Haleigh Culverhouse
Leadership
11.25.2014
People Property
As humans, we have this mindset that we deserve whatever our hearts desire. We
can waltz into any store and have material “necessities” handed to us at the swipe of a
card. All it takes is the birth of a Savior to receive more than enough gifts annually. We
seem to find great value in possession. However, what happens when we, the human race,
hit an obstacle? What extremes will we go to when our own desires cannot be met?
Sadly, we do whatever it takes and sometimes the expense of others is the perfect price.
Human trafficking takes place more than we feel comfortable acknowledging. The
Webster Dictionary defines human trafficking is “organized criminal activity in which
human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited”1. Who wants to
be guilty of such a selfish motives? Let us ask the media this question. It is pretty obvious
it is an uncomfortable one. Human trafficking is not a big deal compared to the other
happenings in the world today. This is evidently the way the media feels when taking the
amount of press these victims and oppressors receive into account. The only attention this
industry seems to receive is that of the non-profit realm. Let us dive into this whole
phenomenon that is human trafficking to better understand what it is and what the media
says about it.
Human trafficking earns revenue of approximately $32 billion2. As of a study in
2013, there was an estimated 20.9 million victims of human trafficking in the world3.
This means there are 20.9 million mothers, fathers, and children enslaved for the rest of
their lives or until they can pay off their debt. People all over the world are brought to
work hard jobs in terrible conditions for money that is barely enough to live on. Countries
such as Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Uganda are a few that come to mind when we
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think internationally. The sad truth is that unless you really look into these places, you
would never know of the extent of their trafficking situations. The media seems to be
afraid to cover such things. Let us be honest with ourselves. It is an uncomfortable
thought that because we are unhappy with our own selves, we must enslave others. In
countries all over the world, children are sent to war, girls are sold to brothels, and
families and put to labor in brick factories or rock quarries. On the ground in these
countries, the media is particularly silent. In fact, in Cambodia, the police can be bribed
to pretend they did not see anything when women are sexually exploited4. If the men who
are to be the most respected and honorable will avoid the topic, the media will not touch
it. In these countries, oppressors have absolute power. They obtain these victims by
visiting rural communities with convincing the people there of better opportunities
elsewhere. These rural dwellers take the offer only to find themselves enslaved.
Oppressors will then set a debt. Victims must pay it if they ever want to be set free. The
truth is, the debt is not payable. Oppressors will make it unattainable in order to keep the
enslaved in the position they need them in- vulnerable.
If that is not an uncomfortable thought, perhaps the fact that this happens under
our very own noses will be. Yes, it is true. Men and women are trafficked to and inside of
the United States! According to an article by Michelle Lillie, California, New York, and
Texas are the top locations for human trafficking here in the United States. All three
places have cities that hold large numbers or immigrants or runaway minors who are
easily lured into sex trafficking and forced labor5. In the United States, one would assume
that there would be freedom since we say that it what our country is founded on. We have
no problem taking individuals from their homes in other, far off places to work strenuous
Haleigh Culverhouse
Leadership
11.25.2014
jobs without pay. Humans in many parts of North America, including Canada, are
trafficked.
It is quite disappointing how little these situations show up in the media.
Voiceless individuals are not being heard. However, many groups and non-profits have
worked to have these men and women be heard by the rest of the world. One well-known
group, International Justice Mission, works very hard to achieve this goal. IJM is a group
that helps rescue victims of trafficking all over the world with the help of well-educated
lawyers, social workers, and aftercare specialists. IJM has rescued countless trafficked
persons. On woman, Charito, grew up in the Philippines. At a very young age, she
dropped out of school to help her family meet ends meet. She was promised a job but
soon found it was just a trick. Charito was sold into sex slavery at 14 years old6. Sarika,
who was also rescued by IJM has a similar story. She was tricked into a job offer and
found herself in Kolkata, India. She worked as a sex slave there7. Stories like Charito’s
and Sarika’s are not uncommon. Hundreds of men and women have been rescued from
the help of IJM’s fearless team. All of these rescued individuals share these horrific
stories. Despite their traumatic experiences, both girls have come back to serve and
rescue those who are oppressed in the same way they were. They have taken their past
and made it a passion to serve and love others. My question is why is this not media
worthy? These women should be heard. They are passionately and wholeheartedly
working for the good of others. Every day of their lives, and many others who share a
similar passion, is spent giving hope and purpose to others.
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Another group, CAST, Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, publishes
the stories of victims and allows them to be heard. One man from Indonesia, John, was
promised a job in the United States that would help him one day reach his ultimate goal
of becoming a nurse. However, upon reaching the U.S., he found he had been sold to a
couple. He was forced to work in fear of abuse and with the threat of deportation hanging
right above his head. Men like John, if given a voice, have the opportunity to be a leader
to others who have had similar pasts8.
While organizations such as those above express the importance of putting an end
to this human travesty, some argue the political side. Two scholars, Bridget Anderson and
Rutvica Andrijasevic composed an article expressing the fear of what these concerns
would do for immigration in the United States. Since those trafficked are vulnerable and
migrant labor workers from other places, the immigration laws will probably become
harsher. While I understand what they are saying, I feel as though that is not a valid
reason to not end trafficking in America. We should not silence our voices so that
immigration laws will not become stricter. We should fight for the rights of individuals
who are oppressed and for the right for people to start their lives in this country if they
wish to work for it.9
Donna M. Hughes of the University of Rhode Island wrote a paper on the
trafficking of women. This paper was really interesting as it focused on two sides of the
sex trade: sending and receiving countries. She expressed the politics that go along with
being a sending country, such as Ukraine, after the crash of the Soviet Union. The trade
of women is in high demand and the Ukraine, along with other counties such as Thailand,
provide women to these high demanding countries10. This is so heartbreaking. I break
Haleigh Culverhouse
Leadership
11.25.2014
down in a government leads to the buying and selling of women as property. There is a
new method of slavery to meet our crazy sinful desires.
Leadership takes a major role in the fight to end human trafficking. It takes
individuals standing together for what we believe to be true. We must find it in ourselves
to really take up the burden and speak out for those who are being oppressed both locally
and globally. What it all comes down to is whether we are willing to put our desires
above the freedom of others. We all have the opportunity to stand against human
trafficking. We must decide that wearing clothes made in a garment factory that pays
men, women, and children barely anything is not worth it. Others of us must take a stand
and say it is not okay for the men of today to sleep with women who are enslaved in
brothels. The initiative must be taken to take a stand and lead the way to a better
tomorrow. While the media does not cover a lot of what does on in the trafficking world,
they do make a point to publish some stories. This is excellent on their part except when
the story is not totally honest. However, the fact that it is at least being peppered out into
today’s society is great steps to a change. There is much more to be done, though.
One step is to denote all of our selfish incentives. We enslave to become more.
We take the vulnerable and weak for our own gain. Those of us who see this happening
and know it is not right keep quiet out of fear of our own harm or going against the
powerful. Those in authority legally get in the swing of corruption and keep quiet with a
little bribe. In order to truly impact today’s issue with human trafficking, there needs to
be a shift in the mindset of people. One must understand that the victims are not just
clumps but individuals. This is not just an uncomfortable living arrangement, but
mistreatment and enslavement. In order to be a positive leader in this, one must
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understand leadership identity. In a book called Identity, Leadership, and Power, Daan
Van Knippenberg and Michael A. Hogg explained it as the understanding of social
processes and expectations about people groups.11 In order to lead effectively, we must
understand the side of the oppressed and those who are oblivious to the world of human
trafficking. From there, it will be possible to bring everyone together as one to put an end
to this tragedy.
In conclusion, I would like to leave you with a quote. Mother Theresa, a catholic
nun and an inspiration to many lived among the poorest of the poor in India. She
dedicated her life to those who were without what she had been given. Mother Theresa
once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to
create many ripples.” We may not be able to abolish human trafficking, but we can
spread the word and save individuals. We can take a stand for one person and then
another. I leave you with these words of Mother Theresa as a challenge to embrace the
things you have been given and to fight for those who deserve the same rights we have
been given. Let us not lose sight of our friends at home and around the world who are
silently crying out to us for deliverance from the clutches of corruption, deceit,
oppression.
Haleigh Culverhouse
Leadership
11.25.2014
Notes
1. Human Trafficking [Def. 1]. Merriam-Webster Online. In Merriam-Webster.
Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/human%20trafficking
2. Havocscope Global Black Market Information, Human Trafficking Statistics and
Facts, http://www.havocscope.com/tag/human-trafficking/ (November 20, 2014)
3. http://www.havocscope.com/tag/human-trafficking/
4. Bopha Choup, personal converstion, June 2011
5. Human Trafficking Search, Top 3 States for Human Trafficking,
http://humantraffickingsearch.net/wp/top-3-states-for-human-trafficking/
(November 21, 2014)
6. International Justice Mission, Charito’s story: A Sex Trafficking Dedicated to
Serving Others, https://www.ijm.org/news/charitos-story-sex-trafficking-survivordedicated-serving-others (November 21, 2014)
7. International Justice Mission, IJM Kolkata: Sex Trafficking Survivor Leads Team
to Rescue More Girls, https://www.ijm.org/news/ijm-kolkata-sex-traffickingsurvivors-leads-team-rescue-more-girls (November 21, 2014)
8. CAST, John, http://www.castla.org/john (November 21, 2014)
9. Bridget Anderson and Rutvica Andrijasevic, “Sex, Slaves, and Citizens: The
Politics of Anti-Trafficking,” Soudings (2008)
10. Donna M. Hughes, “The ‘Natasha’ Trade: Transnational Shadow Market of
Trafficking in Women”, Journal of Internaitonal Affairs 53 (Spring 2000)
11. Daan Van Knippenberg and Michael A. Hogg, “Identity, Leadership, and
Power…”, Leadership and Power (2003)
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Work Cited
"Human Trafficking." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/human trafficking>.
"Human Trafficking Statistics and Facts." Havocscope RSS. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.havocscope.com/tag/human-trafficking/>.
"Cambodian Police." Personal interview.
"Menu." Human Trafficking Search. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
<http://humantraffickingsearch.net/wp/top-3-states-for-human-trafficking/>.
"Charito's Story: A Sex Trafficking Survivor Dedicated to Serving Others." International
Justice Mission. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. <https://www.ijm.org/news/charitos-story-sextrafficking-survivor-dedicated-serving-others>.
"IJM Kolkata: Sex Trafficking Survivors Leads Team to Rescue More Girls."
International Justice Mission. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. <https://www.ijm.org/news/ijmkolkata-sex-trafficking-survivors-leads-team-rescue-more-girls>.
"John." CAST LA. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. <http://www.castla.org/john>.
"Human Trafficking | North Carolina." "Sex, Slaves, and Citizens: The Politics of AntiTrafficking" A Focus on the Evils of Trafficking Is a Way of Depoliticising the Debate on
Migration." Anderson, Bridget, Et Al. –. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
<http://humantrafficking.unc.edu/2011/05/03/sex-slaves-and-citizens-the-politics-of-antitrafficking-a-focus-on-the-evils-of-trafficking-is-a-way-of-depoliticising-the-debate-onmigration-anderson-bridget-et-al/>.
Hughes, Donna M. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/natasha_trade.pdf>.
Knippernber, Daan Van, and Michael A. Hogg. "Leadership and Power." 1 Jan. 2003.
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