DebunkingMythsAboutHumanTrafficking

Whatisperhapsmostclearwhenconsideringthemanyissuesassociatedwith
humantraffickingisthereisnothingclearatall.Aslayersarepeeledbackfromthe
surfaceoftheproblem,itbecomesapparentthatvirtuallyeverythingaboutthisglobal
issueismuchmorecomplicatedthanitappearsatfirstglance.Tojumptoconclusions
whentryingtodiscoverthebestpossiblesolutionsistocommitaprofoundlackof
judgment,andDavidFeingoldhasaptlyaddressedthisinhisarticle,Human
Trafficking,byquestioningmanywidelyheldopinionsthatfocusonrawemotion
whilesearchingforwaystoconfronthumantraffickingtoday.Feingoldsargumentsare
notfoolproof,butmanyofhisclaimsarewellsupportedbythepersonalnarratives
fromvictimsofhumantraffickingassharedinthecompilation
ToPleadOurOwn
Cause
,editedbyKevinBalesandZoeTrodd.Specifically,Feingoldmakesimportant
remarksaboutthemythofhumantraffickingasalarge,organizedbusiness.However,
whenlookingattheinfluenceofpoverty,Feingoldseemstohaveunderestimatedits
actualimpact.
Tacklinganuncomfortablepropositionformany,Feingoldquestionstheeffects
oflegalizingprostitutionbystating,Suchamovecouldhampertraffickingbyopening
establishmentstoinspection,allowinglabororganization,andexposingunderage
prostitution(Feingold28).ConfrontinghisoppositionandtheU.S.StateDepartment,
whoclaimthatlegalizedprostitutiondoesindeedincreasehumantrafficking,Feingold
pointsout,Oddly,theNetherlands,Australia,andGermanyallofwhomhave
legalizedprostitutionreceivedtopmarksfromtheBushadministrationinthemost
recentTraffickingandPersonsreport(Feingold28).Clearly,somethingdoesntaddup,
andDina,aformersexslavewhowastraffickedinCambodia,providesfurthersupport
forFeingoldsassessmentbyremarking,Mylifehasbecomethiswaynowformethere
isnoturningback,soletmecontinuetopracticemyoccupation.Butrecognizemy
occupationandgivememyrights,soIamprotectedandIcanhavepowertodemand
justice(BalesandTrodd106).Evenaftergettingoutofapositionofforcedsexslavery,
Dinachosetobeasexworker,yetshealsoaimstohelpothersexworkersbyrunninga
unioninordertounitesexworkerstofightforbasicrightsandforfreedom(Balesand
Trodd105).Whilemanypeopleinthewesternworldbelievelegalizingprostitutionwill
onlycontributetotheproblem,throughstorieslikeDinas,itcanbeseenthatlegal
prostitutionofferstwomajorbenefitstovictimsofsextrafficking:alegaljobonce
victimsareabletoescapethesituationandmoreregulationbyauthoritiesleadingtothe
timelierarrestsofsextraffickersandslaveowners.
WhilesupportforFeingoldsclaimsthusfarisaplenty,turningtoanotherfacetof
hisargument,hehasbeensomewhatoverzealousinhisclaims.Inhisattemptto
debunkthemyththat,TraffickingIsDrivenbyPoverty,Feingoldquicklypointsto
thisbeingtoosimple(Feingold32).Herefutesthemythbyplacingblameonthelure
ofurbancentersandcitingthatmanyvictimsaretraffickedwithinthesameeconomic
classorevenwithinasinglecountry(Feingold32).Thismaybetrue,butfamiliesthat
areverypooraremuchmoreeagertobelievetheliesthatthetraffickerstellthem.
Arvind,achildwhowasbroughtintothecarpetweavingindustryinIndia,says,Ifeel
badaboutthekidswhoaresold.Ithappensonlytothepeoplewhoarepoorandneed
themoney(BalesandTrodd70).Rambho,alsofromIndia,hasasimilarstoryaman

gaveonly700rupees[$15]forhim,Buttherewasnomoneyathomeforustoeat,so
mymothertoldmetogo(BalesandTrodd71).Dinasharesthesebeliefs:
Ithinkitisbadthatmyfamilyaresopoorandgettingpoorerbecausethey
cannotsurviveasfarmerswithlittleresourcesIthinkitisbadthepolicetreat
meandmysisterslikewearecriminals,butthosewhoexploitusandtakeour
dignity,ourmoney,andsometimesourlivesliveinfreedom,enjoyingtheirlives
withtheirfamilies.Becausewhy?Becausetheyhaveapowerfulrelative,because
theyhavemoney.(BalesandTrodd105)
Thevulnerabilityofpovertymakesexploitingpotentialhumantraffickingvictimsfartoo
easy,andforthatreason,placingmuchoftheblameonpovertyisnotan
oversimplification,butratherasadtruthaboutreality.Feingoldhasinsistedthatitis
morethanjustthat,andalthoughitwouldbeagrossoversighttosaytherearenoother
factors,Feingoldhaseffectivelyunderstressedtherolepovertyplays.
Consideringthedifficultyofassessinghowtobestcombathumantrafficking,
Feingoldsarticledoesahighlycommendablejob.Hemanagestopose
thoughtprovokingquestionsabouthowlegalizedprostitutionwouldchangethesex
traffickingindustry,andheraisesawarenessabouttheliesbehindseveralother
commonlyacceptedmyths.However,whenconsideringpovertysimpactonhuman
trafficking,hehascreatedasituationthatismorecomplicatedthanitneedstobe.The
desperationofextremepovertyremainsaleadingcauseofhowpeoplearedeceivedinto
situationsofhumantrafficking,ascanbeseeninthemanyreallifenarrativescompiled
byBalesandTrodd.