Guest Speaker: Alicia Peters
A year ago in my Global Seminar class, Alicia Peters came and spoke. This is the reflection I had written then.
Attending the person event for our class from Alicia Peters on her lecture of Human Trafficking was interesting. Before listening, I had no prior knowledge on the topic. Human trafficking comes from the media, news stories, and films. It is the most important form of trafficking. The ideal victim defined by Nils Christie is, “a person or category of individual who when hit by crime most readily (is) given the complete and legitimate status of being a victim.” The typical victim is described as young, naive, innocent, sexually inexperienced, forcably kidnapped, physical abuse, and trafficked for commercial sex. People associate trafficking into categories and these are sex trafficking (movement into prostitution) and severe forms of trafficking (force, fraud, coercion). Sex trafficking in not a federal crime and there are no benefits or services. Severe forms of trafficking have benefits for the victims, services administered through NGOs, and it is a federal crime. A law for human trafficking was created under a compromise. Yet, countries have different frameworks when it comes to prostitution. It is important to incorporate people’s stories into policy change.
Actual trafficking victims can be anyone from adults to children of any gender and age. They are exploited in any labor sector, including agriculture, construction, domestic work, food service, fishing, commerical sex, and many others. With trafficking, kidnapping is possible, but oftentimes persons willingly consent based on false promises of high paying jobs, a better life, education, romance, or access to drugs. Some people who are trafficked may have the freedom of movement. But they remain in the trafficking situation due to their travel documents being held, threats to call law enforcement/immigration authorities or to harm family members, observed violence of others, or withholding drugs. The definition of Human trafficking itself has four different parts to consider. These are the process, the means, the purpose, or if one is under 18.
I believe this topic is important as people hear the phrase human trafficking and have an idea/ basis of what it means, but most do not really know what trafficking is other than the fact that it is bad. It also happens much more commonly than we think. It is important to consider how the person got into the situation, how they are kept there, and what is their purpose for being kept in the situation. It was also interesting to hear the side of the law aspect and how a law was created as I am also enrolled in a Sociology of Law class. There is an operative and non-operative definition. Knowing exactly to approach human trafficking is tricky there are many parts that come together. I came to this lecture knowing nothing and left being more informed.
I really enjoyed hearing Alicia’s presentation again as I believe it’s a great reminder everyone should hear and learn about. It was an amazing refresher and it is such a sensitive topic, that the presentation had the same impact as the first time I heard it. Going forward, I want to teach those in my life about human trafficking to help keep those around me safe. It is a scary world we are living in and it is only getting worse (not to be negative, but in the news situations keep arising that are dangerous; hearing about those who are getting abused, going missing, and dying).
