Human trafficking is one of the many social problems that plague society due to its widespread nature. According to the International Labour Organization (2017), there are at least 24 million people who are enslaved. Out of this number, over 8 million people work in sexual exploitation and in coerced labor. This is a significant number considering that individuals have a right to decide where they will work without being coerced or exploited. Poverty forces individuals to enlist for lucrative international jobs without realizing that they will end up being exploited.
How society influences human trafficking
Human trafficking is by large the making of the society which insists on economic abilities to measure one's success. Essentially, society is highly stratified making individuals struggle to ascend to the next higher level. Individuals are forced to find an avenue that would help them escape misery and poverty. The promise of better ventures is usually irresistible and people apply to those international jobs without thinking about their negative implications. The same society sustains human trafficking since the cartels who are known are allowed to operate since their operation earns the society some foreign exchange. The society then ensures that this vicious cycle goes on leaving no hope for the vulnerable and the poor.
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Application of sociological theories to human trafficking
Human trafficking is a social issue, which can be understood well by applying certain sociological theories. Some of the theories that can be applied in analyzing human trafficking include functionalist, conflict, rational choice theory, and symbolic-interactionist theory among others. The functionalist theory establishes that society is responsible for creating vulnerable people who are targeted by human traffickers. (Lerum, & Brents, 2016) Interactionist theory asserts that social interaction help individuals to apply meaning out of their situations. In this case, some individuals may feel worthless creating an avenue for being subjects of exploitation. On the other hand, conflict theory focuses on how powerful individuals use their influence to exploit vulnerable people. The vulnerable people bend to the will of the powerful people as they got no other option if they need to survive
Why conflict theory applies best to the issue of human trafficking
Conflict theory explains human trafficking more effectively as compared to other theories. The reason why human trafficking continues to plague the society is the fact that human trafficking perpetrators wield so much power and influence. They tend to take advantage of the poor and vulnerable individual by promising them a way of escape out of their misery (Sweileh, 2018). Moreover, these people continue to operate in the illegal business in spite of the aft that the authorities know them. These individuals are able to bribe the officials so that they can continue with their illegal trade. Of importance, is the fact that the human trafficking victims do as they are instructed as they are powerless against their masters.
Using conflict theory to explain how human trafficking came to be and how it is being perpetuated
Stratification and class struggles are social concepts that explain how societies are formed with some few individuals at the highest levels with the majority being at the lowest levels. This social stratification gives the minority the means of production while the majority of society becomes the laborers. The demand for labor and means of survival creates class struggle and conflicts. The powerful individuals take advantage of these struggles for their own benefit. The dominant groups create a hopeless situation for the vulnerable groups, which makes them hopeless. The dominant groups then tap into this hopelessness by offering solutions. The vulnerable groups take on these opportunities without considering their long-term effects. The dominant groups create structures and mechanisms, which ensure that the vulnerable groups will remain in servitude by collaborating with the government officials. As a result, the number of people targeted by human traffickers continues to rise in spite of a global outcry to put it to an end.
References
International Labor Organization. (2017). Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labor and Forced Marriage. Retrieved on 22 March 2019, from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.pdf
Lerum, K., & Brents, B. G. (2016). Sociological Perspectives on Sex Work and Human Trafficking. Sociological Perspectives, 59 (1), 17-26.
Sweileh, W.M. (2018). Research trends on human trafficking: a bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database. Global Health , 14 (1), 106.
