Imagine being taken away from everything you’ve ever known and moved to a new place. Imagine leaving your family and friends, and having to live in a new, scary place working for someone. Imagine being sold for as little as $20, being shipped and moved over country borders like a piece of unwanted cargo.
Fortunately, we only have to imagine this. But for many people across the globe, this is a grim reality.
Trafficking means to be bought, sold or taken against your will for slavery and exploitation. Between 2-4 million people are trafficked every year; that’s more than one person every minute.
Trafficking is a growing trade which is not as well known as it should be. Victims of trafficking are taken for sexual exploitation, slavery, sacrificial workshops, domestic servitude and other forms of labour. They are physically and verbally abused, tortured, and moved around as if they are nothing.
Child trafficking is becoming increasingly common around the world. It is estimated that 1.2 children are trafficked each year.
Parents are deceived by salesmen promising their child a happy life, and sell their children into a life of pain and servitude. More people are using children to do labour as they can be paid less and are less likely to rebel.
Children as young as five years old are taken and forced into doing things no child should be shown.
Trafficking mostly occurs in more third world countries, but there have also been incidents of trafficking in the UK, where young teenagers were being used for prostitution.
Although Trafficking is a growing and horrifying movement, there is some hope. STOP THE TRAFFIK is an organisation set up to help prevent and protect against the sale of people. By joining the movement, you could help prevent another poor child from being taken into a life of slavery.
We are lucky to be sitting on our phones, computers or laptops reading this article and trying to imagine what it is like. But think of all the people who have to experience this life. They didn’t get to choose between freedom or slavery- their life was decided for them.
But with your help, we can spread the word about Trafficking and help put a stop to this cruelty once and for all. We can give these people the freedom they deserve. Join the movement today and help to Stop the Traffik forever.
Thank you.
