International Human Trafficking Awareness Day
This post came in a few days early. Human trafficking awareness day is observed every year on January 11. It was established in 2011 by the United States of America Presidential proclamation of national slavery and human trafficking prevention month. For most of us in this part of the world (Nigeria), we may never know in full the ills of human trafficking. In modern day, this still manifests in various forms at different organisations. Basically, the purpose of this peril is exploitation.
Trafficking in person is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving of payments to achieve the consent of a person, having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. This sounds like an exam answer right? But is no joke.
A few indicators in human trafficking cases;
- Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends and organizations?
- Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex?
- Has a child stopped attending school?
- Does the person appears to be coached on what to say?
- Is the person fearful or submissive?
These are but a few indicators. Let’s be our brother’s keeper, watch out for this signs and be ready to lend a helping hand where necessary.