In the interests of keeping discussion as relevant as possible, the first case study will fall close to home for many readers. We will explore human trafficking in the US. The analysis will be based on the framework laid out in the previous posts. This initial post will cover supply. Subsequent posts will deal with demand, transit and aftercare. As this is intended as an introduction, it will remain general. However, more in depth studies of specific areas and cities, as well as solutions will fallow. In fact, if anyone is interested in sharing how things are in your city, feel free to post.
Supply
Lack of security, both economic and physical, is the main risk factor for exploitation. The risk goes up when there are groups actively seeking to exploit that insecurity. It goes up even more when it is easy to move those at risk to areas of greater wealth where there is more profit to be made by their exploitation. In the Americas, all these factors are present.
Poverty and underdevelopment in Latin America puts millions of people at risk. The presence of powerful organized criminal organizations means there are powers to benefit from that risk. Proximity to the affluence and subsequent high paying demand of the United States and ease of transport across the border provides an even greater incentive.
The largest source country for human trafficking victims into the US is Mexico. To put it comparatively, a days wages for a field worker in Mexico are equivalent to one hour of pay for the same work in the US. Given that consumer goods cost close to the same in both countries purchasing power is dramatically limited and poverty levels are extremely high. In fact, about 40% of the population is below the poverty line according to UN standards. Living standard are lower in countries further south, such as Guatemala and Honduras, which is why citizens of these countries illegally cross into Mexico to find work.
There are many reasons for this, including lack of investment in development and endemic corruption. Also, the US role in causing the instability in the region that has contributed to the poverty can not be overlooked. Numerous US interventions in Latin America in the past century are still being recovered from. Also, the North American Free Trade Agreement, far from creating economic equality, has lead to the domination of local markets by American goods (this puts local producers out of work), destruction of local agriculture and rampant unemployment.
These issues are complicated by the prevalence of corruption, which has provided an ideal breeding ground for criminal activity that today turns much of the region into a war zone. More people have been killed in the Mexican drug conflict, in less time, than Coalition troops in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. These organizations are unquestionably powerful. They are also business minded. With the sale of humans rivaled only by the sale of drugs in profits, they have been quick to go into the slave trade.
Finally, as the US is the richest country in the region, the highest prices for exploitation can be charged. It is easy to move people across the US/Mexico Border. It happens hundreds of times, every day.
Slavery in the US is not limited to cross-border human trafficking. In the diversity of the US, there exist microcosms of poverty paralleled by prosperity, with agents willing to take advantage of insecurity. In areas such as Oakland CA, most victims are domestically trafficked. This will be discussed at length in a later post.
As is evident, the supply is very great. What is the demand? Why is there a demand? What can be done about it?
Stay tuned as we explore slavery on the ground in our own neighborhoods.
For more information about human trafficking in the Americas, go to
http://www.misssey.org/for info on domestic trafficking.
For info on trafficking into the US and globally go tohttp://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
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