Remember: Human trafficking is a gender issue too
AS we observe 16 days of activism to mark the celebration of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), it is important that we don’t ignore human trafficking, a form of violence against women which affects close to 50 per cent of the gender. The 16 days began on November 25, the IDEVAW.
Last week at the Violence Against Women Inaugural Lecture Series held at the UWI Open Campus Jamaica Eastern, Dr Leith Dunn, head of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, said it is important that each individual finds their calling to address the scourge of human trafficking.
“Human trafficking is an overt problem… it’s a global problem and we’re very much a part of it. It’s a form of modern-day slavery,” she said.
Dr Dunn said elements of human trafficking involve:
1. Child abduction.
2. Forced prostitution — which she said is one of the major areas of human trafficking.
3. Forced labour — many domestic workers were trafficked as children and forced into domestic work, which interfered with their education.
4. Forced marriage — she explained that girls with sugar daddies are forced into relationships to look after their families.
5. Organ harvesting — she said kidneys are scarce and globally, harvesting of organs like kidneys is one of the lucrative trades.
6. Forced pregnancies — women are forced to get pregnant and give or sell their babies to others who can’t have children.
Dr Dunn added that when the sex trafficking data in Jamaica is analysed, the victims are primarily women and girls.
She said though boys are targeted, the homophobic nature of the society makes people less likely to come forward with that information.
Of note, 50 per cent of trafficking victims are under 16 and during holidays, particularly summer, the reporting of trafficking increases. So during these 16 days of activism and beyond, remember to stay vigilant and report suspected cases to the police.
