Modern Day Slavery

A few weeks ago, Saudi royal, Meschael Alayban, was suspected of trafficking a Kenyan woman to her home in Southern California.  The Kenyan woman had no passport, forced to work as a maid without off-days and with little pay.  This is quite surprising, as when I think of human trafficking, I do not picture it happening in the United States.  

Seeing as we live in a global society I could understand why.  Patrick called transnational crime one of the most successful forms of globalization (137).  Human trafficking is estimated to bring annual revenues of over 10 billion dollars (Patrick, 137).  So the question is how does a state, specifically the United States, counter or combat human trafficking?  Let us begin with the White House. 

A look at the White House's website gives a broad overview of human trafficking and its issues globally and psychologically.  A nifty link to the NGO National Human Trafficking Resource Center is also poster, offering a 24 hour hotline for people to call.  It also links to other programs overseeing trafficking programs within the executive branch. 

The State Department has an office solely dedicated to battling human trafficking, centered around the Trafficking Victim's Protection Act.  The website describes the numerous ways the government takes on the issue: from diplomacy and prevention programs, to prosecution of traffickers.  The Department of Homeland Security followed up with a similar combating program, Blue Campaign.  

The Department of Defense has the most helpful website.  It provides training tools (but of course, available to DOD employees only), identifiers, and other numerous resources for citizens to understand the issue more (and hopefully report it when seen).  The FBI is just as helpful, providing stories and documents available to all.  It also, being the FBI, provides great numerical data on human trafficking.  It estimates that over "two million people are trafficked world wide" each year (FBI).  

Transnational crime is difficult to stop.  It is global and moving as fast and long as the world spins.  Knowing this, the United States has placed numerous resources from its various departments to help educated its population and have them help out in this issue.  The Kenyan woman I spoke about earlier, which Princess Alayban is suspected of trafficking into the U.S., was discovered while she ran out to the street flagging down a bus.  In her hand she held a pamphlet from the Department of Homeland Security, describing the rights that all people have against human trafficking.  While this information the government puts out might seem minimal, it does serve its purpose.  This issue cannot be dealt with in a day, and it is going to take more than a government to fix.  

   With my curiosity on this issue, I explored the myth of mail-order brides.  While I could not find a website for this particular subject, I was able to find a few that portrayed themselves as international date sites.  I find it very odd that women would portray themselves in that way, but you never know.  Secret, transnational organization in disguise or actual date sites?

CBS News:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57593297-504083/saudi-princess-meshael-alayban-held-in-calif-on-human-trafficking-charges-$5-million-bail/

US Dept of State:

http://www.state.gov/j/tip/index.htm

US Dept of Homeland Security:

http://www.dhs.gov/topic/human-trafficking

US Dept of Defense:

http://ctip.defense.gov

FBI:

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking