By Namfah Pibulsonggram (Thailand)
Modern slavery doesn't wear chains. Disguised and manipulated by false promises and threats, you've walked past someone who desperately needed to escape. You've unknowingly let their captors slip away. Millions of innocent men, women, and children are torn from their families every year. According to the ILO (International Labour Organisation), as of 2022, 28 million people are trafficked per year. With these statistics, it is estimated that a person is taken every single second. Slavery isn’t just a token of our past - it is alive and operating in the present. Laws and punishments exist, but they alone cannot stop the powerful networks built on greed, corruption, and exploitation. Human trafficking, the trade of people to use as a form of unlawful service, is a worldwide disease. In this article, we will uncover the hidden mechanism behind the largest human trafficking cartels in the world, exploring ways in which to combat it.
Picture waking up every morning to relentless abuse and manipulation. The suffering is immense and unbearable. Regrettably, this is the harsh reality for millions of individuals - concealed within ordinary communities. Often, we fail to acknowledge that there are numerous types of human trafficking: child, labour, sex, and organ trafficking. Each carries its horrors. Child trafficking includes the exploitation of minors (below the age of 18), using them for forced labor and underaged marriage. Labor exploitation involves both children and adults, subjecting them to inhuman living conditions without pay. Similarly, sex trafficking affects both minors and adults, coercing them to engage in acts of prostitution or pornography. Perhaps the most disturbing form of trafficking is organ trafficking, where vital body parts such as hearts or lungs are distributed through the black market at extortionate prices. But what drives individuals to enter this gruesome line of work? The chance to make huge profit with minimal risk entices traffickers - as many go undetected. Combined with ineffective law enforcement as well as corrupted government bodies - who often lack financial aid to allocate resources to combat this problem, allow for these criminal operations to flourish unchecked. Whilst traffickers jump at the opportunity to collect financial rewards, the most destructive cost falls on the victims, who suffer both physical and psychological agony.
Even after escaping the atrocities of trafficking, survivors face endless nightmares. The physical scars depend on the form of exploitation they endured. Often, victims suffer from sexually transmitted infections, genital pain, and unwanted pregnancies. Dissimilarly, those forced into manual labor e.g. sweatshops, frequently develop malnutrition, vision problems and infections, due to unsanitary working environments. But these scars go beyond just the physical. The psychological trauma is extreme - many survivors struggle with mental illnesses such as: depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. The mental distress as a result of human trafficking is a burden no one should ever bear, yet for countless survivors, it becomes a lifelong ordeal. So, every time you step outside, remember: for each trafficking victim, freedom isn’t something that immediately reappears.They're forever altered. Childhoods are ruined, dignity is stolen. But the crucial question we should be asking is: how is society aiding these victims?
“They prey on the vulnerable and rob them of their fundamental rights.” Stated the secretary-general of the UN which highlights the brutality of this crisis.(“Message of United Nations Secretary-General on the International Day against Trafficking in Persons”)
Which organizations deserve our praise for their humanitarian efforts in protecting the vulnerable?
For starters, the Red Cross has made tremendous efforts by providing humanitarian aid in the form of long-term protection, recovery, and integration measures, in the hopes of supporting victims in rebuilding their lives. From 2018-2020, the EU Red Cross founded a “pathway” project with the motive of improving the lives of identified survivors. (“A New Start in Life for Survivors of Human Trafficking”) We must not overlook the often detrimental trauma survivors endure; this is why programs like the HUG Project in Thailand play a vital role in helping survivors rebuild their lives. This NGO (non-governmental organization) focuses on prevention, protection, and healing for children affected by sexual abuse and human trafficking (“Protect - the HUG Project”). Their prevention efforts include partnering with local schools and educational services to teach children how to keep themselves safe, both in person and online. Through collaboration with law enforcement, children who are at risk are protected from exploitation. Finally, by offering survivors support on their path to adulthood, a sense of healing and control is created for these victims. Apart from NGO efforts, legal measures also play a crucial role. For example, in Thailand, anyone convicted of human trafficking faces imprisonment from four to ten years and a fine between 80,000 and 200,000 Baht (ADULYADEJ). However, if the victim is under the age of 15, punishments intensify.
In conclusion, although human trafficking is a gruesome and sorrowful subject, it is imperative that we have frequent and open discussions within our societies to raise awareness and sympathy for these survivors. This creates a sense of empowerment that is crucial for survivors, giving them the strength they need to rebuild their lives. With the help of individuals, the government, and law authorities we can tear away the veil that conceals victims from hope and dignity, all whilst exposing one of the darkest industries in history. With collective action, we can dismantle these criminal operations, ensuring a safe society where every victim feels heard and valued.
Bibliography
International Labour Organization. “Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Trafficking in Persons.” International Labour Organization, 28 Jan. 2024, www.ilo.org/topics-and-sectors/forced-labour-modern-slavery-and-trafficking-persons.
Silva, Alejandra. “Explainer: Understanding Child Trafficking.” United Nations: Office on Drugs and Crime, 2021, www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2024/July/explainer_-understanding-child-trafficking.html.
“Message of United Nations Secretary-General on the International Day against Trafficking in Persons.” United Nations: Office on Drugs and Crime, 30 July 2018, www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/2018/July/message-of-united-nations-secretary-general-on-the-international-day-against-trafficking-in-persons.html.
“A New Start in Life for Survivors of Human Trafficking.” Red Cross EU Office, redcross.eu/projects/a-new-start-in-life-for-survivors-of-human-trafficking.
“Protect - the HUG Project.” The HUG Project, 3 July 2020, www.hugproject.org/protect/. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Adulyadej, Bhumibol. “Penalties (Sections 52-57) | Thailand Law Library.” Thailand Law Library, 9 July 2015, library.siam-legal.com/thai-law/anti-trafficking-persons-act-penalties-sections-52-57/.
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