Human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will., a form of migration, is an important international issue. Concern with its link to criminal organizations and the exploitation of the people trafficked have prompted governments to counter it. This type of traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. has been fueled by four global trends.

• As previously noted ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors are important contributors to the phenomenon of migration.
• A second contributory trend has been increased mobility due to improved transportation networks and technology. This facilitates human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. as faster and cheaper forms of transportation increase the mobility of people.
• Third, has been the increasing involvement of international criminal organizations in the illegal movement of people. During the 1990s criminal organizations from a variety of countries have created sophisticated networks to illegally funnel migrants to developed countries. This new activity has been driven by the relatively low risks compared to other criminal activities and the high profitability. A passage from the Fujian province in China to the United States, where an increase in US Coast Guard boat patrols in response to 9/11 has led to a crackdown on maritime illegal migration, can cost up to $75,000 per person.³⁰ More mundane passages across the northern Mexican border cost a mere $400, but with tens of thousands of illegal crossings, revenue to human traffickers totals millions of dollars.
• A rather paradoxical fourth trend are rising incomes in sending countries. Initially rising prosperity in developing countries does not reduce the need for migration by mitigating the ‘push’ factors. Instead rising incomes allow a greater number of people to afford the steep fees charged by traffickers. . This phenomenon is known as the “migration hump”, as potential migrants must overcome the obstacle of having enough income to afford the transportation costs before they can make their journey abroad.Migration however, is not relegated to the relatively better off. Much like the ‘indentured servants’ of U.S. colonial times, thousands of illegal immigrants, upon reaching their country of destination, are forced to pay for their passage by working in illegal sweat shops or to enter prostitution, with the latter being the result for almost half of the cases of trafficked forced labor.

The International Labour Organization estimates that there are 2.45 million traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. victims who are living in exploitive conditions and another 1.2 million people who are trafficked across and within borders. The U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders every year.³¹

Rising public opposition to illegal immigration and the increasing criminal nature of human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. has prompted governments of the developed world to take measures to thwart the entrance of immigrants. In 2006, the United States government enacted a bill that authorized the building of a 700-mile fence between the US and Mexico, while also fortifying the border with extra guards. Although still not completed, the results thus far have shown no decrease in Latin American illegal migration to the US, but instead have only diverted smuggling to new, more dangerous routes, while violence and crime related to drug smuggling and human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. on both sides of the border has become an ever-growing problem.³².

In 2004, in order to control recurring flows of illegal migrants traveling through the Mediterranean and Atlantic to Europe, the EU created Frontex, a “specialised and independent body tasked to coordinate the operational cooperation between Member States in the field of border security”. Through independent and joint naval operations with African countries, Frontex has attempted to block or repatriate Africans attempting to migrate to Europe. Its success thus far has been ambiguous at best. According to The Economist, “Frontex has had some success in shifting migrants from certain routes across the Mediterranean, but it is unclear how many, if any, are deterred entirely from attempting the crossing”. What is clear is that, with regards to both the American and European case, increased border enforcement has not only increased profit levels for human traffickers, but has also made the illegal migratory journey much more dangerous.³³

The most serious repercussions of human traffickers often fall upon those who are being trafficked. Increased border controls have driven traffickers to use more dangerous and ruthless means to smuggle immigrants into countries. In March 2009, an ill-equipped boat from Libya carrying over 350 passengers in almost unbearably cramped and harsh conditions capsized on its way to Europe, drowning all of those on board. In fact, each year approximately 2,000 people drown in the Mediterranean on their way from Africa to Europe.³⁴

Tighter U.S. border controls in the vicinity of populated areas have increased the use of dangerous routes through the southwestern desert where immigrants can die from heat and thirst. As criminal penalties against human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. have been raised, traffickers have shown to be ruthless in the treatment of their cargo when in danger of being captured. In the Adriatic, Albania traffickers often jettison people into the sea, including women and children, to evade law enforcement.

Apart from the threat to the lives of immigrants, human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. can often lead to exploitation. As previously mentioned those who are unable to pay for their passage are sometimes forced to work in sweat shops or forced to prostitute themselves. Curbing human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. while minimizing the suffering inflicted on illegal immigrants presents a formidable challenge to governments as they devise new immigration policies.

The major policy instruments dealing with traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. is the 2003 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Another recent regional treaty was the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. in Human Beings.

For more information on human traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will., refer to the Human Rights Issue in Depth or read U.S. State Department Report on Traffickingin the context of “human trafficking,” it is the illegal recruitment and trade of people to be exploited against their will. Produces Changes.

30  http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/wopj.2009.26.1.33

31  http://www.antislavery.org.au/resources/pdf/Slavery_Trafficking.pdf

32 http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3890; http://www.slate.com/id/2159937/; http://www.economist.com/world/americas/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13415531

33 http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13400731; http://www.frontex.europa.eu/; http://soderkoping.org.ua/page13897.html

34 http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13400731;

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=4488653

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