After our first day I have an expectation that at the end of the week we will "be equipped" to play our part (however small) in changing this world from the global issue of human trafficking. The course, run by 'Not for Sale campaign' is an eye opening and hopefully shifting of thinking to understand what human trafficking is, the extent of its influence and what we can do to combat this.
Human trafficking is defined on Wikipedia as "the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery." The UN has a comprehensive definition you may like to read also. (unodc.org)
There are varying statistics from different organisations and analysts about the extent of this problem but a general agreement is that it is a global concern that needs to be addressed. The US State Department released a report in 2010 into the current world situation and suggested 177 countries are involved in some way in human trafficking. (Report from state.gov)
This extensive report identifies the current trend in human trafficking in each of these countries and how they have responded to combat the problem.
According to their research Australia has fully accepted International recommendations to fight human trafficking through legislation but is recognised to be a country that does have victims of this crime within its borders. A number of cases are mentioned and it is suggested there are both international and national people being forced into labour or sexual practices.
In just a quick google search I discovered a story about a Brisbane man who forced a teenager into prostitution so he could pay his rent. He gave this girl a free room and chicken nuggets in payment for sexual encounters she had with a woman and with men aged between 40 and 60.
Forced labour is a bigger problem than sexual exploitation and it impacts most of the world's population. Forced labour filters its way to many of us through the products we buy innocently in the supermarkets and retail stores. Even when the manufacture of products is fair trade the actual process of planting and harvesting the materials used may have been through forced labour.
This is a striking blow to us who would be horrified that the clothes we wear have been part of a human trafficking cycle.
Over the remaining days of this course we will be looking more at how we can do something to re-abolish slavery. This is something I would like to write on in one month's time, having completed the course and been able to process some more of what I can and what you can do to see modern day slavery removed from society.
For anyone interested in finding out more about human trafficking 'Not For Sale Campaign' will be running a 3 day course in Sydney from June 30th – July 2nd 2011. Visit notforsalecampaign.org for more details and how to register.