Human trafficking and forced prostitution are one of the most rampant social vices globally. It is one of the modern-day slavery and the rapidly growing criminal industry in the world. Human trafficking is the process of recruiting, transporting, harboring and taking people using threats, coercion, and abduction with the intention of exploitation. According to the United Nations, an estimated population of two million people is trafficked and forced into prostitution every year. Human trafficking has led to people’s rights being violated while at the same time subjecting them to inhuman conditions against their own will. The victims of human trafficking are either forced or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation against their own will ( Dysart, 2013 ). Labor trafficking can take place within the ranges of domestic and small labor operations to the large-scale operations. Sex trafficking and forced prostitution, on the other hand, can occur in the form of sexual exploitation where people are forced to into prostitution, pornography and commercial sexual abuse of children. Due to the rising rates of human trafficking, there has been a growing concern from the international communities as well as Christian Union bodies to bring to an end this practice which is considered illegal, immoral and a sin.
Background of Human Trafficking
The modern forms of human trafficking have been taking place in various forms including people, both adults and children being forced into prostitution. The victims of human trafficking are usually taken to isolated areas where they cannot escape or find anyone at their rescue. After being coerced or abducted and taken to an isolated place, the victims are exploited by being forced to engage in prostitution for the benefits of the traffickers ( Anchan, 2016 ). The act of human trafficking has not been confined to adults only, but it extends to children and adolescent youth. Studies have shown that traffickers in the international market usually focus on the young girls between the age of 13 and 17. In some instances, children as young as 10 years have been reported to have been trafficked and forced into prostitution. At this young age, the girls are forced to work as slaves until a time when they have grown old enough to be used in forced prostitution. People involved in the slave trade usually approach young girls with the promise that they will be offered a well-paying job away from their homes ( Paraskevas, & Brookes, 2018) . The victims being from low income families tend to fall into the trap of the traffickers only to arrive, and fins that the job they were promised is prostitution.
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According to the reports by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the percentage of the children who have fallen victims of human trafficking rose from 20% to 27% in a period of three years ( Islam & Hossain, 2017 ). Out of every three people trafficked, two were reported on being female and one a male. The world statistics of human trafficking had shown that 59% of the victims had been women, 14% men, 17% girls and 10% boys. According to the reports by the United States government, an estimated population of 800000 women, men and children are bought and sold across the international borders annually where they are either through forced commercial sex or forced labor. The reports by the UNICEF have also shown that the victims of human trafficking range between 2-4 million globally, with 70% of them being exploited for commercial sex while the rest being used as laborers. Bin the United States alone; there were over one million victims of human trafficking who were exploited in commercial sex.
Impacts of Human Trafficking
Human trafficking can, and forced prostitution can have adverse physical, psychological, societal and economic effect on the victims as well as the society at large. Most traffickers tend to target young victims between 10 and 24 years because such victims are more likely to give in to their coercion ( Marsh, 2017 ). After being transported to far places away from their homes, they are forced into commercial sex as well as forced labor. Being forced into prostitution at a young age, these individuals suffer from low self-esteem, depression and emotional instability. These victims tend to develop psychological problems which they live with throughout their lives. Such victims tend to engage in life danger activities such as suicidal thoughts. The victims feel dirty, immoral and worthless giving them further mental agony. Any child born by the victims are taken away further causing them the pain of losing their children.
Human trafficking and forced prostitution have also had health effects on the victims. Reports have shown that at least 80% of the victims are exploited sexually by being forced into prostitution ( Bow, 2015 ). The victims are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. This affects their health and puts their future lives at risk. At some point, the victims are subjected to poor diet leading to malnutrition which also affects their health. Due to the depression that the victims undergo, some are forced to use drugs as a way of covering the reality of what they are going through, and this further affects their health. The victims are also kept in poor conditions with substandard foods, housing, and surroundings that are unhygienic. They are sexually abused, forced to work as sex objects while also being tortured for any non-compliance. Following such trauma and exploitation, the victims usually get it difficult to gain acceptance and fit back into the society when they are finally rescued. They feel used, dirty, wasted and worthless to the extent that they can never live back their healthy life.
A survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO) has shown that the activities of human trafficking generate over $31 billion globally ( Ahn et al., 2013 ). The traffickers earn vast sums of money for the victims sold for sex exploitation making it one of the most profitable criminal activities in the world. However, the victims are paid minimal wages, and sometimes they even fail to receive any employment. During their exploitation, they are not allowed to move out and seek better economic opportunities thus affecting their economic status negatively. Human trafficking and forced prostitution has had severe effects on the lives of victims and thus the need for serious action to bring the matter to an end. Many international organizations as religious organizations and churches have joined the call for the need to rapidly end the vice and save the lives of the many victims.
Christian Worldview of Human Trafficking and Forced Prostitution
Sex trafficking has also been reported to take place within the borders of the United States where the citizens are trafficked to other countries. It has been estimated that over three thousand children in America are at higher risk of being coerced and trafficked into the commercial sex. The traffickers usually use coercion or abduction to convince women and children who are then recruited in the strip clubs and commercial sex. The traffickers target children who are vulnerable either due to their economic status. However, human trafficking and forced prostitution is a sin before God. Human beings are God’s creatures, created in his own image. Human bodies are the temple of God and must at all times be kept holy. By forcing people into prostitution, it destroys the holiness of their body, and it is an attack against God. Sexual violence and forced sex are one of the worst symbols of sin in the bible. It emerges as an entire break away from the relationship and a mockery of the intention of God to make a relationship with his creatures.
Sex exploitation has been mentioned frequently in the scriptures, and it is referred to as a sin against God and how human mind which is expected to think of spiritual matters have been corrupted and turned to the desires of the world. The victims who undergo torture and exploitation have not been ignored by God as there is hope for healing and redemption for them. To the human traffickers, the bible mentions the act as sinful and that the wage of sin is death. Therefore, on the Christian view, death awaits the human traffickers for sinning against God. The response that God has to evil and violence is redemption and renewal through Christ.
According to the biblical teachings, human trafficking and forced prostitution are an offense to the sanctity of human life. We are all created in the image of God, and everyone is equal before God. From the day people are born to the day they undergo natural death, everyone is valuable before God irrespective of race, economic status or even gender. It, therefore, becomes a sin to force another human being into forced prostitution or exploit another human being through slavery or even sexual exploitation (Exodus 21: 16, Timothy 1:10 New International Version). Human trafficking and forced prostitution offends the sanctity of human life and reduces the victims to less valuable human beings, yet the scriptures state that all people are equal before God. It is, therefore, a sin to do human trafficking and subject people to any kind of exploitation.
Human trafficking and forced prostitution act as an offense to the sanctity of marriage. God brought sex to act as a powerful bond that can only be enjoyed by two people, a man and a woman who are married. The bible states that sex is exclusively reserved for those who are married and therefore any other sexual activity between people who are not married is a sin (1 Cor. 7:2-4 New International Version). The bible further condemns any sexual activity such as prostitution and adultery. The act of forcing people into prostitution, therefore, goes against God’s intent for sex and amounts to sin. A person should not lead others forcefully into committing an act that is sinful in nature as the sin is on such a person. Marriage is considered to be an image of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5: 22-30 New International Version), it is a covenant between the two people and must be respected. However, human and sexual trafficking goes against the intent of God concerning marriage and sex. Human trafficking is, therefore, sin and must be ended.
Human trafficking and forced prostitution create an image of bondage to sin. The victims who are sexually exploited feel the bitterness of being forced into sexual sin by their masters. They feel the shame and pain of having been used by someone they had no any marital relationship with. This portrays human trafficking as a horrific evil that ruins the lives of young girls and women and forcing people into unnecessary sin. However, there is still hope for the victims of the human trafficking because Jesus Christ came as a slave (Philippians 2:7 New International Version) and suffered for all of us on the cross. The blood that Christ shed on the cross called for the need to follow the gospel because there were hope, forgiveness, and liberation from the previous sins caused by slave masters. The return of Christ will completely eradicate sex trafficking and the sex traffickers, who are sinners according to the bible, shall not see the kingdom of God. His return will liberate those who had been sexually exploited, and he will wipe away their tears and make them rejoice. Based on the biblical teachings, the Christian worldview on human trafficking and forced prostitution is that it is an immoral act and a sin before God. It is an act that goes against human sanctity and what God expects us to do. It should, therefore, be ended, and people involved in the act should avoid it because it is against the will of God.
Causes of Human Trafficking
There are several causes of human, with some causes varying depending on the country while others being common. One of the major causes of human trafficking is poverty. Most human traffickers have been taking advantage of the poverty levels and vulnerability of young girls and women by luring them with the promise to secure a well-paying job far away only to reach and realize it is a different thing ( Cho, 2013 ). The traffickers usually lie, promising the victims jobs and economic stability. With the urge to get out of their poverty levels and gain wealth, the victims are generally found vulnerable and fall into the trap of the traffickers. Reducing human trafficking, therefore, requires the government to ensure the economic stability of its citizens so that no young girls are found vulnerable and lured into the human trafficking industry.
Political instability can also create a conducive environment that promotes human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Militarism, violence and civil unrest can lead to destabilization, making people scatter for safety thus creating an opportunity for the traffickers to lure the vulnerable young girls ( Perry & McEwing, 2013 ). Wars can also lead to massive displacement of people. It creates a large number of people to be displayed on the streets thus making them vulnerable to trafficking. The wars also lead to loss of lives of many family members leaving their young children without parents, and this makes them vulnerable to human trafficking. At the same time, there has been lack of adequate laws and political commitment to end this vice, and this is one of the reasons why it has continued to exist despite the efforts made to stop it ( Hodge, 2014 ).
Minimizing Human Trafficking
In response to the identified causes of human trafficking, specific measures can be taken within the scope to bring an end to the issue of human trafficking. Reducing the vulnerability of the victims is the first measure that can be used to reduce the social vice. Other measures that can be used include offering public education and awareness so that the victims are aware of the ways to avoid falling victims of the traffickers ( Islam & Hossain, 2017 ). Border control can also be increased to monitor people leaving and getting into the country and ensure no trafficked persons are either brought in or out of the country. When applied, these measures will minimize the rate of human trafficking and forced prostitution.
Conclusion
The issue of human trafficking has raised a significant concern globally due to the impacts it has not only on the victims but also to the society at large. Both the international communities and religious organizations have been at the forefront in advocating for an end to the matter. On the Christian’s worldview, the act of human trafficking and forced prostitution is morally wrong, sinful and unethical. It goes against the will of God and what he expects of all human beings. Human trafficking is therefore immoral and must be surceased.
References
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Perry, K. M., & McEwing, L. (2013). How do social determinants affect human trafficking in Southeast Asia, and what can we do about it? A systematic review. Health Hum Rights , 15 (2), 138-59.
Exodus 21: 16, Timothy 1:10, 1 Cor. 7:2-4, Ephesians 5: 22-30
