These numbers come of a site that is tackling the problem of human trafficking for the sex trade and their numbers are certainly rough estimates. It does show us the present scope of outright modern slavery.
That component of modern slavery outside of the sex trade will be much smaller and is mostly occurring in Africa were monetization of the economy is only now taking proper hold.
Of course, the economics are only truly present in the sex trade and that drives it.
Much is made of the minority status of most victims but the existence of the trade as an illegal enterprise employing adults allows the trafficking to stay hidden.
That brings us to the question of whether or not legalizing and regulating the adult trade can establish a safe non exploitive industry able to internally suppress child trafficking. It is certainly a creditable and viable option applied to all forms of substance abuse.
I find it much harder to see how it might be implemented for the sex trade except that its regulation and presumably a sufficient cadre of well protected employees may sufficiently marginalize any form of trafficking as to possibly wipe it out.
At the present we have a completely unrestrained illegal industry that the authorities have no hope of impacting.
This is the modern face of the slave trade and these numbers show us how serious it is.
1.2 million
Number of children trafficked each year for sex around the world. (UNICEF)
11
Average age of sex workers around the world. Some are as young as 5 years old. (CIA)
100,000
Number of children and young women who are trafficked in America
200,000
Number of U.S.
30
Number of years that U.S.
$9.5 billion
Amount of money generated annually by human trafficking. (FBI)
3rd
Ranking of human trafficking among all income-generating syndicates (drugs and guns hold the top spots). (Stop the Traffic)
We can change these statistics.
“Given all the power and resources that God has placed in the hands of humankind, I have yet to see any injustice of humankind that could not also be stopped by humankind. I find myself sympathizing with a God who, speaking through the ancient prophet, told his people, ‘You have wearied the Lord with your words...by saying,...”Where is the God of justice?”‘ (Malachi 2:17 NIV)...The more I have come to know him, the harder it has become for me to ask such a God to explain where he has been. In fact, surprisingly, I don’t generally hear the victims of abuse doubting the presence of God either. Much more often I hear them asking me, ‘Where have you been?’”
—Gary Haughen, president, International Justice Mission, from Terrify No More
“Imagine what a dent we could make in the trafficking pipeline if we could educate girls and their parents before the traffickers show up at their doorstep. That’s the goal of the Born to Fly child-trafficking awareness project: to produce materials that educate at-risk kids and their families. Traffickers willingly pay $300 to buy a little girl. It costs much less to tell her (and her parents) that she’s not for sale.”
—Diana Scimone, founder and director, Born to Fly International
—Diana Scimone, founder and director, Born to Fly International
“When you choose to look past the horizon, the sky is the limit.”
—Anonymous
