Human trafficking involves the abduction and transportation of individuals for illegal purposes. The victims of trafficking often emerge from developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America where law enforcement is less effective. This activity often involves children who are acquired as prostitutes, soldiers, and slaves. Traffickers also kidnap young women for prostitution and forced marriages in the underground market. Another target for human traffickers is young men who can be used as fighters, laborers, and sources of organs for the black market.
Individuals and criminal cartels engaged in human trafficking focus largely on developing nations as targets for their activities. These nations often possess underfunded law enforcement and governments concerned more with violent crimes than abductions. Families in developing nations might also sell children and young adults to traffickers to earn money. In some cases, parents deliver children to traffickers in order to pay down debts to local criminals. This trend has changed in the 21st century as trafficking has also been found by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in developed regions like North America and Western Europe.
Children throughout the world are victims of trafficking due to their relative vulnerability. Traffickers also profit from kidnapping and selling children because clients are interested in long-term potential from them. These victims of trafficking are sold to brothel owners and wealthy individuals interested in child prostitutes. Local and regional militaries in warring nations use traffickers to secure young soldiers for prolonged conflicts. Land owners looking for inexpensive laborers during growing seasons might purchase abducted children as slaves.
Women are common victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. These victims might be abducted from their homes or arrested for minor crimes by police officers bribed by traffickers. A young woman can be trafficked to a brothel as another asset for the brothel owner. Traffickers also deliver abducted women to clients who want to force women into marriage and reproduction by threat of violence.
Traffickers also kidnap men to serve as workers and warriors for clients on the black market. An abducted man can be sold as a slave to a farm owner in need of strong laborers. These transactions often feature the purchase of dozens of slaves to replace dead, injured, and escaped laborers. Young men might be preferred over children by militia leaders and rebels who want mature soldiers in high-casualty conflicts. Another reason why men are victims of trafficking is the lucrative underground market for healthy kidneys, lungs, and other organs.