The Return of Slavery
Kevon Campbell
August 04, 2005
Antianthromorphisation. Essentially the dehumanising of persons; the taking away of human characteristics and the beginning of the journey along the road of intolerance, discrimination and prejudice.
Antiantromorphisation was applied during slavery, with Africans stripped of their identity, and stripped of their human-ness. Alas, slavery has been re-rearing its ugly head in the form of human trafficking, a concept which has grown in notoriety.
Just recently, I was introduced to a victim of human trafficking, and was quite surprised at the ease with which this industry seemingly strives.
As is usually the case, trafficking began with the lure of a better life; the promise of opportunity elsewhere. The grass always seems greener on the other side, and migration is often seen as a way of improving one’s own situation and the situation of family members through remittances.
This young lady was promised safe transport into another country, under the condition that she would have to work off her debt to her “transporters”. Upon arriving in this new country however, the smiles and optimistic outlook portrayed by her traffickers had changed to one of vengeance. She was forced to ‘work off her debt’ by becoming a prostitute and was bought, sold and trafficked to a different country at least 6 times. Eventually, the authorities were able to catch up with her ‘owner’ and this new age slavery ended for her.
For many others though, trafficking is a serious reality, compounded by the lack of legislation in many parts of the world. The United Nations estimates that approximately 50,000 women and children are brought into the United States each year and forced to work as prostitutes or labourers.
Lack of legislation is usually attributable to the fact that there is not necessarily an agreed upon definition as to what trafficking is, which itself makes this largely indistinguishable from smuggling. Smuggling it must be noted carries a lighter sentence. Human traffickers are highly mobile and therefore difficult to apprehend and prosecute. Corruption, in the form of involvement by local law enforcement agencies, does little to quell the matter, as many victims have noted.
Along with ridding the world of the scourge of human traffickers, an equally difficult task is the reintegration of victims of trafficking into society. After all, it was poverty and the promise of a better life elsewhere that acted as the alluring factor for many victims. How can reintegration then occur, when freed victims are still poor and possibly face added financial, social and psychological pressures?
The provision of practical assistance has been provided by some governments and NGOs, assisting in the reintegration process and aiding victims to become productive members of society. Governments in Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines for example, provide counselling services, educational and skills training, along with some financial assistance.
The task is still daunting, however, one victim has attempted reintegration through writing a book, telling of her experience as a victim of trafficking.
Slavery has returned in a new form; a form that flies under the radar ever so often. It is however imperative that prevention measures are put into place by Governments, and the awareness level of this plague heightened. A lot can be said about trafficking, what it is, how to recognise a victim etc. A lot must be done about trafficking however, beginning with the all the Governments of this world making a concerted effort, through legislation and acting upon that legislation, to abolish slavery as it exists today.
Antiantromorphisation was applied during slavery, with Africans stripped of their identity, and stripped of their human-ness. Alas, slavery has been re-rearing its ugly head in the form of human trafficking, a concept which has grown in notoriety.
Just recently, I was introduced to a victim of human trafficking, and was quite surprised at the ease with which this industry seemingly strives.
As is usually the case, trafficking began with the lure of a better life; the promise of opportunity elsewhere. The grass always seems greener on the other side, and migration is often seen as a way of improving one’s own situation and the situation of family members through remittances.
This young lady was promised safe transport into another country, under the condition that she would have to work off her debt to her “transporters”. Upon arriving in this new country however, the smiles and optimistic outlook portrayed by her traffickers had changed to one of vengeance. She was forced to ‘work off her debt’ by becoming a prostitute and was bought, sold and trafficked to a different country at least 6 times. Eventually, the authorities were able to catch up with her ‘owner’ and this new age slavery ended for her.
For many others though, trafficking is a serious reality, compounded by the lack of legislation in many parts of the world. The United Nations estimates that approximately 50,000 women and children are brought into the United States each year and forced to work as prostitutes or labourers.
Lack of legislation is usually attributable to the fact that there is not necessarily an agreed upon definition as to what trafficking is, which itself makes this largely indistinguishable from smuggling. Smuggling it must be noted carries a lighter sentence. Human traffickers are highly mobile and therefore difficult to apprehend and prosecute. Corruption, in the form of involvement by local law enforcement agencies, does little to quell the matter, as many victims have noted.
Along with ridding the world of the scourge of human traffickers, an equally difficult task is the reintegration of victims of trafficking into society. After all, it was poverty and the promise of a better life elsewhere that acted as the alluring factor for many victims. How can reintegration then occur, when freed victims are still poor and possibly face added financial, social and psychological pressures?
The provision of practical assistance has been provided by some governments and NGOs, assisting in the reintegration process and aiding victims to become productive members of society. Governments in Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines for example, provide counselling services, educational and skills training, along with some financial assistance.
The task is still daunting, however, one victim has attempted reintegration through writing a book, telling of her experience as a victim of trafficking.
Slavery has returned in a new form; a form that flies under the radar ever so often. It is however imperative that prevention measures are put into place by Governments, and the awareness level of this plague heightened. A lot can be said about trafficking, what it is, how to recognise a victim etc. A lot must be done about trafficking however, beginning with the all the Governments of this world making a concerted effort, through legislation and acting upon that legislation, to abolish slavery as it exists today.
Print
Email
