1.)Human trafficking can be one of the most obscene and heinous criminal offenses that subjects men, women and children of all ages to exploitation of sex and disregard for basic human rights. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Human Trafficking can be defined as modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act (DHS).
Human trafficking can be compared to the drug trafficking industry as the second most profitable business in the criminal world. Throughout the world every year millions of individuals are subjected to trafficking and again, this does not exclude any particular sex over the other as trafficking applies to men, women and children. Most of the time, victims of trafficking are threatened with different measures to prevent them from telling law enforcement officials or others that they are being held against their will.
Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, and lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability (DHS).
2.)On August 10, 2016 the Montgomery County Police Department arrested two men in conjunction with human trafficking charges that were brought on by a lead involving a 15 year old girl. Dierra Victoria Lee Thomas, 19, and Atuan Saran Rogers, 34, had told the young girl that she could get paid to have sex with men for money. These two men did not however go by their names, and instead went by the name Ire for Thomas and Rose Moe who was identified for Rogers. The young girl's services were listed as an escort, which is common in trafficking.
Over time the young girl stated she wanted to leave, which led to her being beat by Rogers. Both were arrested by Prince George's County police through warrants issued by Montgomery County police. Rogers is being held in Montgomery County on an $80,000 bond; Thomas was released on a $5,000 bond (Alim, 2016).
3.)Considering I do not know a lot of the ins and outs to how the human trafficking works, I feel like I shouldn't pass too much judgement. However, when it comes down to breaking the situations down one of the methods I would target strongly is the internet schemes of how the young girl above was listed as an escort service. When I worked at our city police department the officers would often times set up stings to see if in fact the ladies on different internet sites listed as escort services were in fact that. Of course, most of the time the women were prostitutes but in the off chance the officers might be saving a women or even a man from trafficking, I feel this would be the best measure. In regards to children I would have to do some more reading and research to see what measures are being taken now.
Work Cited
Alim, Teta 2 Md. suspects charged in teen human trafficking case; more victims possible. WTOP/Maryland News. August 10, 2016.
Department of Homeland Security What is Human Trafficking?
https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-trafficking