Any industry targets a specific market and is practically designed to profit. However, it is unfortunate to note that there are existing commercial enterprises that gain at the expense of others’ vulnerabilities. Human trafficking, particularly the evidently profitable sex trafficking, can be considered as the worst in this kind of industry, and it continues to be prolific in the black market.
Sex trafficking takes advantage of others’ weaknesses—the victims who got involved so as to alleviate themselves from poverty—in order to satisfy the greed of its money-hungry proponents’ and the lustful desire of its patrons. Thus, a determined and solid fight against this illegal industry will not only prove beneficial to humankind but will also save the lives of the many victims. An effective way to achieve this is to address the issue from its root cause. It is evident that sex trafficking or the other underground economies will not prosper if only they are not supported.
Therefore, sex trafficking industry in the black market will cease to exist if people will not demand for it to force the criminal groups to stop their supply and end their illegal business. Illegality is the nature and seems to be the name of the game in an underground economy, which is also referred to as the black market. In today’s modern world, the black market involves a large display of illegal trading concepts and activities. It is comprised of various industries and characterized with avoidance of all authorized and regulated revenue generations by the government such as relevant taxes.
Generally, it is manifested in countries that greatly practice economic freedom. It eventually turns big in countries where there is an apparent existence of corruption. According to United States Ambassador John R. Miller, human trafficking is actually the underground marketing with people as commodities. It works according to the existing principle of supply and demand.
The immoral and revolting trading leads to “ modern-day slavery,” with people served as the goods (Miller 1). In addition, Ellerman reported that human trafficking is now regarded as the world’s third biggest and rapidly developing illegal business. It is one of the many underground economies, where a lot of people are forced in a slave-like kind of living in various workplaces such as prostitution or slavery dens where the sex industry produces huge amount of profit for its illegal organizations (Ellerman 1). Ellerman added that human trafficking is an old problem that preys on existing ills of society such as “ poverty, power inequality, and the ruthless demand for cheap labor and commercial sex” (Ellerman 1). As it rises to its unprecedented degrees, it is now regarded as one of the identified human rights issues that the modern century has to face (Ellerman 1). The immediate development of this cruel industry is faced by an insensitive and increasing rejection by different sectors of the society.
Since the resources and institutional influence by illegal organizations prevail over the authority of the government, fighting against it requires a sincere and effective implementation of laws. This is because the significant impact of underground economy and sex trafficking in particular necessitates a strategic plan of action, matched with support from various sectors of the society (Ellerman 1). The efforts of criminal organizations to widen their illegal businesses and set forth aggressive playing fields resulted in the conception and success of flourishing black markets worldwide. This is because the need for inexpensive labor has drawn a lot of illegal immigrants in the United States.
Noticeably, the influx has ignited some irregularities and illegal twists such as the noted sex trafficking. In his Harvard International Review article, Miller revealed that around “ 600, 000 to 800, 000 people are trafficked across international borders each year” (Miller 1). Aside from the millions of people who have become victims of labor and sexual exploitation at their respective countries, Miller added that two-thirds are lured into sex trafficking or sexual slavery (Miller 1 qtd. in United States Government).
Since human trafficking is characterized by “ force, fraud, or coercion—legally sanitized words that cover intimidation, kidnapping, beatings, rape, deceit, abandonment, and murder,” trafficked individuals suffer both physical and psychological abuse (Miller 1). According to Miller, there is a need to identify and analyze the concept of black market in order to look into the economic factors resulting from trafficking of persons. Based on Wiegand’s definition and theory, Miller substituted “ production” with “ procurement. ” This is on the premise that criminal groups operating underground economies utilize a scope of methods to set up victims.
These include abducting or subjecting unaware victims to drugs, fabricating non-existent employment, and even utilizing people close to the victims just to lead them into sex trafficking (Miller 2). Miller explained that this illegal trading exists simply because it involves a large amount of money. Citing the case records of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miller disclosed that human trafficking, or sex trafficking in particular, is highly lucrative. Its contribution has already reached $9.
5 billion to black markets worldwide. A widespread trafficking technique is marked by challenging common sense of ordinary and naive people. Miller mentioned as examples the trafficking of young Bangladeshi and Pakistani boys to the Gulf States who worked as camel jockeys while restrained in an inhumane conditions. A particular sex trafficking-related case involves Nigerian women who were sexually molested and eventually turned into prostitutes at various cities in Western Europe. Miller also stated as an example the Colombian women who worked as entertainers in Japan bars. He emphasized that one trafficking victim is forced to be a part of an earning or profit center that is bounded to gain large amount of money intended for a greedy exploiter (Miller 2).
Moreover, Miller reported where the criminal groups operating in black markets apparently get their unlimited supply of trafficking victims and what makes them maintain such supply. He said human trafficking in an underground economy that comes from hopeless and unwary populations particularly prevailing in developing nations. People in these countries are prone to believe or be trapped to the promises of work or better life conditions offered by traffickers. Hence, poverty and the victims’ desire to have an improved way of living result in the many instances of human trafficking, especially sex trafficking. However, poverty is not only the contributing factor for this underground market as Miller mentioned that the comfort of worldwide transportation and communication is also a significant contributor.
This is because the increased frequency of foreign travels is a clandestine manner of human or sex trafficking. Furthermore, the use of mobile communications and even other advance technologies in recruiting ignorant people has caused this illegal and immoral business to progress (Miller 2-3). According to the US Ambassador, the fundamental model of black market implies that supply is nothing but a possibility unless it is converted or interpreted as moving factors that will influence demand. Miller then noted with concern that nowadays, there seems to be an enormous demand for cheap labor in various countries. These are represented in furniture factories in India, the Middle East’s camel race courses, the Los Angeles’ massage parlors and videoke joints and clubs in Tokyo. Miller said that the traffickers spend a small amount of money in their human supply simply because the unlimited number of potential fresh victims economically enables the black market to substitute a sex slave with a new one (Miller 3).
In view of the above, Miller stated that the economics of human or sex trafficking entails a big demand for cheap and weak victims coming from countries where there are weak laws or regulations pertaining to labor. Miller also noted that the demand for sex trafficking is increased by the blatant existence of or exposure to pornography and the perception of prostitution as a glamorized work in several famous movies. Even the developing nations have generally accepted and justified prostitution as a job, even though it is part of the underground economy. This eventually leads to an increased demand for victims of sex trafficking or commercial sex abuse (prostitution). Citing again the United States Government estimates, Miller claimed that sex trafficking comprises around “ 66 percent of transnational trafficking in persons or TIP” (Miller 3). Since prostitution is significantly connected with sex trafficking, Miller suggested that there should be a special concern on how it fits into the trading metaphor.
Miller added that the whole situation is simply a “ supply and demand equation” (Miller 3). The underground market of prostitution is actually highly regulated in several countries worldwide. The regular and increased demand from patrons causes a rise in supply. Moreover, its offer of a high paying job with low skill requirement make the trade more attractive, resulting in a steady supply of people engage in sex market (Miller 3).
Conclusion In essence, human or sex trafficking deprives the victims of basic rights and their liberty to choose a decent and rewarding job. However, it is a worldwide threat that poses health hazard. It specifically harms the people engaged in the business and even allows the spread of highly transmittable diseases obtained from sexual intercourse such as AIDS. It also ignites the development of organized and influential crime groups that manipulatively operate the black market while at the same time weaken the effectivity of the laws and authority of law enforcement agencies.
Human or sex trafficking is multi-cultural in nature. Thus, cooperation among nations is essential in order to win the battle against the so-called modern form of slavery. Several solutions can be helpful to fight the system, including judicial actions, changes in the state policies, an increased consciousness by the public, and pressure from the authorities. Ultimately, human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking, will remain in the black market. This is because the underground marketing of sex trafficking evidently depends on its supply and demand.
As long as no sincere and effective solutions are done, the illegal market of human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking, would still function and serve the respective interests of the traffickers, victims, and its patrons. Hence, it is now our call, as the ball is in our hands.
