QUESTION: Do you think the world governments are putting forth enough effort to stop and prevent human trafficking? If you had the means and power what would be your proposed resolution?
The movie Taken was released January 30, 2009. The action, adventure, and drama filled thriller made over 145 million dollars in the United States box office. The film portrayed a family distraught, because their young teenage daughter had been kidnapped on an international vacation. Her father, known as a “preventer”, saved his daughter from being bought and sold into the sex trafficking business.
The idea of a mainstream film revealing the devastating details of this ever-growing industry says that people worldwide are being affected by this epidemic. Therefore, it is up to world citizens to ask their country’s governments, “What are you doing about this issue?” and “How can you protect my family?” From the shocking stories, primetime specials and film portrayals of this industry, one would conclude that there is danger around ever corner.
Although human trafficking is a worldwide epidemic, many Americans are under the impression that young women and children are only being abducted from foreign countries, but they are sadly mistaken. There have been several incidents reported where children and young women have been abducted from several places which most wouldn’t believe to be perilous. It appears as if there is nothing our governments can do to reduce the occurrence of forced prostitution worldwide. While it may be easier to track criminals who put children and young women on the streets, those whom continue to move to different locations makes finding the missing persons a challenge for police officers and government officials.
Knowing that there may potentially be predators lurking around every corner, riding down your street or even in line behind you at the grocery store; one might ask is any place safe? Is there really anything the police and lawmakers can do to combat this violent epidemic? Though there are non-government agencies that battle for the enslaved children and young women being trafficked, and there have been laws passed making human trafficking a federal crime, there are still over 100,000 women and children being bought and sold in America everyday. As citizens of the world we must demand that the deplorable people that commit these horrible acts be severely punished.
By Karenia S. Ferguson
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