'The Body Shop': Slave trade in the 21st century. - Samantha Watson

Bananas, tea, guns, coffee, cocaine….whatever the product, supply must match the demand. A balance must be maintained. If one drops, it threatens the entire equilibrium. Globalisation exacerbates unjust relations between supply and demand. It exploits the powerless in order to feed the growing demands of the powerful. In recent years, however, much has been achieved through raising awareness about trade injustices, which in turn has created a demand for a trading climate that is not only fair but empowering for the suppliers.

What about the trading of bodies, can that be made fair?

The actual number of people; men, women and children trafficked into the UK a chief destination country in Western Europe is unknown. This dangerous and evil underground world, where human beings are bought and sold to work in brothels, sweatshops, drug factories and as domestic servants, is hard to gain access to, explaining why for so long this evil edge of globalisation has remained hidden.

‘After arms and drugs sales, trafficking in persons is the fastest growing criminal industry’ (One world).

Not only is human trafficking extremely lucrative, generating an estimated 7-12 billion dollars a year, but it is a relatively low risk crime (One World). In 2003 the Home Office estimated that 4,000 women alone were trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation (UKHTC). Furthermore Operation Pentameter, a highly organised Police initiative that took place in 2006 rescued 84 victims of trafficking, following visits to only 10% of the estimated number of locations where prostitution takes place (UKHTC).

Despite the fact that both men and women are victims of trafficking, the marginalised social, economic and political positioning of women in many developing countries makes them increasing vulnerable to this modern slave trade. UNIFEM conducted a study in Albania revealing that women’s lack of economic opportunity, low education, domestic violence and inadequate law enforcement, are all significant factors contributing to a supply of vulnerable women. Often they are sold by family members, or are kidnapped or ‘duped’ into leaving their home, through promises of work abroad. They are often re-sold many times, treated as nothing but another profitable commodity, a body in transit (UNIFEM).

Just another illegal commodity

Last March the UK celebrated the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Europe. However it also marked an occasion where, as a nation, we are only just waking up to the existence of a new mode of slavery. UNICEF, in alliance with many other organisations, has initiated a campaign ‘Slave Britain’ calling to end the 21st century trade in human lives. It is a photography exhibition revealing how ‘human trafficking is a bitter reality for thousands of men, women and children in the UK today…though it is largely hidden, it is happening right on our door steps’ (Slave Britain). Considerable progress has been made in recent years to fight human trafficking; for example by implementing laws to criminalise trafficking, the formation of the ‘UK Action Plan’, and the establishment of the ‘United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre’ (UKHTC). However, current legislation continues to ignore the needs of victims of exploitation, particularly children. UNICEF is currently campaigning for the government to take greater responsibility for the support of trafficked children. In particular, the group wants temporary residence permits for those in danger if returned to their country of origin.

A chief goal of the UK Action Plan is to restrict the demand for human trafficking into the UK, through increasing the risks involved, thus decreasing incentives to traffickers. The Action Plan, implemented by the UKHTC, aims to improve knowledge of the scale and nature of human trafficking, in order to build the capacity of police and partner agencies to confront the problem. Likewise, through a more collaborative approach between the police and partner agencies, intelligence and resources will be employed more efficiently. They aim to improve the efficacy of prosecuting traffickers, and publicise successful prosecutions in order to deter traffickers. A convicted trafficker remarked ‘if I knew there was fourteen years for this, I would never do this. They should advertise this more…then, I think they would think twice’ (UK Action Plan, page 18)

Unfortunately, greater judicial and police action is not enough to eradicate Human Trafficking. Instead, what is needed is a more ‘holistic, long term approach that addresses the root causes that create an extensive supply of vulnerable people must be developed’ (UNIFEM). In particular we need to confront the socially conditioned inequalities prevailing at the individual and societal level; discriminatory attitudes towards men’s and women’s roles, bodies and sexuality must be challenged. Tackling human trafficking at the roots requires developing an infrastructure to support anti-trafficking laws and policy in the countries of origin. For example NGOs in Romania and Bulgaria are taking great efforts to increase awareness about trafficking and the risks of migration, in addition to providing services to extremely vulnerable women and children (One World).

Human traffickers have employed all aspects of globalisation to their advantage; an extensive supply of cheap labour, the opening of borders, advances in transport, information and communications technology, and an increasingly informal employment sector. Consequently, human trafficking must also be fought at this macro level. As with other development issues, human trafficking is not something the ‘West’ can shy away from. Instead it must be placed firmly on international agendas. It must be confronted through greater trans-national cooperation in awareness raising campaigns, and the sharing of intelligence and law enforcement expertise. Human trafficking is the ultimate violation of human rights, demonstrating that we did not say goodbye to the slave trade 200 years ago, but we must say goodbye today!

For more information please visit the following websites:

UNIFEM article ‘Trafficking in persons a gender and rights perspective’- www.unifem-eseasia.org/resources/others/traffic.htm Information on trafficking in children-www.unicef.org.uk Slave Britain campaign-www.slavebritain.org.uk United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre-www.ukhtc.org Home Office plan addressing the problem of human trafficking- www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/human-traffick-action-plan Anti Slavery, a UK based charity-www.antislavery.org One World article about Human traffickingwww.oneworld.net/article/archive/7451