A Silent Epidemic: Understanding the Implications of Sex/Labor Trafficking and Actions We Must Take to Change the Narrative
Introduction
Margeaux Gray at the extremely young age of 5, was sexually abused and sold into child sex trafficking by a close trusted man in her life. As a survivor of human trafficking, she shares her story with others, has become a beacon of light, and empowers other survivors of human trafficking. In an interview with the Office on Women’s Health, Gray emphasizes the importance of letting other women and children know that trafficking is “not equal to success or love . . . a trafficker doesn’t look like what media or society stereotypes them to be . . . a trafficker can be a boyfriend, a friend, a family member, or a job recruiter.”
Gray’s story is just one of millions and will sadly not be the last. Between the years of 2008 to 2019, the number of human trafficking victims identified worldwide more than quadrupled from around 30,000 to nearly 120,000 and continues to grow exponentially every year. The business of trafficking persons is shrouded in secrecy due to its illegal nature, therefore, the statistics that experts predict are most likely highly unrepresentative of the true number and nearly impossible to measure in their entirety.
It is important to remember that there are two primary forms of human trafficking; sexual exploitation and forced labor. Sexual exploitation is the main form of trafficking, and most people trafficked are trafficked for this purpose. While anyone is at risk of being sex trafficked, the people who seem to be most at risk are young women and children. Whereas those being trafficked for the purpose of forced labor are mainly men.
While the US government is doing a lot to combat human trafficking, it is vital to remember that this is a worldwide issue and to help stop it there would need to be cooperation from the local communities, the US government, private sectors, and international cooperation all around. Understandably taking on a task this large with so much cooperation is nearly impossible, which is why it is vital to start at the smallest level and work up. By implementing a policy or law which increased education and public awareness in schools and law enforcement agencies it would play a vital role in combating and preventing all forms of human trafficking.
1). I think that your title is perfect it very much highlights the illegal nature of the crime and how it is silently happening all over. I think that it hints very well at the thesis of the paper.
2). I think that the title and the introduction respond very well with each other and that the introduction is very clear in correspondence to the title. I like how you talk about changing the narrative on human trafficking as it is a horrific thing that our country faces and there needs to be more awareness around the subject in order to change the narrative.
3). I am not sure how it will play out in an argument style simply because I think that a lot of people think that human trafficking is wrong and that there needs to be things that happen in order to change what is happening and to prevent it. I can see maybe arguing for these things to happen in order for change to occur. All in all I think it is a good argument I think it could be tweaked slightly just to be able to form a good argument about policy change and advocacy that should be happening in order to combat this epidemic. I also think that there is an opportunity to change epidemic to pandemic solely because this is an issue that is happening worldwide and many of the human trafficking schemes tend to operate through overseas. I also think that is part of the factor why sometimes it is so hard to track down the women, children, and men that are forced into sex-trafficking and forced labor, is the fact that they could quite literally be anywhere.
4) I think that you effectively called for a change in awareness and taking preventative action.
1). Comment on the title. How does it offer a way forward on the issue? Does it hint at or echo the paper’s thesis? Make suggestions.
Your title is so good and perfectly sums up the concern of what is going on, plus a call to action.
2). Does this piece’s title and introduction respond to an exigence?-Does it make the issue pressing or connect to other pressing needs and issues? Make suggestions.
I definitely think you do a good job introducing this paper. I think you have a great balance of showing how concerning the issue of sex trafficking is (especially for young, unsuspecting children) as well as telling the real story of a survivor. It provides great background on what sex/labor trafficking actually is and what it can mean for victims.
3). Comment on the thesis. Does it set up a clear argumentative claim? Is it advancing a specific policy or practice? Can you imagine how the rest of the argument will unfold?
Yes, I think the argument is very clear but I can also see what Abbie is saying. Most people would probably agree with you, but if you are arguing for actions to be set in place to PREVENT cases of human trafficking. I think you could absolutely make a great case on what needs to be done rather than it being right or wrong.
4). From the thesis and introduction, identify the organizational pattern from the chart in the “Arranging Policy Arguments” Keyword? Also, identify the types of policy instruments that are suggested in the thesis (mandates, inducements, capacity builders, or system change). If you can’t do that, let the reader know.
I think you are calling for a system change, preventative measures, and inducements through morality and sympathy.