Sexual Trafficking Issues - Term Paper Example

of Introduction Sex trafficking refers to the process of recruiting, transporting whether within a nation or across international borders and harboring of people with the main aim being commercial sexual exploitation (Donnely, 2003). The definition aims at differentiating sex trafficking with other forms of labor exploitation that are committed in various parts of the world. Research shows that within a period of 12 month, between 700,000 and 4 million people comprising of men, women and children are targeted for the purpose of sex trafficking. However, the majority of these people according to statistics are youth between the age of 16 and 28 years. The main purpose of this research paper is to analyze human rights from a youth perspective through a case study involving sexual trafficking (Orend, 2002). There are various theories that serve to explain human rights and which can be applied to the cases of human sex trafficking. Some of these theories include: Developed by Gerwith, theory is based on the writing of philosopher Emmanuel Kant. The theory postulates that human beings who lack agency in their life have less equal rights compared to those who have agency. The theory adds that human beings must be left to pursue their course of action with minimal interference from agents whose demands are not rooted in the well being of human beings. The theory derives rights of all human beings from their needs and the protection of children is at risk under this theory because they lack agencies of their own. In the same way that a state has its sovereignty, the theory posts that each individual should be left to be autonomous and pursue their own needs. Agents who are supposed to protect children from sex trafficking may fail in their duty of doing so thus making children to be more strained because of faults that were not by them. The main concerns that are raised by the theory include why the normal or fundamental requirements of social justice are combined with past incidences of victims who were out to seek justice. A good example that makes transitional justice to look strange is the call by people for compensation for cases such as colonialism and slavery (Nickel, 2006). In the same line of thinking, it can also not be understood as to how victims of sex trafficking can be compensated or get justice be done long periods after the injustice was committed against them. Labor rights theories stipulate that there is a need to ensure that there is dignity and recognition in cases involving relationships that can be termed to be ethical. Power and inequality are however recognized by the theory as being one of the major impediments to ethical recognitions. In terms of human sex trafficking, the youth being overpowered and the inequality especially between the rich and the poor are some of the major causes of the increased vice in society. There are various levels that efforts to combat the issue of sex trafficking has been put in place. They include the international and national levels in most countries. In May 2005, a council of Europe convention against trafficking in human beings was set up in Europe. The treaty that led to the constitution amendment of European Union was led by the understanding that, victims of human trafficking and especially sexual trafficking ended up being slaves in the destinations in most cases (Griffins, 2008). Under the declaration of foreign affairs ministers of all countries within the union, the convention called for increased in cases of human trafficking in the region around Europe. Much has been done since then but there has been a need to advocate for increased patrolling especially within the border. Other measures that have been set up by the international community to curb increased cases of sex trafficking include the United Nations convention on against organized crimes that was held in 2003. In its trafficking protocol, the convention reached a conclusion that there is a need to always ensure human beings are treated with dignity and a zero tolerance towards cases of human trafficking. UNESCO also initiated a program that was aimed at creating thematic networks that can be employed to fight human trafficking in all parts of the world. The program was aimed at reducing levels of discrimination and xenophobia as well as promotes cultures that encourage coexistence and discourage trafficking. Officials that are corrupt in most governments are to blame for the continued incidences of human sex trafficking in many countries. It is reported that high profiled people in most governments are at the helm of sexual trafficking by protecting the perpetrators of this vice and receiving lump sum cash in return (Forsythe, 2006). The capacity of immigration officers to control trafficking at the border has been hindered as a result of the influence that they receive from various sources especially people who are in power. Involvement in international crimes that have been organized is also to blame for the rising instances of human trafficking. Realism theory is an international relationships theory that holds that each state is a primary actor which is in a system to ensure that its interests are protected at all costs. In can be estimated that each nation is therefore pushing for its interests in the fight against sex trafficking which is making it difficult to combat the vice. Individual (Case study) Meena Hasina was trafficked into sex slave industry of India at a very tender age. While in the brothel, she was able to have a son and a daughter. Through various efforts, she was able to escape from sex slavery but her children were still trafficked into the business. She was able to save her children and now works with the NGO “Apne aap”. The Nutts which controlled the brothel that she used to work from is involved in intergenerational prostitution whereby mothers are involved in prostitution and later on nurture their daughters to participate into the same. She remembers that she was only nine years when she was kidnapped and was taken to a brothel even before her first periods. The case study above indicates how cross border control of immigrants is poor as she could be kidnapped all the way from Nepal and be sold in India to the nuts. The beating that she receives when she fearlessly fought to oppose the first client indicates some of the many atrocities that victims of sex trafficking go through and how their rights are violated in the darkest corners of the world. Infringement on the fundamental rights of those who have been trafficked is evident in the way that they are raped and beaten thoroughly while inside the brothel. Youth perspective (Constructivism theory) According to social constructivism, key structures that are found within the social system are not material in nature but they are social and inter-subjective in their nature. The interests of the state in defending the rights of the youth in most cases are not normally fixed but they keep on changing from time to time. Reality is evident in terms of how well the rights of people are protected and determined by activities of various organizations on the forefront in protecting the rights of people. The youth therefore need to stand and protect themselves from acts such as sex trafficking in places where their governments have failed to do so. Views of NGOs Various NGOs have been on the foref,ront in the fight against the whole problem of human trafficking in various parts of the world. Their view is that any form of sex trafficking that leads to violation of human rights as seen in the case study above needs to be dealt with by applying all means to combat the problem (Clapham, 2008). These NGOs form a part of the programs that are put in place in various parts of the world with an aim of helping reduce cases involving sex trafficking. NGOs view youth as people who are energetic and useful in the quest for their rights issues to be addressed appropriately and have therefore teamed up with many of them in various parts of the world to alleviate the problem. As indicated by these NGOs, it is possible to solve the problem of sex trafficking and be able to save human beings from suffering that results from them being enslaved after being trafficked. References Clapham, A. (2007). Human rights: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. Donnely, J., (2003). Universal Human rights in theory and practice, London: Brook. Forsythe, D., (2006). Human rights in international relationships, Sydney: Mv Publishers. Griffins, J., (2008). On human rights, Washington: HillGraw. Nickel, W., (2006). Making sense of human rights, Edmonton: McGraw Hill. Orend, B., (2002). Human Rights: Concept and context, New York: Feathers Publishers. Read More