Stop Human Trafficking

Love 146 is an international human rights organisation working to end child trafficking and exploitation. It first started when a couple of co-founders were taken undercover with investigators to a brothel where children were sod for sex. All of the girls were wearing red dressed with a number pinned on their desk for identification. Most were watching cartoons on TV, with no fight left within them. All but one. Her number was 146. The co-founders were moved by the girl and changed the course of their lives.

There are several hotlines you can call in order to get help. Whether it be you yourself being victimised or you witness a human trafficking scene, here are some numbers for you to call:

National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 to:

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) is a national, toll-free hotline available to answer calls from anywhere in the country (US), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The NHTRC is not a law enforcement or immigration authority and is operated by a nongovernmental organization funded by the Federal government.

Report suspected child prostitution activity to the CyberTipline:

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Congressionally-authorized CyberTipline is operated by a nongovernmental organization and provides a means for reporting crimes against children and is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Text BeFreeText HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).

In March 2013, Polaris launched a texting shortcode to help victims of human trafficking find safety. When victims text to BeFree (233733) they reach one of our call specialists, who assist them in planning their escape and/or connecting them to services in the area.

1) Get Educated 

First and foremost is to get educated. Knowledge regarding Human Trafficking will open up many opportunities for us. Reading a book will give us a detailed account of the various experiences, which we can analyze and intake information. It will give us a better understanding of the horrors of Human Trafficking and the possible prevention of it. Mary Frances Bowley, author and founder of Atlanta-based human trafficking rescue and restoration organization Wellspring Living, recently wrote a book called The White Umbrella: Walking With Survivors of Sex Trafficking, in which it includes hundreds of sex trafficking accounts. 

Mary Frances Bowley: https://twitter.com/MaryBowley

Her book: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/december/white-umbrella.html

Her organization: https://wellspringliving.org/

2) Raise Awareness

Using your knowledge, raise awareness. It is important to spread what you know to other people so they too can be informed. Then tell them to spread it as well. Before you know it, the awareness may have spread like wildfire.

3) Take Action 

After raising awareness, set up organizations in which you can discuss possible ways to help the victims. Donating money, rescuing children, and detecting human traffickers; these are possible things your organization can be focused on. 

Not only is it important to be aware of Human Trafficking but it is also crucial for us to understand what the victims had to undergo, to see what horrors they had to tolerate at such a young age. Websites such as abolishchildrentrifficking.org provide articles regarding the experiences of children who were victims of Human Trafficking. Anna, a 12 years old girl ran away from home. However, on the way she was kidnapped by a man named Ted. She was taken to an apartment warehouse, where she was locked in a room with neither food nor water. After three days or so, Ted came and took her around in a truck. At this point, people would have wondered as to why they do not escape when given the chance. Due to the regular beatings and torture that are enforced onto the children, it sprouts fear that prevents them from risking the chance. Anna quoted, “One time when I wanted to leave, he filled up the bathtub with water, poured a bottle of gin into it and made me sit in it with open sores. More than once, he would hold a gun to my head.” This not only violates her physically but it also deeply scars her psychologically. A child that young should not be experiencing such combination of physical and psychological harm. They should be at home surrounded with their family and friends. They should be experiencing the same childhood we all get to experience. Human Trafficking needs to be stopped.

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation

This involves non-consensual sexual acts are committed to those trafficked. At least 1.39 million victims of human trafficking are used for commercial sexual exploitation according to the International Labor Organization.

Human trafficking for forced labour

This form of trafficking occurs often in developing countries. They are deceived, abducted, or threatened to work like slaves. Types of work range from agriculture, construction work, labour-intensive jobs, to domestic servitude.

Human trafficking for organs

People are trafficked to take their organs for transplants, because there are endless lists of patients waiting for a donor. Organ harvesting often takes the kidneys, as they are the only internal organs that can be transplanted without killing those who are trafficked. However, this is dangerous, as the transplants are done privately, and does not use proper medication, which can cause numerous problems such as infection. Also the patient may reject the organ, which could harm them considerably.

Human trafficking of children

218 million minors are exploited globally. Children that are trafficked are either abducted, tricked by the industries for education, or sacrificed by their families (sold to the industries for money).

What they are used for ranges from forced labour, child soldiers, domestic work, sexual exploitation, adoption for rich families, early marriage and for illegal activities such as stealing.

It is a popular form of labour among morally wrong industries, because children are cheaper to keep as they require fewer resources, and are easily manipulated.

Children that are sexually trafficked may be forced to work in brothels, hotels, sex tours, and more. This can cause devastating effects on the children, such as emotional and physical trauma, malnutrition, diseases such as HIV, drug addiction or overdose, and even death.

Debt Bondage

Some people owe money, and those lending the money keeps inflating the interest so that the people would never be able to pay off the debt, so they are forced to work for them for long periods of time. These people often have no chance of freeing themselves.

Human trafficking for domestic servitude

People are trafficked to perform domestic work in private homes, They are forced to do household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the children. They cannot escape, because they are isolated from the outside world, trapped in their “employer’s” home.  

"Types of Human Trafficking." National Crime Agency -. Crown, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/crime-threats/human-trafficking/types-of-human-trafficking>.

"Major Forms of Human Trafficking Include:." Types of Trafficking: Learn about Human Trafficking. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.humantraffickingsearch.net/typesoftrafficking.html>.

Identifying human trafficking victims through indicators can potentially save lives. Here is a list of indicators that someone may be a victim.

For children

A child has stopped going to school

A juvenile is engaged in commercial sexual acts

The child has no access to education

Travelling unaccompanied, with people who are not related to them, or in large groups of other children

In Sexual Exploitation

They live in poor conditions with multiple people to a room, or even with the employer

Signs of physical abuse such as bruises and restraint

Malnutrition

Brothels are:

Heavily guarded, windows barred and security

Workers cannot leave at will

They sleep where they work

Have very little clothes

Tattoos or marks that represent “ownership”

In Labour Exploitation

They are overworked

Malnourished

Not paid

Forced to do dangerous work

No contract of employment

Do not have the protective equipment

Made to pay for tools