Trigger warning: this article discusses human rights violations, rape, sexual abuse, and more.
Imagine being snatched from a life and forced into a terrifying situation that leaves you chained and stuck with an unchangeable fate. This is unfortunately the reality that multiple women face when they are kidnapped, human trafficked, and forced into sexual slavery, also known as forced prostitution. Although prostitution is a legal institution in many countries, and some women may find that they have a choice in the matter, this article will focus on the coercive aspect of prostitution and the horrifying reality that many women go through when they are kidnapped from their homes and placed in a prison that they never wanted to experience in the first place. This article does not aim to debate the matter of prostitution, but will focus on the human trafficking industry, how women are placed in a bad situation, and how they are stigmatized as a result of something that was out of their control.
What is Human Trafficking?
Before diving into the long-lasting physical, emotional, and traumatic effects that women go through as a result of human trafficking, this article will begin by explaining what human trafficking is. Human trafficking, to put it simply, is dirty business that heartless people get into in order to profit off of others’ lives at the expense of their misery and terrifying brutality that they are exposed to. It is a criminal industry, and it is very disappointing to say that this is a widespread institution that is quite frankly present transnationally. According to international law, it is defined in this way as “(1) an act (recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons); (2) using means such as deception, force, coercion, and/or threat in order to have control over a person; (3) for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation may take various forms. Some of the most common are sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced begging, organ removal, and slavery and slavery-like practices.”
This industry has the ability to make fake documents for their victims, hire criminals that would not hesitate to kidnap and traffic women, and move their finances through underground illegal channels. The illegal industry often has legal ties to business venturers, military personnel, and even the law enforcement and have, over the years, become less visible to see and catch. The reason for this is because of the various facilities that work together, as stated by the article “Human Trafficking as Transnational Organized Crime” (2018), which is a chapter from a book. From “visa procurers, travel agencies, night club owners, midwives, lawyers, and even language schools,” all play a role in hiding these victims and showcasing them as normal girls. What is even more disturbing is the fact that, in the United States and Russia, investigations there showcase a correlation between human traffickers and higher education, as opposed to those of drug traffickers who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. In simpler terms, educated individuals are more likely to be found within the human trafficking industry.
Impacts of Human Trafficking on Women
The impacts women face when they are forced into sexual slavery and the human trafficking industry are immense. All oppressive measures that we can possibly think of are gone through, ranging from rape to sexual coercion. Victims of such a traumatizing institution have their freedoms stripped away and are forced to get accustomed to their new horrifying reality. They are more likely to grow sick with physical health problems, reproductive problems, STDs, along with mental health problems. Common impacts include physical abuse and exhaustion, in addition to being starved. Many may sustain injuries as a result of the assault committed against them ranging from concussions to broken bones and even long term physical health problems that require treatment. Another impact on women is sexual assault, which includes but is not limited to unwanted grabbing, oral sex, or even rape. They are often bribed or coerced to engage in sexual acts due to the control that these people have on them. Psychologically, victims suffer from immense guilt, PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, and even suicide attempts.
Stigma Faced by Women Forced into Sexual Slavery
Prostitution in itself as a word is considered a taboo. So, it is not a surprise that women that come from these unfortunate backgrounds are subject to stigma and discriminated against because they have “lost their honor” as a result of what they went through. What many fail to see and understand is that forced prostitution is not something that women willingly go to. When they are fooled into the pit of human trafficking, when their passports are taken, and when they are forced into new identities, they are being exploited. How is it that exploited individuals are blamed for something that was not their fault to begin with? Human trafficking and sexual exploitation fall on the pimps and the various other actors that reinforce this industry, and not those who fall prey to it. Victims of sexual exploitation are shamed, and this impacts them negatively, on top of the psychological, physical, and verbal abuse that they are subjected to already. In fact, this stigma is what prevents them from seeking the help that they need. Fear of being left out and being shamed has damaging long lasting effects on victims. It is time that this stigma be stopped, and human trafficking and forced prostitution be called out for what it is: an infringement on the rights of humans that never had a say in the matter.