AIDS and Human Trafficking

Hazel Inglis/ 11/25/08/ global crimes/ 5:23pm

When you think of HIV/AIDS, you usually do not think of human trafficking but there is a correlation between the two. The article talks about the two being correlated in South Africa but I am sure that that the same correlation happens in other countries that have a high rate of HIV/AIDS. The article also talks about the need for more community-based programs to help solve the problem and more comprehensive legislation to human trafficking as a crime in South Africa.

There are thousands of orphans in South Africa because of HIV/AIDS and this leads them to be more vulnerable to human trafficking; they do not have a family to support them and to protect them. These children are often left to take care of younger sibling or elderly grandparents so the migration of minors in search of employment have increased and lead many into the wrong hands. “South Africa has the potential for high levels of internal trafficking because of its unique socio-political history and stark economic equalities,” says Ndenze.

This article brings up an aspect of human trafficking that I was not aware of. It makes sense that there is a correlation between human trafficking and HIV/AIDS. This issue is even more complex in South Africa because of the history of racism there.

http://www.iol.co.za/general/news/newsprint.php