Human Trafficking in California
What Can You Do to Stop the Act?
Jackie Phillips
Criminology, Post University
CRJ322: Human Trafficking and Illegal Immigration
Unit 1 Assignment: Sex Trafficking or Forced Labor
Professor Robert Eddy
Due: 11:59 pm, on Sunday of Unit 1
Overview: In this unit, we have defined different types of human trafficking. We each have different life experiences that provide us with unique insights into these issues. In this assignment, you will explore human trafficking from your perspective as it is experienced in your community.
Choose one type of human trafficking: sex trafficking, fraud, or forced labor.
I will be choosing Forced Labor in California and the history of this act throughout the state on both the Mexican border and the Pacific Coast. To clarify, human trafficking for forced labor, sometimes also called Labor Trafficking includes forcing people to perform a variety of services in various industries for little or below legal pay and often having their documents withheld and confiscated.
“Labor trafficking involves the recruitment, harboring, or transportation of a person for labor services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. It is modern day slavery. Labor trafficking arises in many situations, including domestic servitude, restaurant work, janitorial work, factory work, migrant agricultural work, and construction. It is often marked by unsanitary and overcrowded living and working conditions, nominal or no pay for work that is done, debt bondage, and document servitude.” (Bonta, R., 2024)
Labor Trafficking also includes what is called Domestic Servitude, which is the forcing of people to live and work in the homes of their employer and the employers confiscates their documents, so they are unable to leave or change jobs.
“Domestic workers can be U.S. citizens, lawfully-admitted foreign nationals, or undocumented immigrants.” (Bonta, R., 2024)
Consider businesses in your local community that could be suspected of this type of human trafficking. This could include nail services, restaurants, massage or therapy parlors, false job offers or false storefronts, etc.
Some common types of business that might engage in human trafficking are janitorial services, farm labor, construction, traveling sales, hair and nail salons, factories and manufacturing, agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing, domestic service, hospitality, restaurants and landscaping.
“Employers will sometimes hold their employees’ passports or social security cards, require them to pay a large percentage of their paycheck back to fulfill their “debt” for being hired and/or brought to the United States, or use other forms of coercion to essentially hold their workers hostage.” (No author given, 2024)
Write a paper from your point of view about the exploitation of those involved in your chosen type of human trafficking.
What can be done to stop human trafficking in California? As a single person, we can do a lot to help stop human trafficking. Just like any other problem or issue, you must first acknowledge and accept that the problem exists. Your second step is to ask yourself, “What can I do to help solve this problem?”
There are many ways to help stop human trafficking in California, including:
- Educate yourself: Learn about human trafficking, including its warning signs and red flags.
- Report suspected human trafficking: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733). In an emergency, call 911.
- Support victims: Welcome victims into your community and direct them to resources.
- Support legislation: Support legislation that holds perpetrators accountable and protects victims.
- Educate others: Encourage schools, civic organizations, and faith-based organizations to educate their members about human trafficking.
Questions….
What can I do to help stop human trafficking? What do I do if I suspect human trafficking?
“Learn the indicators of human trafficking on the TIP Office’s website or by taking a training. Human trafficking awareness training is available for individuals, businesses, first responders, law enforcement, educators, and federal employees, among others.
Encourage your local schools or school district to include human trafficking in their curricula and to develop protocols for identifying and reporting a suspected case of human trafficking or responding to a potential victim.
Become a mentor to a young person or someone in need. Traffickers often target people who are going through a difficult time or who lack strong support systems. As a mentor, you can be involved in new and positive experiences in that person’s life during a formative time.” (No author given, 2024)
References
Bonta, R., 2024, State Department of California, What is Human Trafficking? https://oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking/what-is
No author given, 2024, Lifeway Network, 10 Industries Known for Human Trafficking, https://lifewaynetwork.org/2017/12/10/10-industries-known-human-trafficking/
No author given, 2024, US Department of State, 20 Ways You Can Help Stop Human Trafficking, https://www.state.gov/20-ways-you-can-help-fight-human-trafficking/
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