A better method of combating trafficking comes from a better understanding of trafficking. Over the next few weeks Renewal Forum will be presenting the ABC’s of human trafficking, covering the foundational vocabulary of this issue.

Abduction

Abduction occurs when a person forcibly takes a man, woman, or child against their will, forcing that individual into circumstances that they are not in control of. In the context of human trafficking, individuals are kidnapped and then forced to be a sex slave, labor worker, or child soldier. Most trafficked individuals are not directly abducted, but are coerced or manipulated into trafficking situations due to circumstances outside of their control, such as but not limited to false promises of love and security, blackmail, forced addiction to drug, and threats against their loved ones.

Brothel

A brothel is a place in which individuals can buy sexual services from prostituted women/children/men. The majority of prostituted peoples working in brothels are women and children and men make up a large majority of the consumers. The average age that girls begin prostituting in the United States is 13, therefore, there are many children working in brothels in the U.S. Brothels can be found in all socio-economic neighborhoods. The Polaris Project describes these two common types of brothels found in the United States: residential brothels and Asian massage parlors.  Within each of these brothels prostituted peoples are forced to have sex with many men each day; the Polaris Project reports that prostituted women/men/children service as many as 48 customers in residential brothels and 6-10 customers a day in massage parlors. Prostituted individuals are often beaten, harmed, and even killed by the men that buy sex as well as by the owners of the brothels. In some brothels women are locked in and unable to leave, however, this is not always the case. In many brothels it is not chains and locked doors that enslave prostituted individuals but coercion, debt bondage and manipulation. Additionally not all prostitution happens in brothels.

Coercion

Human trafficking is not simply the use of physical force in order to control a victim.  Individuals are also coerced or deceived into the control of their trafficker. The Legal definition of coercion found in Washington D.C. § 22-1831(3)[1] states:

(3) “Coercion” means any one of, or a combination of, the following:

(A) Force, threats of force, physical restraint, or threats of physical restraint; (B) Serious harm or threats of serious harm; (C) The abuse or threatened abuse of law or legal process; (D) Fraud or deception; (E) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that if that person did not perform labor or services, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; (F) Facilitating or controlling a person’s access to an addictive or controlled substance or restricting a person’s access to prescription medication; or (G) Knowingly participating in conduct with the intent to cause a person to believe that he or she is the property of a person or business and that would cause a reasonable person in that person’s circumstances to believe that he or she is the property of a person or business.

Often, victims of human trafficking are manipulated into acts such as prostitution that they otherwise would not choose in light of other alternatives. Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable, such as undocumented immigrants, the impoverished, and homeless youth.  Every type of legal coercion listed is used by traffickers in order to exploit victims.