Letter: Human trafficking is a problem

To the Editor,

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others.

This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage or the extraction of organs and tissue, including for surrogacy and ovary removal.

Human trafficking is a crime against the person because the violation of the victims’ rights of movement through coercion and because of their commercial exploitation.

Human trafficking is the trade of people, especially women and children.

Nearly 80% of human trafficking is for sex, and 19% is for labor.

An estimated 27 million adults and 13 million children around the world are victims of human trafficking

Human trafficking must be officially recognized as a medical diagnosis.

Victims experience severe injuries from assault, HIV, and other transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, pregnancy related complications, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression with thoughts of suicide.

Human trafficking must be stopped.

Woman are approximately seven times more likely to experience human trafficking.

The average age of the victims is around 15-17 years for sexual exploitation.

This is a serious problem that must not be forgot about.

James Daniel

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