Trafficking

     Trafficking in persons is a serious crime that happens all over the world. It is when a person abducts or coerces another for the purpose of exploitation. “Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.” (United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime)

     Trafficking of women and children is a growing epidemic around the world. Sex trafficking exploits and humiliates these people. It is also clearly a social injustice and steals their basic human rights. They have no voice or power over their own body. Few women and children, if any, willingly take part in this abomination. It is a fundamental human right to have sexual integrity and autonomy.

   Sex trafficking occurs in all countries. While much happens in underprivileged areas, it also takes place in the United States. “In mid-1997 in Queens New York police were informed of more than 60 Mexican immigrants including 12 children ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years, being held in "involuntary servitude". (Sontag)  Most are immigrants trying to live in the U.S. ”Chinese women are being trafficked into the United States for brothels in New York and North Carolina. They are held in $40,000 debt bondage.” (Chinese women ‘forced into prostitution’ in US," BBC, 3 March 1998) Information of documented cases is infinite. There are many websites and publications that report on individual countries in alphabetical order. The statistics are shocking.

     Ricky Martin has started a project People for Children. He is concerned with the sexual exploitation of woman and children being kidnapped and sold into the sex trade. People for Children is a project of the Ricky Martin Foundation, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. PFC educates and informs through internationally syndicated public service announcements.

     Also, the project funds community based programs that monitor and combat a range of problems relating to the exploitation of children, with a focus on sex trafficking. The organization is also active monitoring and combating areas including debt labor, forced labor, modern day slavery, and prostitution of children. People for Children actively promotes and supports the redemption of exploited children as well as children vulnerable to sex trafficking, and the project provides assistance to the victims and their families.

     The organization I have chosen is not necessarily based on the Catholic religion. However, it does have many of the characteristics of Catholic social teaching. Pius XI says that “justice is much more than commutative justice, or individual justice.” While People for Children is obviously concerned with human justice, they are also for the common good. “There can be no justice in the full meaning of the word without an awareness that the good of the individual is part of the common good.”(Mich 81) Connections to our course, Church and Social Justice, and PFC are as follows:

1.     “Dignity of the human person.”(CST) Human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the starting point for morals in our society. My emphasis is on children, but this also includes women. Sex trafficking demoralizes and incorporates shame into their life on a daily basis. They are stripped of their dignity with little hope for a better life and are often prisoners forever. Article Nº 9. of  Declaration of the Rights of the Child - Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV) of November 20th, 1959. says that:

“The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form. The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.”

     This clearly illustrates without confusion that child trafficking is wrong. It is against the law and unforgivable. Forcing a child to become a prostitute on any level completely compromises his or her health, education, physical, mental and moral development. They are locked in a room with little or no exposure to the outside world, including doctors.

2. “Common good and community.”(CST) The human person is both sacred and social.   How we organize our society, in law and policy, directly affects human dignity and the ability of individuals to grow in community.  PFC believes it is their responsibility to contribute to the good of the whole society, to the common good. They have many ways that they implement this belief.

- “Funding programs which research and document routes, cases, contributing causes and policy, as well as social implications of trafficking and trafficking related issues including public health, immigration and law enforcement practices.”

- “Educating the public on the national, regional and international scope of the problem of trafficking through Public Service Announcements, briefings and public awareness programs, and through our web site.”

- “Advocating for the protection of the rights of victims of trafficking against all forms of exploitation.”

- “Assisting advisors to policymakers, legislative bodies, governmental agencies and international organizations on the status of domestic and international trafficking.”

- “Promoting model legislation to assist foreign countries in adopting effective legislative measures for the prevention, control and criminalization of trafficking.”

- “Funding practical training for law enforcement personnel about the techniques and resource available to victims.”

- “Collaborating with academic institutions, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups in the development and implementation of resolutions to the problems relating to the exploitation of children.”(People for Children)

3. “Option for the poor.”(CST) This means that people who are in a position to help the poor have a moral obligation. Many times they cannot support themselves or better their own lives. Because some become desperate to have a fulfilling life with opportunities, they may make poor decisions. Most of the sex slaves brought to the U.S. believe they will find a better life. They are tricked into coming to our country under false pretenses. As a result these women and children find themselves indentured to the traffickers for years if not forever. They have little chance of paying off their debt because they don’t receive the money they are “owed”.

     The option for the poor is an essential part of society's effort to achieve the common good. PFC de-romanticizes the U.S. so the woman and children won’t be taken advantage. A healthy community can be achieved only if its members give special attention to those who are poor and on the margins of society. 

4. “Rights and responsibilities.”(CST) We as a people must be advocates and give a voice to the needy. Human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. It is everyone’s responsibility to take on a role and make sure rights are secured. During the huge tsunami relief effort in Thailand the Ricky Martin Foundation pledged to build 600 homes for orphans. They also are trying to stop the sale of orphaned children to sex traffickers.

  5.   “Role of Government and Subsidiary.”(CST)

“The state has a positive moral function. It is an instrument to promote human dignity, protect human rights, and build the common good.”(CST) All people have a right and a responsibility to participate in political institutions so that government can achieve its proper goals. PFC has three campaigns currently in action. One is to sign a petition online to support the human rights of children and to protect them from labor and sexual exploitation. Adding your online signature to this list allows you to join millions of others who intend to have their voices heard.  The second and third campaign deal with sending letters to President Bush and Kofi Anan, head of the United Nations.

     The letters found at People for Children write that we as a people have these responsibilities:

- “Ensuring that heads of state monitor and combat the problems associated with trafficking within their own countries.”

- “Encourage individual nations to adopt the international framework and comply by creating sound national strategies to address the global phenomenon.”

- “Investigating the use and recruitment of girls for brothels, strip clubs, and massage parlors in all parts of the country, ensuring that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with international fair trial standards.”

- “Genuinely engaging in the rehabilitation of trafficking victims, facilitating their reintegration into society and providing adequately-resourced rehabilitation programs which promote a viable future for former victims of trafficking in civil life.”

-         “Ensuring that mothers have access to birth registration and proper documentation to insure competent medical care for underprivileged children.”

     The most significant thing I learned from this project was the sheer multitude of women and children being abused. They have no voice or power. It is our job to be their advocates. The only way to do this is to become involved. There are many organizations in addition to Ricky Martin’s that work very hard to end sex trafficking. You can donate to the cause, check lists of missing children, join campaigns, spread the word, sponsor a child, and above all educate yourself and others. Ordinary citizens have played a considerable role in the rescuing of victims.

Bibliography

Boudhiba, A., 1982, Exploitation of child labour: Final report of the Special Rapporteur of the UN Sub Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, Geneva: United Nations.

Catholic Social Teaching, Office for Social Justice, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 19 April 2005 <http://www.osjspm.org/cst/index.html>

ECPAT Philippines, 1994, Tourism and Child Prostitution in Cebu, Manila: ECPAT Philippines.
ISBN: None

Ennew, J., 1986, Sexual Exploitation of Children, Cambridge: Polity Press.
ISBN: 0-7456-0230-4

Martin, Ricky, Home page, 19 April 2005  <www.peopleforchildren.org>

Powell, Colin L., Public Release of the 2004 “Trafficking in Persons Report”, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, June 10, 2004.

Sontag, Debrah, Deaf Mexicans Are Found in Forced Labor, New York Times, 20 June 1997

Winfrey, Oprah, Interview with Ricky Martin, 2005, Oprah.