The change of human trafficking considered as an international problem to a problem that also occurs within the United States is evident through laws established throughout history that focus on international and domestic human trafficking. Many citizens of the United States only believe that individuals who have been trafficked to the United States are from foreign countries. However, many victims of human trafficking are citizens of the United States.
- International laws try to eliminate human trafficking
- immoral actions and devastating effects
- The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
- Helps with returning children who have been trafficked to different countries.
- Prohibits the trafficking of children for sexual purposes and labor.
- Punishes people guilty of participating in the illegal act of human trafficking.
- Individuals’ rights of parenting a child will be removed, if they are guilty of trafficking a child.
- Domestic laws
- Trafficking Victims Protection Act was created in 2000.
- Emphasizes the need to end the plight of human trafficking to eliminate the trauma that these individuals endure.
- Allows the State Department’s office to control trafficking and the President’s Interagency Task Force to control trafficking to initiate change for this issue.
- Obama’s effort to raise awareness
- Established January as human trafficking awareness month and January 11, 2011 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
- On January 11, 2011, events occurred to raise awareness of the urgency to end human trafficking. Alliance to End Human Trafficking started a campaign for the government to renew the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to protect the women and children in our world.
- Trafficking Victims Protection Act was created in 2000.
Through the shift of public opinion about human trafficking, we are more aware of the severe consequences that this act has on women and children. Women and children should not live in fear of their lives.