Human Trafficking in Asia

Human Trafficking in Asia

Ma Yuge

Behind the economic success of developing countries in Asia lurks many unresolved social issues. One of the most serious social issues facing the world today is human trafficking, particularly that entailing force labor and sexual abuse. This is probably the most terrible of all human rights violations. Human trafficking knows no limits in terms of age and gender, and victims are often from low-income or otherwise helpless families.

Unfortunately, some cases of human trafficking appear to be taken for granted because of the extreme difficulty in addressing the problem and punishing the culprits. And whenever victims are rescued by the authorities, the cause is usually assigned to financial problems. Here the sad reality is that some are directly given to human traffickers by their guardians in exchange for money. As a result, they end up completely destroyed both physically and psychologically, having lost their confidence and self-worth and thus becoming hopeless. This is why many victims have difficulty getting back to a normal life.

There are also victims who are relegated to a life of slave labor and no pay. Most such victims also come from poor families in rural areas, but they generally start wishing to earn a lot of money to support their families, thereby taking the risk to work away from their home and even in a foreign country. Here a lack of education and awareness plays a role. Because many cannot evaluate the risks appropriately as a result of their lack of education and understanding, they may jump at an “opportunity” that often turns out to be a trap. And many times young people are lured into forced labor because of naive expectations, leading to child labor in many poor countries in Asia. Because they lack voice, they are likely to be the worst victims of human trafficking and become handicapped.

It is certainly alarming how human trafficking has become such a serious problem in society today, affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. Human trafficking is a critical social issue in Asia, and the weight of its consequences must be borne by not only the victims but also the rest of society as well. Although much effort is being made to address this issue, more is clearly needed.