Report
United States' Response to Human Trafficking: Achievements and Challenges (2011)
The United States' Response to Human Trafficking: Achievements and Challenges by Sara Feldman, Policy Advisor, Migration and Refugee Services, USCCB, April 2011
Human trafficking is a horrific crime against the basic dignity and rights of the human person. Defined as the recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of persons by means of force, fraud, or coercion, human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year growth industry. In fact, it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, and is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest, after the drug-trade. Though efforts to combat it have been increasing, human trafficking has been experiencing a dramatic resurgence in recent years. An estimated 800,000 persons are trafficked annually within or across international boundaries, half of whom are children. According to the State Department’s 2010 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, 12.3 million adults and children are currently held in modern-day slavery, including forced labor and prostitution. Millions more are trafficked within their own national borders for a variety of purposes, including forced labor, bonded labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude.
The United States has begun to recognize and respond to this problem, but much still needs to be done. While awareness of human trafficking is growing, the vast majority of victims remain trapped in situations of exploitation and oppression. This paper will review the progress that has been made by the United States to address the scourge of human trafficking to date; identify the areas in which U.S. efforts to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers has fallen short; and suggest steps for improving the U.S. response going forward.