Legislative Action in Technology Facilitated Trafficking

Involuntary labor and servitude has been prevalent for centuries. As societies progressed and became more aware of the inhumanity surrounded with such institutions, local and federal governments worked to abolish these conditions and enact legislation that would help to further prevent the re-emergence of involuntary labor. That being said, many forms of ‘modern slavery’ still persist throughout the world and within the United States. Latenero an assistant professor at the University of Southern California and a member of the California Attorney General’s working group on human trafficking asserts that in the simplest of terms human trafficking can be defined as a form of labor and sex exploitation of vulnerable groups especially people of color, women, and minors for financial profit (Latenero).

Females are among the most targeted groups making up 94 percent of victims. Racial minorities and people of color are also susceptible to being targeted with African Americans representing 40 percent of all sex trafficking victims and Hispanic/Latinos making up 63 percent of all trafficking victims utilized for labor (U.

S Bureau of Justice Statistics). In 2000, the United States passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, in which human trafficking began to be recognized as a global and domestic epidemic (U.S Department of State). The Trafficking Victims protection act reported that on average over 50,000 people a year had been trafficked within the United States (TVPA). Granted some federal and state laws have been established that address the issue of Human trafficking, despite this only forty-eight states have enacted legislation specifically combating sex trafficking which is less than 50% of all total states (Latenero).

Get quality help now

RhizMan

Verified

Proficient in: Injustice

4.9 (247)

“ Rhizman is absolutely amazing at what he does . I highly recommend him if you need an assignment done ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Therefore what’s needed is more comprehensive federal laws that would specifically prevent human trafficking within the United States.

In regards to human trafficking the internet specifically has allowed for the exploitation of women and minors for the purpose of human trafficking. Michelle Stransky a professor at Tufts University and David Finkelhor, a professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire and co- Director of the Family Research Laboratory concluded that 54% of juveniles who were sexually exploited 20% of them were found through the internet (Finkelhor, and Stransky). a quarter of victims were being discovered through some type of online platform therefore, being exposed to online perpetrators of human trafficking. In another study by the National Institute of Justice, researchers found that of 140 cases of human trafficking across the United States, 27% of the victims had been targeted using the Internet or another online tool (NIJ).

Moreover, the internet isn’t just ‘enslaving’ victims but, is also allowing for human trafficking to persist on a larger scale. Backpage is one example of an online advertising classified site that helped to facilitate sex trafficking and forced prostitution amongst children and women. The problem rests in the fact that traffickers online retain anonymity and therefore can’t be detected or prosecuted. Moreover, if websites are not subject to criminal prosecution constituted under federal law then trafficking will remain prevalent within the United States. Anne Williams, is the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the office of legal policy. In a speech addressed to Harvard University, and published in The Harvard journal Williams speaks on behalf of the Department of Justice, in discussing its intivaties to help combat and end human trafficking. The department of justice has a strong legal team prosecuting criminals who have committed trafficking crimes but, as many people are continually exploited on the internet it remains necessary to hold website operators accountable “turn a blind eye” to human trafficking that occurs on their sites (Williams).

Additionally, the Online Prevention bill, was recently passed by the senate and signed by the President of the United States, allows for the criminal prosecution of websites relating to sex trafficking of adults and minors by force or coercion. The bill intern allows prosecutors to not exempt websites such as Backpage an online platform, that knowingly facilitated human trafficking (Department of Justice). Although some opposition has risen in reaction to the proposed bill by congress. Michael Macleod Ball the former Chief of staff at the American Civil liberties Union and the current first amendment advisor stated in a letter addressed to the House of Representatives that the proposed bill to combat online sex trafficking wouldn’t ensure the complete termination of technologically facilitated human trafficking and would also limit the creativity of online platforms.

Concurrently, technology has also been utilized to help prevent the continuation of human trafficking (Latenero). Several anti-trafficking initiatives are mobilizing technology in order to help and locate victims, partnerships have assisted in the development of hotlines to assist survivors, third parties, and law enforcement (Latenero). A principal online platform in the advocation to end human trafficking is the Polaris Project. The Polaris Project is a global human trafficking hotline that has helped move forward more than 126 bills that have helped eradicate human trafficking and protect victim (Polaris Project). The efforts of initiatives like the polaris Project have pushed to enact legislation change within the federal Government. Karen Bass who previously represented the 33rd congressional district from 2011 to 2013, added an amendment to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act that requires Policy Operating Groups to report to Congress on Internet-facilitated human trafficking.(Angelique) The amendment would allow Congress to track human trafficking occuring online in order to combat the pervasive issue. Therefore, the federal government must work to halt the exposure of victims to online predators to ensure safety and security (Angelique). Although technology facilitated trafficking has posed an eminent problem to ending human trafficking, technology has also aided in locating victims and perpetrators while offering aid through online platforms, as acknowledged by the United States Federal government.