Blog #1: The Trafficking of Girls

Kaitlyn Toomes
January 20, 2011
4:25 EST

Global Crime: The Trafficking of Girls

A major crime that is often swept under the rug is the human trafficking of young girls in Nigeria and across Eastern Europe. BBC World Service Global Crime Report discussed this growing problem and efforts being made to prevent this turmoil. The article discusses the continuing circle of prostitution, being a madam, and finding girls. Nigerian madams often start as young girls who were tricked or stolen into prostitution. After working the streets long enough to afford the approximately 45,000 dollar tab to buy their freedom they often go on to become a madam. Madams, or leaders of the prostitution rings, will often promise the girl's families that they will "help her find a job, or finish her studies and then it's 'please sign this contract'" ("Sex crimes: trafficking,"). The girl's only option is to work as a prostitute and attempt to make enough money to buy her freedom. So what is the United Nations doing to prevent this crime? Several countries have signed on to create "legislation against trafficking and smuggling, adequate sentencing guidelines and a system in place for protecting victims and witnesses" ("Sex crime: trafficking,"). Article 18 of the United Nations Convention on Transnational Crime works to protect the girls if they have the chance to escape prostitution. The girls are "given temporary residence permits. They are encouraged to give evidence, but it is not conditional" ("Sex crimes: trafficking,"). With the improvements implemented by several countries will human trafficking of girls decline?

When I first read this article I started to think about my plans to study aboard, the movie "Taken", and what little I knew about human trafficking. The amount of human trafficking in Nigeria alone is horrendous. How does so much of this huge ordeal pass so easily under the government's radar? The answer lies within the legislation of the foreign governments. Thankfully, many countries have signed to implement new laws to help prevent human trafficking and immigration laws to protect the girls smuggled in to be prostitutes. I think with Article 18 the countries are headed in the right direction for change and improvement. The young girls who are smuggled into other countries need protection after they escape from the situation. If the girls can help provide evidence and witness accounts to take down the leaders then maybe they can help to eventually take down the entire system.

Source:
Sex crimes: trafficking girls. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/prgrammes/global_crime_report/investigation/girlsl.shtml