A Human Rights Violation

By Amanda Pillai

Since the 1500s, having slaves was fashionable in many countries. Although the British technically abolished slavery in 1807, many slave owners in the British colonies did not free their slaves until 1838. The US followed suit in 1865, but strangely, Mauritania held on right up to 2007, when slavery became a criminal offence in their country.

Passing laws making an inhumane practice illegal is one thing, stopping people from engaging in it is an entirely different kettle of fish. These days, slaves are often referred to as victims of Human Trafficking. These are people who don’t get to choose how their lives will pan out. They are often forced to take drugs as a means of controlling them, they are frequently subjected to excessive violence, and they have limited or no freedom.

WHO IS AT RISK?

According to feedback from the University of Johannesburg, 75% of victims of Human Trafficking are between the ages of 12 and 25, and both genders are affected.

The sex industry has an insatiable appetite for ‘fresh prostitutes’ and this is where a large percentage of young women and a smaller percentage of boys are traded. Other victims are put to work in sweat shops, as forced labour in the services sector and agriculture, and others are used as domestic servants. Babies, young children and disabled people are frequently used by beggars to tug at people’s heart strings as a way to extort money from them.

Students are vulnerable to becoming victims of modern slavery as they can be lured by clandestine ‘employment agencies’ advertising lucrative and exciting jobs overseas. When the students arrive at their destination, their visas and passports are confiscated, their movements are restricted and they are told they have to ‘work off their debt’ (if their travel costs were covered) and work to cover the cost of food and their accommodation.

Children left without parents due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic are particularly vulnerable, and in SA, there’s also the tradition called ukuthwala (child marriage) that is still followed in some rural areas. Young girls might be given up by their families, sometimes they are simply abducted, and then they are married off to men who are often old enough to be their fathers or even their grandfathers. This robs them of the opportunity to have a normal childhood and they lose their right to freedom and an education. Suddenly, these girls become wives with babies and family responsibilities, and they may land up suffering from health issues, such a sexually-transmitted diseases or complications from childbirth. 

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF SOMEONE YOU MEET IS A VICTIM?

If you see someone working somewhere and happen to interact with them, you should be able to pick up tell-tale signs such as:

• They tend to work extremely long hours.
• They have no/limited social life.
• They have no access to their wages.
• They don’t know their home address.
• They don’t have any form of identification, or their identification documents may be fake.
• They may have bruises or injuries.
• Their movement is controlled at all times.
• They might speak a foreign language.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

There are a number of organisations committed to stamping out Human Trafficking both in South Africa and worldwide.

In South Africa, you can call the Department of Social Development (DSD) Hotline on 0800 220 250 or the National Human Trafficking Resource Line on 0800 222 777.

Embrace Dignity is a Cape Town-based NGO that is focused on helping women and girls escape the endless cycle of prostitution, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. They can be contacted by calling 087 095 3086, emailing: info@embracedignity.org.za or visiting their website: http://embracedignity.org.za/.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN SAFE?

Child abduction is rife throughout the world. But it’s not only children who are victims of human trafficking.

Here’s some advice offered by security experts:

• Don’t jog or walk alone in secluded areas and do not allow your children to walk alone in the streets.
• Keep a close eye on who your children are interacting with in chat rooms or games online. They could become victims of social media ‘grooming’ that lures them to meet strangers, making them vulnerable to abduction.
• Verify all online job offers and contact references to make sure these organisations are legal. However, if in a foreign country, it may be a good idea to contact the South African Embassy there to see if they have any local information that can verify their legitimacy.
• You can call the South African Chamber of Commerce and check that the recruiting company is a properly registered company.
• If you do travel overseas in response to a job offer, remember, no employer is entitled to keep or withhold your passport and visa. In any event, you should keep copies of these in a few separate places in your luggage.
• Before you arrive in a foreign country for work purposes, memorise the number of the South African Embassy in that country. Make contact with the embassy when you arrive. You should also ensure you have a list of phone numbers of local contacts in the host country who you can trust, and call them to let them know you have arrived.
• Make sure your family back home has a list of people who they can contact if they are unable to get hold of you, including the local South African Embassy and the local police station.
• If you are moved to a new location, try to obtain the phone numbers and contact details of the authorities there and send your family an update.

Human trafficking is a highly lucrative industry, second only to the drug trade. It’s an indisputable fact that it’s a violation of one’s basic Human Rights. If you suspect someone you meet is a victim of human trafficking or modern slavery, don’t look the other way – take action!

If you were in the same predicament, you would want them to do the same for you, wouldn’t you?

Photo Credits: Dulana Kodithuwakku, Markus Spiske, Hermes Rivera