#Human trafficking

Instant gratification, the desire to be told that you are beautiful , obsession with validation and wanting to fit in; this are common causes of human trafficking.

Human trafficking seems like something that belongs im the movies, but it belongs in the real world and it happens to real people. It is estimated that over 2million people get trafficked every year in Africa, mostly being women. The report issued by the university of South Africa asserts that 55.5% of all trafficked people in South Africa are women and 44.5% are men.

Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings and it happens as a results of gender inequality, economic instability and political conflict. Human trafficking happens in every country including first world countries such as united states and the UK, however it thrives in countries with unstable government and lack of law enforcements.

In a multi-national and corrupt country like South Africa, organised criminals including Nigerians, Chines, east Europens syndicates, local gangs, policemen and politicians facilitate trafficking into and within South Africa for the Pupose of commercial sexual exploitation and debt bondage.

It has been reported in the past that South Africa is a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children trafficking.

• Source country; South Africa supply slaves both internally and externally

• Transit country; there is a lot of people coming in and out of South Africa going to various countries.

• Destination country; a lot of women from other countries including Thailand, China, and Europe are trafficked to South Africa for commercial sex and Debt bondage, while young men from other African countries are trafficked to South Africa for Farm work.

Johannesburg and Cape Town are notorious for women sex tourism. Many of this women are young girls who aspire to get a legitimate work in the modelling industry. Unfortuately, this girls prey on predators who promise them the good life and successful modeling career and unfortunately never deliver.

Human trafficking is a manipulation of trust. It is a crime that looks for valnerability. Exposure to social media is also a contributing factor to human trafficking. Most vulnerable girls who seeks validation post inappropriate pictures of themselves on social media. As a results this traffickers inbox them disguised as a legitimate modelling agency and promise to take them overseas for a successful modelling career.

On the contrary, unemployment, lack of law enforcement and government failure to implement policies are the causes of an increase in human trafficking. People are lured to traffickers by an idea that there is a job opportunity. Anyone can fall victim to human trafficking, however, the vulnerable population who do not have social and legal protection are the most at risk.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world after drug trafficking. It is a multi-layered industry and it is operated by legitimate businesses.

It is generally difficult and almost imposibble to put an end to human trafficking because traffickers choose transit location where government officials and the police are corrupt like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. Here are some reasons why it's hard to put a stop to human trafficking;

• The readily available porn and strip clubs create a fantasy world witch promise false satisfaction. Most man want to have what they seeon porn videos and they are willing to pay any amount of money to get it.

• The world is full of sick people who have torture fetishes, rape fatishes and paedophiles who are willinf to pay any amount of money to feet their fetishism

• We also have greedy government officials and policemen who do not care about the rights of the citizens but their pockets

• Human trafficking is operated by legitimate businesses.

It is impossible to eradicate human trafficking just like it is impossible to eradicate corruption and any form of exploitation. The government need to prioritise the Human rights of the citizens and put in place law enforcements that will ensure that traffickers don't succeed in their operations.

To report human trafficking, contact:

• South African Police Service (SAPS) 10111

• Department of Social Development (DSD) 080 022 0250

• National Human Trafficking Resources (NHTR) 080 022 2777