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Column 062215 Brewer

Monday, June 22, 2015

The Proliferation of Sex and
Human Trafficking in the
Americas
By Jerry Brewer
Just how involved and engaged
are governments in the Western
Hemisphere in interdicting
human trafficking for sexual
purposes, and is it an issue that
requires critical focus among
other world problems?
Human trafficking alone is
reported to be the third largest
illicit industry in Latin America,
following drug and arms
trafficking.
Trafficking in humans includes,
but is not limited to, those
trafficked for forced labor,
prostitution, other elements of
sexual exploitation, the
harvesting of human organs, and
related acts of human servitude.
Sex trafficking, for sexual
exploitation, is an enormously
high profit industry when it
comes to pornography, online
sex, stripping, commercial sex
work, sex shows, as well as
marriage for the purpose of
sexual servitude.

In contrast, the term "people

smuggling" shares a difference
from the term human trafficking
that has been described as
voluntary, covert transport from
one location or country to
another. In most situations, there
may not be any deception
involved in this agreement.
Freedom for the smuggled
parties to continue on their way
according to the agreed upon
terms and destination is usually
permitted.
The US Department of Justice
reports that "eight in ten human
trafficking cases involve the sex
industry; the others involve labor
trafficking." Annually, human
trafficking worldwide is
estimated to be around US$40
billion at a minimum.
Human trafficking represented
an estimated $31.6 billion of
international trade per annum in
2010. The economics of the illicit
sex industry and underground
sex market just in the U.S.
reveals each of eight U.S. cities
generates between $40 million to
almost $300 million a year.
It should be no surprise to
anyone that transnational
organized criminal organizations
find human trafficking to be
extremely lucrative and one of
their fastest growing activities for
massive revenue.
The United Nations as far back as
2008 estimated nearly 2.5
million people from 127 different
countries were being trafficked
into 137 countries around the

world.
And, even as far back as 2006 the
numbers of those trafficked for
sexual exploitation numbered
approximately 800,000,
according to U.S. Government
sponsored research. This figure
did not include "millions
trafficked within their own
countries." Approximately 80
percent of transnational victims
are women and girls, and up to
50 percent are minors. Moreover,
these numbers do not include
"millions of both males and
females globally who are
trafficked within their own
national borders the majority
for forced or bonded labor."
For clarification, a person
working in the sex industry can
be identified as a victim of
human trafficking if they are
trapped in servitude for the
purposes of prostitution or other
forms of sexual exploitation. For
the purposes of sexual
exploitation, traffickers work to
supply the demand for
prostitution, other forms of
sexual practices and
"entertainment."
In Latin America, as well as many
other parts of the world,
problems associated with poverty
contribute significantly to sexual
exploitation. Lack of policing
infrastructure, as well as
corruption in government and
weak legislation, contribute
enormously to the problems.
Drug trafficking is a major
element of the hedonistic

demand that spawns the illegal

traffic in sex slavery. It is a
societal demand for products and
services that generate or enhance
the pleasure of the individual
that is also rapidly growing in
South America.
Argentina is now the second
largest domestic market for
cocaine. And, that demand has
brought a secondary ruin to that
country because it is now a focal
point for recruiting people into
the illicit sex trade.
Argentina is a major source and
destination point for men,
women and children in the forced
labor and sex trade, according to
the U.S. State Department. The
report states that victims forced
into the sex trade are recruited in
northern provinces along the
Chilean border and then
transported to wealthy provinces
in central and southern
Argentina. Sex traffickers are
snatching women and children
from Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay
for sex trade work in Argentina.
Argentina, though, is but one
stopping point for individuals
forced into the sex trade. Its
from Argentina that captive
women and children are shipped
to countries like Chile, Brazil,
Mexico, the U.S., and Western
Europe. Argentina has become
the main trading port for the
sexual exploitation of individuals.
A startling and perverse fact is
that criminal networks
increasingly engage in the
kidnapping of people, especially

children and teens, who are then

taken to locations with medical
equipment where they are
murdered and their organs
harvested for the illegal organ
trade.
Research indicates that illegal
organ trade is on the rise, with a
recent report by Global Financial
Integrity estimating that the
illegal organ trade generates
profits between $600 million and
$1.2 billion per year with a
span over many countries that
include Mexico, Central and
South America.
The majority of countries in the
Western Hemisphere are now in
compliance with UN standards
on anti-human trafficking laws,
however in recent years just 10
percent of all suspects
investigated for human
trafficking charges in the
Americas were actually
convicted.
Jerry Brewer is C.E.O. of
Criminal Justice International
Associates, a global threat
mitigation firm headquartered
in northern Virginia. His
website: www.cjiausa.org.
TWITTER: CJIAUSA
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