Sexual trafficking is a form of human trafficking that is targeted towards sexual exploitation. Studies show that human trafficking is on the increase across the globe with variant forms. Such human trafficking includes trafficking for sexual exploitation or sexual human trafficking, trafficking for forced labor, child trafficking and so forth. Human trafficking is indeed a menace as it is identified as the second most serious organized criminal threat to Central America, besides drug trafficking (Seelke 272-277).This comparative essay takes a close look at sexual human trafficking that is one of the human trafficking methods predominant in Central America as well as its menace.
Human trafficking is prevalent in Central America, which is the southern part of North America from the southern border of Mexico to northwestern Columbia and also South America. The report issued by the US State Department pointed out the source, transit and destination countries of human trafficking in North America. According to this report, the source countries include Columbia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and so forth. The transit countries include all the Central America and Caribbean while the destination countries include Barbados, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, Bahamas, Panama and so forth (Seelke 272-277).
The prime factors that contribute to human trafficking in Central America can be classified based on individual factors and outside factors (Seelke 272-277). The individual factors include unemployment, poverty, homelessness, history of physical or sexual abuse, drug use and gang membership. On other hand, the outside factors include political, social or economic crises and natural disasters in particular countries. In addition; the high global demand for domestic servants, sex workers, factory labor and agricultural laborers; prolonged machismo that causes discrimination against women and girls; public corruption and so forth.
Sexual human trafficking is identified as a form of human trafficking that involves trafficking for sexual exploitation. BBC revealed a research conducted by the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI). This provided an innovative and exploratory work in Belize, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras and Hitherto. A very little were publicly known about these regions in terms of human trafficking. The report further identified factors that hindered official or unofficial efforts to collect data as uncertainty to evaluate the problem, its low priority among law enforcement agencies and its underground and illegal nature. This is the fact that the trafficking of women and children in these regions is a growing concern which cannot be overstated (“BBC”). In addition, even though the government in these regions is aware of the trafficking problem, it has employed only ad hoc measures to address the issues of concern in the regions. Besides El Salvador, other countries in the regions have labeled international sexual human trafficking as criminal activities. However, the law is not enforced in these regions and also to a great extent, adequate response mechanisms are not established by the government. Even where they are established that are not adequate (Seelke 272-277).
Seelke reported that sexual human trafficking is perceived as the most widespread and crucial regional problem of all the other forms of trafficking in Central America. According to the State Department, up to 100,000 Latin Americans are being trafficked annually. The majority of the traffic victims come from Columbia and Dominican Republic while the destination countries oftentimes include Spain, Italy, the United States, Portugal and Japan. A study identified that about up to 10,000 women are being trafficked from the southern and central Mexico to the northern border for sexual exploitation every year. Another report issued by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) pointed out that the relatively open borders, lenient administration of work permit rules and entertainment visa are significant facts behind sexual trafficking. The legalization of prostitution in the Caribbean is also the major reason for high trafficking in the region. The bottom line of the study points hands to the fact that there is inter-regional trafficking problems in the Central Americas and the Caribbean (Seelke 272-277).
This is a social dilemma that the trafficking has been identified, reported and investigated in some of these regions, but nothing is done about this in the end of the day. This is mainly because of the weaknesses in the justice system (“BBC”). As a matter of fact, corruption and weak legal and governmental system are the major reasons of the trafficking problem persist in these countries discussed in the report. The research also pointed out the social issues behind this cruel business apart from statistics. For instance, sexual trafficking is also supported by the families of the victims. There is a need to address prevailing poverty issue as well as awareness regarding social discrimination. The literacy rate has increased among women in past years but still they are struggling to get good jobs and to maintain their integrity in the society (Seelke 272-277).
The two sources including media and research conducted by Seelke statistically analyzed sexual human trafficking. However, Seelke presented more statistical data than report issued by BBC. He provided numerical information regarding the number of people trafficked in the countries under discussion as well as the studies involved in the trafficking based on sociology. He adopted more holistic approach to human trafficking and encompassed the various forms of human trafficking including child trafficking, forced labor and sexual human trafficking. Media considered sexual human trafficking in the countries under discussion, as well as the factors responsible for them. Unlike research study (Seelke 272-277), it did not provide comprehensive numerical information regarding the issue but it considered the extent of sexual human trafficking in the regions. This is imperative to consider that none of the two sources are biased. BBC used primary data obtained from first-hand interviews with individuals involved in the trafficking trade, government officials and non-governmental organizations, as well as the law enforcement agencies. Thus, the data used by the media are reliable. On the other hand, Seelke used secondary data from scholarly sources and renowned organizations. It is also not biased and presents the issue under consideration with a comprehensive viewpoint.
In short, scholarly sources involved in this essay are compared and contrasted. The human trafficking is the second most serious organized criminal threat to Central America, besides drug trafficking. Sexual human trafficking was identified as a form of human trafficking, and the essay took a close look at this form of trafficking in Central America and the Caribbean. The essay clearly pointed out that the trafficking is a growing concern in these regions and also pointed out the source countries, transit countries and the destination countries involved in this form of human trafficking. However, irrespective of the fact that these sexual trafficking problems are often reported and investigated. These are mostly dismissed due to the weak legal system.
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Work Cited
BBC, Monitoring Americas – Political "Sex trafficking in Americas is growing concern says US report." Nov 12, 2002: n. page. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://proxy.lib.ohiostate.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/452194498?accountid=9783>.
Seelke, Clare Ribando. "Trafficking in persons in Latin America and the Caribbean." Trends Organ Crim. 14. (2011): 272-277. Print.
