female, and a mother, I can only imagine what those young men and women go through when they are offered jobs that are described as positively life-changing, but instead they are tormented and forced to sell their bodies to the heartless that support this inhumane business.
Go back to that picture of Maria with her head down, possibly crying and mumbling, “this is not what I signed up for. Lord please save me from this hell hole.” Now instead of Maria, imagine that being your mother, your aunt, your sister, your daughter, , your girlfriend, your best friend or even the girl who sits in front of you in class; that’s always raising her hand with enthusiasm when the teacher asks a question. It brings tears to your eyes, doesn’t it? Believe this or not, but this is also happening in our own backyard.
Many are too blind to notice that any young lady on the local news who was kidnapped while walking home from school and to this day hasn’t been recovered, could possibly be part of that sixty-two percent of woman who have been raped at least once since they’ve become a victim of sex trafficking. It’s happening in the Istanbul, China, Italy, the United States, and anywhere the mind can conceive. It doesn’t matter if you say it in English, Spanish, French, Greek, Hebrew, or Chinese. Human trafficking is inhumane. Let us all be pro-freedom for all.

Jessica Jean-Baptiste

Anonymous said...

Due to the fact that human trafficking has been a problem for several years I honestly feel like it needs to come to an end because women are being traumatized and beaten just to make money not only for themselves but for other people who they barely know which is devastating. Women who become a victim of human trafficking are more than likely to not have a family to guide them the righteous way which leads them to be uneducated and have low self-esteem. For example, On behalf of the picture posted about Maria who left from her country to go with a stranger to have a waitress job she probably didn’t have any family and no money so when the guy approached her about having a job she probably got excited and went with her first thought not thinking what can happen to her. In my opinion that’s how you know it was something wrong with Maria’s mind she was weak because a strong minded woman would have never left with any stranger out the country especially for a waitress job that’s why woman have to get together and make a difference to show society that we are better than that.
In addition, in the Japan video there were guys who got together to make an organization so they can rape women their plan was to have big parties often so they can have an opportunity to get all women together and take advantage of them where women are left with no control. So society itself plays a big role in human trafficking because guys are being taught on how to rape women and use them for their own good. I don’t think this is right no father wouldn’t want this happening to their daughter so why go out and do it to another man’s child? you should do unto others as you want done to you!But most of all women who are weak and fall for anything need to become wiser and more alert about their surroundings and situations because they'll always be taking advantage of!
latifha williams

Anonymous said...

When I first think of the words “Human Trafficking,” the first thing that comes to mind is women or young girls being traded and put to work as prostitutes, and being raped and beaten, basically treated like slaves. This article really open my eyes to what is going on in the real world and what might be going on in the land of the free, where we call home. Like for example data from the article states that, “a 2004 report from the human rights center in Berkeley, California estimated that there were then about 10,000 forced laborers in the U.S., around one-third of whom are domestic servants and some portion of whom are children.” That number is scary to think about, but wanting to accept it or not it is still happening here at home. However, with the help of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act we are able to prevent this horrific crime. The Protection Act has methods such as public awareness, consultation, and economic alternatives to help protect those victims from such a crime. As a young person it’s always great to stay aware of what is going on in our world and in our surrounding. My generations really don’t realize the issues that are happening in our world, if it doesn’t concern them specifically, they just don’t really pay any attention. So becoming aware and gaining knowledge of issues like human trafficking is the first steps in trying to prevent it and help stop it because when we don’t have knowledge on the issues how can we possibly take action on it. When reading this article you realize the enormity of the situation and how it’s occurring in every single place from everywhere in North America to Eastern and Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa and the United Nation just to name a few. Like for example the article talks about Africa and how they are 24,000 children that are victim to this issue and how virgin young girls are taken to be sex slaves to men, which is very depressing to hear, how these young girls have their innocence taken away from them for no reason what so ever. Thanks to organizations like Challenging Height, they help prevent crimes such as these from happening in places like Africa, which is pretty amazing. To conclude, a great way to help stop this issue is by not being ignorant and really get informed and try to make a difference in any way we can as I mention earlier and become aware is a great step towards that. My generation really needs to sit down and pick up a news article or a book and educate ourselves in things we do not know anything about instead of worrying about technology or the latest trends that are happening. By us becoming aware alone we can all make a difference. Taneisha Rodriguez

Anonymous said...

It doesn’t come as a surprise to me when i watch these videos and read news articles about prostitution and human trafficking. I mean what do you expect from a world where education levels are so low and illiteracy rates as increasing every day? When you have no education, you have low expectations from yourself. These young women don’t have the mindset of "I want to be a Doctor when I get older." All they can think of is "I have to survive." And when economy keeps dropping the way it is now, and employment rates are climbing, there’s not much to do.

Please don’t misunderstand my comment, prostitution and human trafficking in wrong and should always be wrong but the society is in a way at fault for this. Because the United States is such a bubble we try to shy away from problems like these and pretend as if we don’t notice them and instead of having more police officers on the streets and undercover cops trying to stop prostitution, we find police officers on ever highway and corner sitting in their chair measuring how fast I’m going, trying to give me a ticket. Is this really what’s important?

Christy-Ann Durandisse

Anonymous said...

“Our world needs to change”. This is something that we always hear, but hardly see.
I believe that besides all the main reasons why this modern enslavement of humans keeps happening, such as: lack of education, broken homes, poverty, manipulation, and all the negative snow balling effect that it brings, we need to think differently to fix our problem. I refer to the problem as “our” problem because it is important to take issues to a very serious and personal manner if obviously change is what we really want.

To take it a step into basic principles, I believe that our existence in this world is not individualistic. We are people living together, sharing a breath of air everyday and therefore our humanitarian instinct should not be ignored. We should be united in giving attention to the end of prostitution and human enslavement. We should break out of the bubble and see ourselves truly making a difference. Imagine how much would be done if each and every one of us saw a change to a problem just cause of our warm effort to change it. As part of our education, and morals, it should be implemented into ourselves the desire to gain happiness through the intention of helping our fellow humans. The end of human trafficking, prostitution, and enslavement, comes with a true desire to change.

Carlos Andrade

Louiza Saint-Hillien said...

I remember when I saw the movie Taken, which was about two girls who were kidnapped and sold for prostitution, my only thought was how stupid and naïve these girls were by showing a complete stranger in a different country where they were staying. The whole situation could have been totally avoided if these girls used some common sense and did not have a “ghetto” mentality. I also thought, before reading this post, that human trafficking was not a prevalent issue. Wow, was I wrong. Human tracking is sick, just sick. Consensual sex is one thing, but kidnapping vulnerable girls and selling them is another beast in its own making. We need to find solutions to this growing problem. While we could increase social workers and create more safe havens for victims, the problem is not going to go away without a huge legislative change. I personally think that prostitution should be legalized. Consensual prostitution is not any different than porn or stripping; women in these professions are getting paid to be nude and to have sex. I think that legalizing prostitution and regulating it like the porn industry will eliminate the violence that many women go through in that field. Regulations and laws such as age policies, no street prostitutions, brothel or escort style only, working contracts, limitations in the job, birth control, i.e. condoms, required, and secret cameras in rooms to monitor the client actions, will eliminate pimps, decrease non-consensual sex, and probably decrease human trafficking.
One of the biggest problems in prostitution is that many women who have been hurt are afraid to go to the police because they are afraid they will get arrested. Legalizing prostitution will make it easier for them to seek help and not have the blame put on them. Also, this change will make it easier to differentiate consensual prostitution with human trafficking. With a no street prostitution law, human trafficking businesses will think twice before taking action. Most of them are very depended on street prostitution and they will not want to operate within the laws and regulations because it will take too much time and will give their workers more power. So if the profession is legalize, cops will know that workers on the street are most likely being forced because a woman who choose to be a prostitute for whatever reasons will rather go to a legalize brothel because it will be safer for her. This change will also make the profession more competitive so this will turn off a lot of women who considered going into the field and prostitution will decrease. While this solution might not completely eliminate human trafficking or violence against women in the job, and the chances of this bill being passed in the US and other countries are slim, I think that this alternative should be considered.

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking” has accordingly been defined from the perspective of human rights, crime or violence, migration, exploitation of work and modern slavery. Human trafficking is mostly focused on the trafficking of women and children into the sex industry the purpose of prostitution and have more often been subjected to violence. It is an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving a person through a use of force in order to exploit them sexually. Human trafficking is everywhere in the world; frequently, those victims are shipped as objects on ships to many different countries. Trafficking in persons has been recognized as a serious danger for human security. This act is being increased every year and may affect the victims psychologically . Instead of trying to stop it, there are some international organizations that prefer to distinguish between trafficking which can be forced or voluntary and also forced and voluntary prostitution. It can be a key to open the door to more kinds of trafficking and to the legalization of prostitution. Most people who fall into this situation were tricked and attracted by false promises or physically forced. It is heartbreaking to see people making lots of money by abusing human that way. This type of human abuse keeps going on and no one has found out a way to stop it or even decrease or prevent it. A very well decided international organization needs to step up by any means to come up with a good solution to stop those traffickers even if it will take time.
STEEVEN DIVERS

Alexandre Kachtcheev said...

Before I read these articles, I always taught prostitution and rape victims were two different categories. To me prostitutes were immortal people who sold their bodies for money. (Please don’t think of me as narrow minded, I lived in a house where such topics were hidden from me.) But, now, I see it that is not the case and horrified to live in this world. As Louiza Saint-Hillien commented on a movie “Taken” I went to see it and better understood how women become victims of human trafficking. What interested me was the fact “92% stated that they wanted to escape prostitution immediately” because this proves me that human trafficking exit.
Also I read some of the students’ comments and found only opinions or extra research, but no comment on protection. I hope that no one becomes a victim, but here are some tips that might help you: If the person is chasing you and catching up, then don’t waste your energy. Stop to find something sharp or best to carry a knife. So that when he/she comes you cut his/her calcaneal tendon which is located at the back ankle. Also known as the Achilles tendon from the Greek warrior Achilles because that was the only weak spot he had. If this tendon is cut, no one can stand up (it is impossible) and you may continue seeking help. I personally plan to teach my girlfriend to protect herself in case someone tries to violate her.
-Alexandre Kachtcheev

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries around the world. Slavery is a cruel reality for a lot of people who find themselves ensnared in an exploitative and abusive system, bought or sold as if they were objects, and treated with no respect. Human rights groups estimate that between 12 million and 27 million people are enslaved and forced to give birth or involuntary servitude at any given time. Maria, who is the girl on the picture, is not the only one falling for that kind of attractive offer. I think that one of the main reasons which human trafficking keep growing is because of the economy. Good offers are never found easily, and that is why people fall in the trap. I would like to share a personal experience which happened five years ago. As you should know many people in Cuba are trying to get out of the country, due to the lack of food, money, etc. I was 14 when one afternoon a closed cousin came to my house with wonderful news. She told us how she met this guy which made her a great offer. The guy told her that because she was so nice he would like to offer her a job in Spain. She married the guy and one year later she left. The first week, she called us and told us that everything were fantastic. Two weeks later, she disappeared and until today no one knows, including her mother, what happened to her.
Jessica Borges

Elizabeth M. Jarquin said...

When I read the topic for this week’s discussion, I was excited to write about it because not only is it an interesting topic but also a topic that not many people know about. I’m glad it’s our topic that way people can become informed and learn about what is going on in the world. Last semester for my research paper I decided to write about the red light district in India which is filled with numerous brothels that house hundreds of women and children. Almost all of the women and children that are “employed” at these facilities are not there by choice; they were trafficked to the brothels. The women and children are either stolen or lied to in order to be taken to these places. One of the countries where this happens daily is in Nepal. Because people are so poor and desperate to make some sort of money, they agree to go with complete strangers to another country where they are promised jobs or marriages to kings and princes. This is sad but true; this happens every single day in Nepal, India, and numerous other countries. The women are then abused physically, emotionally, and sexually. This continues happening because of society. It is society who abducts these innocent people and forces them to “work” as sex slaves. It is also society who forces them to stay in these horrific places. Most of the women and children are too terrified to try to escape these places and the ones that do aren’t offered any help; they are actually frowned upon. In my research paper, I wrote about a woman that escaped and encountered three officers. When she asked for help, they beat her, raped her, and then took her back to the brothel. Until society finds a way to at least try to help, this is going to continue happening. It is a vicious cycle.

Julie Jn-J said...

I think that Human Trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad. Every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. For example, last month in Haiti a group of people came into my brother in law’s house and they kidnapped him, and they kept him for fifteen days. They asked a lot of money before they released him. This group of people keep on telling the family like if they involve police in that case they will kill the man, so this family has to keep their mouth shut, and negotiate with the kidnappers. I think that human trafficking is very illegal, and the authorities, and also the society need to be more involved to protect each other against it. It is dangerous for everyone out there sometime when they don’t get the money that they ask for they kill the person.

mpine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maia Pineiro said...

If one feels empathy for other people, perhaps including children that are being used as sex slaves, or young prostitutes that do not even see a better life as an option, one must do their best to help. Without help these people will live the same lives they are presently living, perhaps even worse. Citizens must push their countries to stand tougher on the issue of child prostitution. Just like Peter Singer’s proposal on poverty (though not as drastic), If people with a higher state of living that can donate some of their time and money for this cause without decreasing their own standard of living, would do so, then a stronger global organization against these horrid crimes would then be possible.
Another issue is that of educating those children that cannot even imagine what a normal life is. Abused from early childhood, some kids ought to be shown that they can have a future… but only with our help. This issue may appear to only happen in faraway, underdeveloped countries but it actually happens right in our own cities. For instance, there was the case in Miami involving Hugo Gonzalez where prostitution occurred. One of the policemen that busted into Hugo’s mansion found a seventeen-year-old girl that had been used in a sex video. Similar issues will continue to occur unless more people spread awareness about the fight against child prostitution.

Berlyne Julmis said...

Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery (Wikipedia). In order to weigh in on a topic it is best to know the delineation of the subject matter.

Human trafficking will never end because this is something which is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Various governing institutes around the world may set laws to stop this dysfunctional and cruel exploitation against the male and mostly female gender, but it will only, if any, minimize a small percentage of the market. Truth of the matter is some parents (family members) sell their young’s to these black markets like cheap second hand purses and these children lives are now forever changed. They grow up feeling inferior, feeling insecure, unsafe, and experiencing acts that one should never face especially as children. Some of these precious angels will they never know what a normal life is and some will never live to be adults. What they will know is slavery, mental and physical abuse, violent sexual acts (which in time some of the victims may equate as love), and death which to them will become the norm. Some may argue that some victims are sold/ traded to families, who will care for them as their own, but the act itself is inhumane for a human life is priceless and so is freedom, and freedom of choice.

As an adult you set goals for yourselves knowing that life is a gamble and also somewhat dangerous. What most women do not take in account is these choices can be seized right from under us in less than a second. Women face each day of our lives a chance that some maniac will come and kidnap, rape, and sell us with no regard for human life because to them we don’t have a voice. We to them are inferior and the money which they gain will have more value than our lives. The “consumer” who will now in their mind gain an asset (slave) do not question the system because to them it works for them. So the question of ethics for a system that works is to whom it is being asked. Even to the victims ethics is least of their worries! As long as these mindsets exist in some individuals’ human trafficking will exist way longer than you and I. Presidents, governments, and politicians do not run campaigns on ceasing human trafficking even though this subject is one that should be prime in elections because in reality its hope in ending is grim. We question ethics, but we do nothing to help make right what is made wrong in this case! So is that not also ethical?

Berlyne Julmis

Gabriel Moreno said...

To begin with, it deeply burdens me that there is such a thing as a “Sex Industry” in existence. Much more than that, that there are multiple branches under this rotting tree of immorality and pain that brings fruition and wealth to deviant people who employ this market. Sex was never constituted to be an industry such as was water was never constituted to be walked upon. It’s not a matter of what we’ve made it to be but much more a matter of what it is: nature.

We can all agree that in the right context, sex is a beautiful and wonderful thing, created simply for pleasure and procreation. But in contrast to this breathtaking experience, we have come to learn that prostitution has been called the oldest profession on earth. This means that for as long as prostitution has been established, that there has been a price placed on human beings. The question here is “how much are you worth?”

The human trafficking industry is described as “the largest slave trade in history” and is also the fastest growing form of contemporary slavery. Do you know the implication that is placed on all of us who are aware of this occurrence in this twenty-first century? We hold ourselves to such standards as the fastest growing nation and most technologically advanced people and yet we can’t put a stop to this disgusting and vile act of violence and torture to women and children? Where have we gone wrong? When did cellphones and “going green” become more important than people?

I am aware that there is no possible way that we can control the actions of other humans who engage in this behavior but in a sense, we are as guilty as they are for not putting forth any effort to rescue these women and children from this prison. Can you imagine being shipped overseas like an animal to be exploited for sex? Being treated as an object instead of a sentient being? There is no excuse for this type of behavior such as there was no excuse for the Holocaust or African-American segregation in America. There has to be an awakening in individuals and society as a whole for there to be a change in this abomination in which people have now grown indifferent to.

Alfredo Triff said...

Very good comments. Go on.

Louiza Saint-Hillien said...

I have made a comment earlier that states that the legalizing of prostitution may decrease violence in the profession and prevent human trafficking. I will admit that this is a very controversial idea, and while I am not trying to convince anyone to agree with me or am I condoning prostitution, I do want people to considered this option if it will help eliminate this growing issue. But, while legalizing prostitution may help those who choose to be in this profession in the US, it may not help women in other countries where there is political instability and weak law enforcements. Legalizing prostitution may even give human trafficking leaders more ammunition to expand their businesses, which is something we do not want at all.

As you can see by the double post,
I am pretty passionate about this topic. Human trafficking is another form of slavery and should be absolutely prohibited. With such an improvement in technology which helps people every day, this problem should not be growing in such length. Education and awareness may be another effective solution. Many people, especially in the US, do not know of this problem and think that only in other countries are people sell as sex slaves. We need to bring awareness to young girls that this problem is real, and teach them ways of how to avoid getting caught in this difficult predicament. We also need to discourage girls from entering prostitution and help them find other ways to support themselves. For girls who are already in the business, voluntary or non voluntary, we need to encourage them to seek help without any bias against them or the fear of getting reprimanded. My heart goes out to all the victims who is going through, or went through, this horrible and inhuman nightmare. A solution is needed fast because every day is more lives being lost.

Shale McIntosh said...

Matters such as human trafficking should be brought to everyone’s attention, although it exists everywhere some people still remain naïve to these situations. I truly believe the world we live into today, as well as the world we live in tomorrow will be phallocentric. Men are favored more or at least society has more tolerance for men’s tendencies. No doubt this does not pertain to every man in every circumstance, but I can assure the majority. For example, when men are allowed to exploit women and act indecent and get away with it we may be opening doors for bigger problems, everything starts off small. The term “take it and run with it” can pertain to human trafficking, if men can get away with the little things they will try and take advantage. This commentary may seem one sided because human trafficking can occur to anyone anywhere, but women are always effected more.

A perfect example of human trafficking is in the movie “Taken”, in this particular movie two teenagers from the United States get abducted while vacationing in Europe. Other examples would be woman and children getting false job opportunities and fraudulent assistance from people who claim to be there to help. There are times when people give into human trafficking to make a better living, and people come to United States looking for a better life. On the show “Police Women of Broward County”, there was a woman who got deported back to her country for human trafficking. She had been convinced that having sexual relations was a better decision at a rate of seven dollars while the man she was working for was making fifty dollars or more for each customer. In situations like that those women are desperate and vulnerable but it still doesn’t make it right at all. The problem is they don’t know any better and lack of necessities leaves them with minimal options. The world is dangerous so obviously human trafficking among other things can’t be completely avoided. All in all people being mindful and having and open minded perspective of these dangers here and all over the world can have their guard up and eyes open wide open.

Angelica Martinez said...

I believe that our society has not grasped the severity of human trafficking. While viewing the links provided on the website, the one that caught my attention was in regards to Miami pimp Hugo Gonzalez. It was revealed that he owned a mansion that was used as a house of prostitution. One of the young women used for these services was a 17-year-old former babysitter; this poor soul probably had no idea that this man was dangerous.

The men that dominate these innocent women are truly disgusting human beings. Young women are viewed as vulnerable and easily taken advantage of. I have seen how young girls dress these days to look older and how they promote themselves on social websites. Instead of allowing them to continue on this path, we must give these young women the necessary knowledge so it won’t happen to them; it is possible to minimize the occurrence of human trafficking. A complete end to this issue is nearly impossible but it is up to us, as a society, to bring awareness and educate others of this growing danger.

As a woman I feel that I have to walk the streets with caution, because even when it is least expected, something of this nature can happen to us. In this world that we live in, our daily lives are an illusion free from the true horrors that occur; the hidden lies behind the world we see. Sex exploitation is the one of the truths behind the reality of the world.

Anonymous said...

Human tracking has been a major concern for as long as I can remember. In that part of the world it’s hard to have a good life, dealing with poverty and all kinds of stuff; that some of us would never lived through. Even though I don’t believe in human trafficking I don’t truly believe that Maria in her right mind would accept a job as a prostitute. She was just trying to make a living for her, and the guy used that against her knowing that she would not refuse to make some money to support herself and maybe her family. No one would voluntary accept to be living in that situation. Guys trick these women into believing that their lives would be better if they would just do this one little thing. They would tell these women that if they don’t like it they can always leave, and that never the case. These women are brain wash, abuse, living in the worst condition ever, but Maria doesn’t think at all before she makes that decision.She should never get in the car without knowing the person at the first place. Being in prostitution is not an education for any woman because women that selling their bodies for money it’s not a good point of view for them all they have to know is that their body is a temple. Nerline Theodorice

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking is a problem that has been going on for a very long time to where it has scatter into different parts of the world, precisely the U.S. It is a problem that has become so common now that it is the third most profitable criminal activity in the world. In addition, each year the total number of human trafficking, precisely sex trade in the United States has the total amount of victims when estimate of both adults and minors. This isn't hard to believe that even children are being deprived of their mind and body when being exposed or undergoes sexual and labor exploitation. I find human trafficking to be very dangerous and misleading, especially for those who do not have any clue of what it is or the awareness of knowing what may lead to. Victims can be lured in human trafficking by false promises, forced or even trick to where there human rights are being taking away. However, there are people who are aware and are trafficking for money, drugs, to sort of find that avenue of getting out of the pit they have find themselves to be in. And these people who i also call victims do not have the freedom to move, choose, nor control his or her body and mind once they're in the midst in trafficking.

Widny Llherisson

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking is a very important issue that is going on in our world today. It is a criminal issue that is growing daily. A criminal offense that typically women seem to be confronted with. Human trafficking in my opinion, may begin in someone’s life if they are molested, raped, a runaway, kidnapped, etc. All these play a huge role in their lives because they feel like no one loves them, they feel alone, and even are very insecure of themselves.

I also believe that some of these women get pulled in by peer pressure. One example, may be a friend that might be involved in such trafficking and talks her friend into doing it as well. She paints a pretty picture about how much money she is making, but forgets to include the abusive details. Once she begins to see what it really is all about, it may be very dangerous for her to try and get out of it.

Just like these children who are molested and raped. They tend to build a shield to try and make everyone believe that they don’t care about anything. But inside they are dying and they believe that they can’t do any better. They really believe that no one will ever love them or want to be with them because of what they have been through. This is a huge problem for these children that are living this trafficking daily. I feel that there should be more control over these circumstances that are happening around the world. Although, I can imagine how difficult it must be to contain this problem.

Yanelis Ventura
MWF

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking is a form of slavery in the 21st century. Its two main targets are women and children of a low socioeconomic status. Besides that it is a very profitable business in which the trade of organs and sexual activities are highly promoted. The fast development of the internet has also helped this “industry” to grow at a rapid pace. Human trafficking is mostly done by organized groups that thanks to the advancements in technology are able to operate worldwide.

After reading the article “Miami pimp Hugo Gonzalez lavished gifts on his whores to keep them around” I am not surprised by the testimonies of the different girls. They were former strippers and young women that had family problems in their homes. Pebbles, which lived with Hugo, saw in him the figure of a father. When asked about the place she shared with the rest of the prostitutes she described it as a big family.

In Mexico several children are kidnapped every year. In the majority of these cases they are members of a poor family. They are brought up to America in order to be sexually abused by pedophiles or to save the life of another child with their organs. Many times the ignorance of their parents makes this kind of crime easier to be repeated. The parents of these kids usually do not speak Spanish very well and are afraid of the Mexican authorities so many kids are not reported to be missing.

In conclusion I believe that education is the best alternative to prevent human trafficking. The education and ethics of a child are acquired from their parents. A child that grew in a family with solid values and ethics is less likely to become a sexual worker or to fall in the trap of a criminal in the future. Also it is very important to report all the crimes to the authorities in order to create a greater awareness in our society.

Ignacio Acuna

Michael L. Joseph said...

Prostitution is one of the world's oldest profession. There is roughly forty million prostitutes working in the world today. This profession, as old as it is, is only legal and regulated in twenty-two countries. This job has little to no benefits, has a High injury and murder rate and is forced upon most of it's employees. At least 204 of every 100,000 prostitutes are murdered annually in America, making it the most dangerous job in the U.S. With a revenue of about 58 billion dollars, prostitution even constitute human trafficking. Greed drives people that profit from this line of work to kidnap, deceive, or force women and  even children into this line of work. Over 2.5 million victims are trafficked and put into prostitution. The modern day slavery called human trafficking is very disgusting in my opinion. The countries that regulate prostitution are equally disgusting due to the possibility that the kidnapped victims that are forced to work in this profession could be in these countries against their will. These are age old problems  that still occur in the twenty-first century. This happens in the age of technology because when one part of society advances, all parts of society advance in both positive an negative ways.

Ana Dominguez said...

There are many disturbing topics harming our integrity as humans. Examples could be the unjustified war in Iraq, or the racist campaign against illegal immigrants in Alabama, or the Cartels’ war in Mexico. But without any doubt, human trafficking is one of the most horrifying, astonishing and horrifying topics of them all.
I confess, I wasn’t really interested or even aware of the connotation of this topic until I read about it, and I swear, I almost had an epiphany. Everything else stopped from been important. My stupid fight with my dad, my worries for school, the gas prices, my so called “life problems” disappeared because I realized that, contrary of what many of us can think, reality goes beyond mere venalities.
Human trafficking exceeds country borders. It is a very organized web, so organized and controlled that its victims rarely get out of it. Most of its victims are girls from developing countries which are brought into the business with the lie of a great job offer or a rearrange marriage outside the country; and then are forced to work as sex slaves. Kids are also victims of this “mafia”. They are forced not only into prostitution but also pornography. And men brought to work in restaurants and factories for less than a minimum wage. All these victims have something in common: ignorance. The girls that want to succeed in life, the men that want to give stability to their families and the children which are abused. They all want a different, a better life; and their ingenuity makes them fall into the web. And you, my dear friend, might wonder if there is something we can change to stop this horrifying trend from continuing. Well…human nature tends to get advantage of the weakest and needy. We did it with natives, we did it with black people and the story repeats once again, because we haven’t change a bit. We still care for what touches us directly and we still get used to everything, no matter how bizarre might be. That is why I never read anything like human trafficking before and that is why you will forget how you felt when you read your first article describing it.

Anonymous said...

What I have learned from this this article was that we are our own enemy. The human trafficking is caused by the rate of poverty in this world. People are using young girls to make them wealthy. These women are doing these dirty jobs because they are forced to do it for some of them. Doing such thing is not easy for them. As a woman I can image are hard it can be for Maria. Because of this misery a lot of women are forced to work as prostitute. I do not think it fair for a woman to do sex in such condition. It is really painful for a woman to do that even though for the one who choose to do it for herself. For a woman this is the worst thing that can happen to a woman. Human trafficking is something that needs to be vanished from this world. Women were not created to be treated like this. These kinds of situations are so humiliating no women would like that. Image a woman, who has been raped and beaten in her live that is something she will never forget and she is never going be the same again. It is the same for some of these women who are forced to do sex for money not for them, but for other people to make them rich, which is really hard. Money, poverty, misery are our detriment; we are doing evil things because of them. I feel so sad and so mad at the same time because this human trafficking is all over the world mostly in poorest countries. In my country little aged of eight, nine, and ten and so on are doing sex for money with people over thirty this is a crime. I hope one day that women right will respect.
Sophia Augustin

Carolyn Isahack said...

“Slavery was abolished 150 years ago, right? While it is true that slavery is illegal almost everywhere on earth, the fact is there are more slaves today than there ever were.” This quote by Robert Alan, an American writer and social activist, reinforces the severity of a growing problem today- human trafficking. What is even more interesting is that this crime is not projected to the public mass as much as other crimes are. Do you even see human trafficking crimes discussed about on the news as much as local robberies or even car accidents? No. It is as if it is being hidden on purpose.

Also, poverty and deceit play a major role in human trafficking. Children are deceived into believing they can improve their economic status by supporting themselves, or even their families. However, research has shown that a lot of children have been trafficked and thrust into prostitution because they were actually sold by their families. Could you imagine your own mother selling you because she felt there was no other way to make money?

Well after thinking about human trafficking, I am actually hesitant to go about my day as I normally would. A simple act of walking to the bus stop to go to school frightens me now. This fear though, probably does not amount to the fear that the victims of human trafficking have. Women and children are violently and sexually abused around the world. The fact that this is trans-continental shows how society has enabled it to only grow.

Subsequently, the most ideal solution would in fact be to increase awareness. If everyone knew about this ghastly act, more preventative measures would be taken into account. Imagine a scenario where every news channel revealed the horrid illegal acts of human trafficking. A vast amount of people would be shocked, and some would immediately be outraged; the government would have to interfere because hopefully the people reacted enough to even get the government into this scenario. However, this scenario is highly imaginative and is a dream. We must think at a realistic level.

It is sorrowful to think that while we are stating our opinions to urge an end to this act, it is happening right now. So as to what was stated earlier, increased awareness of human trafficking would be the best and most realistic strive for a solution. Bringing this topic to the very classrooms in America and everywhere else will shape students’ minds to be more cautious and to even think twice about running away.

Julia Caraballo said...

Human trafficking or that is to say multiple variations of prostitution, have existed for quite a long time throughout history. Different titles have been given to these women and in our society they become the people that we tend to pretend don't exist and in fact, are not there. These people are known as street walkers, ladies of the night, whores, skanks, and sluts. When I was a child my family lived in a terrible neighborhood; at night as we drove home my mother would tell my sister to avert our eyes as we passed the "women the night." It wasn't for another few years that my understanding came fully into fruition. These women that my mother thought of as shameful sights are victims of society- wide snap judgements. These articles clarify for us what we knew yet, ignored all this time; these girls are raped, abused, beaten and forced into a situation in which it seems like the bottom of the barrel until the very next day when something new and worse happens making them feel lower. We as society judge them and treat them with derision rather than attempting to help them. That, is something that needs to change. Acknowledgement that they did not choose to be "women of the night."

Hector said...

Human trafficking is a very profitable global business. According to the United Nations, the total annual revenue for trafficking in persons is estimated to be between $5 billion and $9 billion. 2.5 million people from 127 different countries are being trafficked into 137 countries around the world.
Human trafficking is one of the most prominent dilemmas today. While it is a lucrative business it ruins millions of innocent lives. The fact that we live in a phallocentric society makes some people overlook the atrocities of things like prostitution and child labor. The idea that we live in a country with free choice and the freedom to become whatever we want makes some people intolerant towards prostitution. In reality the problem is much more complex. It is mostly against the victim’s own will but in some cases the victim is brainwashed and conditioned to believe that there is nothing else in life besides being a slave.
All types of human trafficking are slavery. These types involve forced labor, sex trafficking, child labor, and child trafficking.
The victims of trafficking are mostly women and children. Poorer countries are more susceptible to having human trafficking.
When you think about each side and question how and why people do these things you begin to realize that the problem will never sop unless there is a wave of protest and a collective human realization towards this issue. The criminals that partake are responsible, obviously, but they have little or no moral compass. It is just a job for them. The victims are conditioned or forced into this life, they have no choices most of the times.
If governments really care about their citizens they should step up immediately and take action. It is hard to believe they do since money is more important than people sometimes.
To have millions of people buying clothes that are made by little children for a couple of cents a day is a horrible thing. This is the mentality of many Americans and unfortunately if it doesn’t change then neither will the issue

Emma Castillo said...

Human trafficking has to be the most craziest thing I’ve herd of, It’s sad to think that there someone going to another country giving false promises and then selling them to the street as if they were just meat or worst. Mexico has to forms of way of getting money, the main one being Drugs and Human Trafficking. Women and children are captured, and forced into prostitution and then killed. According to US State Department estimates, more than 20,000 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year. Lets not forget Thailand which seems to be known for there children sex tourism, to the point where the tourist ask the children for a one to one good time. Human trafficking does not require travel or transport from one location to another, but one form of sex trafficking involves international agents and brokers who arrange travel and job placements for women from one country.

Jorel Vasco said...

Jor-El Vasco
June 23rd 2011
PHI 2010
Prof. Triff
Discussion # 1

Human Trafficking
For many hundred years prostitution has been a profession. Though often times criticized for its dangerous elements involved prostitution is performed by women men and transgender by necessity. In addition to prostitution, human trafficking is also a major problem that we still deal with today in the 21st century. Reasons why prostitution still goes on today is in my opinion the necessity of the individual to do it for the money or the shelter.
Those who commit human trafficking obviously do it for the profit, regardless who has to suffer. Most human traffickers are protected under their own country’s extradition treaty. This makes it possible for the criminals to continue their profitable empires of filth. Mr. Hugo Gonzalez, a Miami pimp, is a good example of a pimp who prostituted many women while providing them with food and shelter. Of course these women were making him a large amount of money through the acts that they perform for him. Mr. Gonzalez would generate over 30,000 dollars a month from exploiting young and at times underage women, over an internet website of his.
While the lives that these women lived with Hugo was relatively lavish, other prostitutes do not have it like that at all. Most prostitutes especially the ones without the “protection” of a pimp are raped at least eight to nine times per year. The phrase for that is bought and sold rape. Some of these victims are even sold away by their families. The issue of prostitution and human trafficking will not come to an end unless national and international government policies are well revised for the good of humanity.

Anonymous said...

“Human trafficking,” why does it still exist? Reading news articles or even watching these related crimes on the television is just very disturbing. We as people need to stop this from happening. In an online web dictionary human trafficking is define as an “act of transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them”. It has been estimated that there’ve been about 14, 500 to 17,500 women and children that are trafficked every year in the U.S. Haven’t we American citizens or better yet, we human beings worldwide learned anything about or experienced something very similar called slavery.
Reading through a lot of my classmates comments the majority believe that human trafficking happens due to the fact of low education levels in many areas around the world. In my opinion having low or even no amount of education isn’t really an excuse to why they’re crimes like human trafficking in existence. It doesn’t take education to know that what you’re doing is wrong. Everyone has a conscious.
-James Etienne