Cases of human trafficking puts this crime in the spotlight

With the incidents of human traffickig reported this year, Bedfordview and Edenvale News looks at this crime and human rights violation.

This comes after law enforcement agencies executed a raid targeting human trafficking in Edenvale on October 21 at a property on Twelfth Avenue, where law enforcement found 27 Ethiopian nationals locked inside a room.

Also read: Law enforcement raid Edenvale property in operation targeting human trafficking

In another incident, a raid on a house in Sunnyridge on September 1 saw the discovery of more than 100 men locked inside a house on School Avenue.

The statistics are shocking
Human trafficking has been recognised as one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal enterprises and is estimated to be a $150b (about
R2 766b) global industry.

This is according to Laurie Pieters-James, a criminologist and human trafficking investigator.

Also read: Human trafficking remains a big challenge to local law enforcement

In November , Caxton journalist Emily Bain witnessed police and other law enforcement take control of a property in Roosevelt Park along Beyers Naudé Drive that was thought to be a human trafficking location.

“It is estimated by the US State Department that 25 million people are victims of labour and sexual exploitation,” Pieters-James says.

Also read: How locals can stay safe from human trafficking this festive season

She says the Covid-19 pandemic plunged already at-risk populations into increased vulnerability and the resulting global recession is expected to further increase those at risk of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

Impact of Covid-19 on human trafficking
• Intensified root causes of human trafficking
• Intensified and changed kinds of exploitation
• Increased impact on children
• Increased legal and illegal migration
• Disruptions in victim support and services
• Reduced law enforcement
• Interrupted financial support and funding

Detected cases reveal
• Most victims are female
• Mainly adults but increasingly underage girls

Therefore, 30% are children worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa though, 55% are children. The majority of these are victims of sexual trafficking for sexual exploitation.

“Children account for one-third of all detected trafficking victims. Many are used for forced labour, but the majority are for sexual exploitation. In sub-Saharan Africa, 99% of detected victims originate from the area while in Europe, only 25% are. Most of these cases come from sub-Saharan Africa or Asia.”

Low risk – high reward for traffickers (Canada)
• 12–25 typical ages of females trafficked for sexual exploitation
• $900 (about R16 596) average daily profit earned by organised crime from one trafficked person
• $5 400 (about R99 576) average weekly profits from one trafficked person
• $280 000 (about R5.1m) average annual profits from one trafficked person
• $3 276 000 (about R53.8b) average annual profits from one trafficked person.

Societal Risk Factors
• Lack of awareness of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking
• Sexualisation of children
• Lack of resources

Community Risk Factors
• Peer pressure
• Social norms
• Social isolation
• Gang involvement
• Under-resourced schools, neighbourhoods, and communities

Relationship Risk Factors
• Family conflict, disruption, or dysfunction

Individual Risk Factors
• History of child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment
• Homeless, runaway, or ‘thrown away’
• LGBTQIA+
• History of being systems- involved (justice, criminal justice, juvenile care, or foster care, etc.)
• Stigma and discrimination

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