Human Trafficking: An Endless Cycle?
Human trafficking is a cycle. With a global economic crisis on the horizon, the demand for cheap labor is on the rise. People looking for jobs far from home are often deceived and tricked into forced labor or sexual exploitation. Many others are unemployed and living their lives in poverty. This places the poor at a higher risk of being trafficked, as victims of human trafficking are often poor, illiterate, and living under very serious health violations.
Economic Impact in South AfricaOne of the incentives for trafficking is the huge profit made by the buyers and sellers, as well as the criminal organizations that keep the business going. In fact, human trafficking brings in billions of dollars in profit worldwide. Part of this money goes to South Africa, which has a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of US$159.9 billion - four times larger than its neighboring countries. The trafficking of people brings in the third largest amount of money in the world, just
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behind drug and weapons dealing. But it is the uneven distribution of this money that continues to drive poverty and unemployment in Africa. Criminal organizations in South Africa use their profit to traffick more and more people overseas, as well as use some money for other areas of crime, including arms dealing and narcotics. In 2003, the children’s institute at University of Cape Town stated that 75% of children in South Africa face poverty. As a result of human trafficking, poverty, unemployment, and inequality are all increasing.
Economic Impact in MadagascarAs a result of human trafficking in Madagascar, The United States is looking to prevent the World Bank from financially supporting the country until it begins rebuilding the economy and taking steps towards the prevention of trafficking. The Bank does not want to be seen as a stimulant for such illicit activities. Madagascar continues to suffer from the economic effects of human trafficking, which include the lack of law enforcement, decrease in human productivity due to health conditions,
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and the circulation of money throughout the criminal organizations. When looking at human trafficking in retrospect, it must be brought to attention the fact that people are much easier to move across borders than any other trafficked items. Unlike many materialistic objects, human beings can be re-trafficked multiple times - thus making it an easy, low-risk business that continues to harm the economy of Madagascar.