From what I’ve seen, the fight against human trafficking is one of
those rare causes that has the unique power to stir up passion, transcend
divisions, and rally people of all faiths, parties, and nationalities - and it
desperately needs to. The growing trends and changes of globalization have made
it easier and easier for criminals to traffic in people, and their networks are
flexible and growing. In order to have a chance at combating this massive
problem, our network has to become just as diverse, flexible, and global as
theirs, incorporating different types of people, institutions, and countries.
Therefore, NGOs and citizens cannot do it on their own; there has to be
government commitment and action in order to accomplish lasting results.
That is why the US government’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP)
Report is an encouraging sign and an important symbol of government support.
The TIP Report has been around since 2001, ranking countries every year and
gathering research and information on trafficking around the world. The TIP
Report puts governments in the hot seat, collecting data and ranking the
world’s countries in their efforts to combat trafficking. The report is meant
to serve as a powerful motivator to countries, especially those on the
notorious Tier 3, who find themselves threatened with economic sanctions by the
US. It is good to know that the United States government, and other governments
around the world, are trying to make the fight against human trafficking and
slavery a priority. The annual TIP Report brings renewed awareness to the topic
of human trafficking, and it lends legitimacy to the fight against it.
My only worry with the TIP reports - and, specifically, the Tier
system - is the sense of complacency they could foster. For countries who have spent
years on Tier One but still have a tremendous problem with human trafficking,
it might be easy to slip into apathy. Reading the specific report on one of
those countries - such as Australia, the Netherlands, or any other country on
Tier One - reveals that forced labor, child sex trafficking, and organized
crime is still alarmingly alive and well. Yes, it is laudable that a country is
complying with the minimum standards, but especially after spending years on
Tier One, shouldn’t some be moving past the minimum? I only hope that the Tier
One countries do not slip into complacency merely because of their rating; they
still have much work to do, and as long as even one person is being held in
slavery in their country or trafficked out of it to be exploited, the
government should still be working tirelessly. At this point, a goal for many
countries should be to move beyond the minimum standards. Settling for the
minimum is not an option when you have looked into the eyes of a girl who has
been rescued from sex trafficking or seen the scars on the back of a man who
was subjected to slave labor. In this global crusade for those victims, we
should be fighting for the maximum - and beyond.
The 2012 TIP Report is a welcome sign of vigor in the battle against
trafficking and modern-day slavery, but the important part will be what
countries around the world decide to do with the information found in it.
Read the full 2012 TIP Report, including individual country
summaries, here: http:// www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2012/index.htm
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