Project Trafficking: Global Unity in Addressing a Universal Challenge?

Abstract

Trafficking in persons is often referred to as a global problem that can only be resolved through collaborative action involving the entire global community. Since the early 2000s, the United Nations (UN) has spearheaded efforts to lead the global anti-trafficking campaign and advocate for the humane treatment of trafficked persons. This paper examines the effects of various legal documents and advocacy campaigns to argue that, for the present moment, the UN-led anti-trafficking collaboration fails on both counts-end trafficking and provide protection and support to trafficked persons. It further argues that the global anti-trafficking unity is maintained at the expense of solving the actual problem: identifying someone to blame and criminalize takes precedence over resolving socio-economic conditions, which are often at the root cause of trafficking. An extreme emphasis on criminality and morality, while well aligned with states' anti-immigration objectives and public outcries against illegal migration and prostitution, also leads to further ostracization of those in need of protection and options for reintegration.

Queering the Support for Trafficked Persons: LGBTQ Communities and Human Trafficking in the Heartland

“…Solely focusing on survivor-centered approaches to trafficking will not address the societal-level factors that push and pull persons into exploitation and vulnerability, such as war, gender inequality, discrimination, and social inequity (Britton & Dean, 2014;Goodey, 2008). Similarly, focusing only on nationallevel responses has led internationally to a focus on anti-immigration policies, crime, law enforcement, and prosecution at the cost of protecting survivors and advancing human rights (Goodey, 2008;Kaneti, 2011;Lindstrom, 2006;Smith, 2011). Countries need a comprehensive plan for making their communities trafficking-resistant by decreasing the systemic vulnerability of populations.…”

Advancing the efforts of the macro-level social work response against sex trafficking

“…Societal stigmatization can restrict services for victims of sex trafficking as they may be misidentified as sex workers (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012). This bias stunts the possibilities for comprehensive policy creation and other anti-trafficking efforts (Kaneti, 2011).…”

“…These difficulties escalate when vulnerable populations are moved over international boundaries where new cultures and political systems are encountered. Due to the complexity of state immigration concerns, victims of sex trafficking are caught between government policies and the need for safety (Kaneti, 2011). Without global coordination of anti-sex trafficking policy across state boundaries, progress cannot be achieved.…”

Policy Responses to Human Trafficking in Southern Africa: Domesticating International Norms

“…They argued that attempts to further anti-trafficking legislation and combat prostitution were operating from a conservative Christian position of restricting women's sexual autonomy and from an anti-immigration position of limiting "economic opportunities of women and other marginalized people" (Gulati 2010: 366-7). In contrast, abolitionist feminists and radical feminists from across the globe have called for a larger structural change in the patriarchal norms that subjugate and exploit women (or anyone in a vulnerable position) and coerce them into using their bodies as a commodity (Kaneti 2011). Radical feminists and religious conservatives have united in their view that prostitution represents the patriarchal domination (Gulati 2010: 366).…”

“…This divisiveness was apparent The problem with this consent-coercion debate is that it often focuses attention on the wrong end of the issue. As Kaneti (2011) argues, "(a)dvocacy groups end up debating on prostitution rather than alerting society to the socio-economic conditions that force people to leave their communities and search for a better life" (356). And leaders and popular cultural outlets "rush to…retell the story of trafficked girls, not realizing that this further reaffirms a negative image of the immoral, irrational, and alien that should be banned from society…a trafficked person is a criminal until proven otherwise" (Kaneti 2011: 356-7).…”