Opinion

Reauthorize the human trafficking act

Wanted posters are displayed as authorities announce one of the largest human trafficking cases in the western United States during a news conference in Los Angeles July 27. San Antonio is a major thoroughfare for human trafficking. less Wanted posters are displayed as authorities announce one of the largest human trafficking cases in the western United States during a news conference in Los Angeles July 27. San Antonio is a major thoroughfare ... more Photo: Michael Balsamo /Associated Press Photo: Michael Balsamo /Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Reauthorize the human trafficking act 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

In the past couple of decades, there has been a call to action for the United States to address one of the greatest human rights causes of our time, human trafficking commonly known as modern day slavery.

Human trafficking is an umbrella term for “the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion”

Every day all around the world, women and children are being kidnapped and forced into the world of human trafficking. It is not happening in some remote country where proper living conditions are poor, but rather it is going on, right here in America. Every day. Human trafficking is an assault on human dignity.

The exact magnitude and dimensions of the problem are unknown, and available statistics suggest that human trafficking is one of the most serious transnational crimes in the 21st century. In the 2016 study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin by Busch-Armendariz et. al, in Texas alone, there are an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking with approximately 79,000 minors and youth sex trafficked and nearly 234,000 workers are victims of labor trafficking.

It is reportedly the third most profitable criminal enterprise in the world, earning an estimated 31.6 billion in profits for the perpetrators of these crimes.

The hidden nature of human trafficking appeared in the limelight upon the passing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 and its revision in 2005, 2008, and 2013, and has done much to alter the perception of human trafficking at the federal level. The TVPA is up for reauthorization this year. Even though this progression creates encouragement, traffickers globally continue to exploit millions of victims in forced labor and sex trafficking.

Here in our backyard, it continues to dismantle families and communities, abates the rule of law, bolsters criminal systems, and oppresses universal concepts of human decency.

San Antonio is considered a major transit point for human trafficking due to its proximity to Interstate 35 and the I-10 corridor, which has been identified by the Department of Justice as a major trafficking route. Everyone in San Antonio has passed through these highways. Our San Antonio highways are being utilized as a pipeline for these traffickers to transport our children and all those who are vulnerable across to our neighboring towns and cities across Texas and further.

This is a problem.

Many who are preyed upon are young people who are homeless or have run away and are fighting to survive on the streets. However, it does not stop there. Many adults are forced into labor trafficking. Those most vulnerable are women, child and immigrant families. People are being exploited right here in San Antonio.

There is little research to pinpoint the pervasiveness of human trafficking and the distinctiveness of its victims. Understanding these will further the comprehension of the dynamics involved, how to better reach out to victims, and how to help victims with recovery and restoration of rights.

We cannot remain silent. Raising public awareness about the signs and risks of human trafficking is vital in combatting this crime, which has infiltrated the streets of San Antonio.

Contact your local congressman and let him know you support the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017. Without this passing, the victims and survivors of human trafficking will not receive funding for services that help with their extended journey of healing.

Break the silence and give voice to the voiceless in speaking out and connecting with local advocacy groups in your area.

Natasha Bocanegra is a graduate student at Our Lady of the Lake University, working on Masters of Social Work degree.