A Contemporary Human Rights Issue – Human Trafficking and Slavery
Human trafficking: the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud,
or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation.
Slavery: A slave is a person owned by someone and slavery is the state of being under the control of someone where a person is forced to work for
another. A slave is considered as a property of another as the one controlling them purchases them or owns them from their birth.
Distinguish between smuggling and trafficking: Human smuggling, a related but different crime, generally involves the consent of the person(s) being
smuggled. These people often pay large sums of money to be smuggled across international borders. Once in the country of their final destination, they
are generally left to their own devices. Smuggling becomes trafficking when the element of force or coercion is introduced.
Global Australia
History of Slavery is an ancient practice, used in many cultures. Links to In Australia, Polynesians were kept as slaves and made to work
the issue colonisation and imperialism. The transatlantic slave trade on cotton farms in Queensland, during the 1830’s. This was
resulted in continued use of slaves (used as resources for British officially banned by the QLD Gov in 1860’s, but wasn’t
expansion). The abolition movement, protesting it, began around effectively banned until the 1890’s. From the 1860’s-1970’s
the 18th century. First stopped with Slave Trade Act 1807, then ATSI peoples were taking from their homes and made to work
Declaration of Independence. More recent efforts include the on cattle and sheep properties.
General Act of Brussels, and the Slavery Convention.
As is the case with global slavery, slavery is considered to have
Human Trafficking is considered a modern form of slavery. This been abolished within Australia, but remains present in the
crime has resulted from globalisation and the increase in form of human trafficking.
immigration. It originally consisted of women in the sex market,
but has come to include both men and women in practices such as
sex, labour, ‘child soldiers’ and organ donors.
Location/ ● WHO estimates that 6-800 000 people are bought and sold ● Between 1842-1904, over 60 000 men and boys
statistics across international borders every year. (unknown # of women and children) were kidnapped
● Whilst brothels are illegal in Taiwan, it is estimated that and enslaved to work in sugar plantations.
1000 run every night. ● From 2003-2011, there have been 305 investigations
● More than 200,000 adults slaves remained in French into sex slavery in Aus., 184 rescues, 75% of which are
Colonies until the 1960’s. women.
● the global human trafficking industry makes $32 billion a ● 0.065% of the Australian population lives in modern day
year slavery.
● there are approximately 2.5 million human trafficking ● For every slavery victim detected, 4 victims go
victims, 76% of which are female (2009) undetected (1:4)
● 79% of trafficking cases is for sex
Human trafficking: the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud,
or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation.
Slavery: A slave is a person owned by someone and slavery is the state of being under the control of someone where a person is forced to work for
another. A slave is considered as a property of another as the one controlling them purchases them or owns them from their birth.
Distinguish between smuggling and trafficking: Human smuggling, a related but different crime, generally involves the consent of the person(s) being
smuggled. These people often pay large sums of money to be smuggled across international borders. Once in the country of their final destination, they
are generally left to their own devices. Smuggling becomes trafficking when the element of force or coercion is introduced.
Global Australia
History of Slavery is an ancient practice, used in many cultures. Links to In Australia, Polynesians were kept as slaves and made to work
the issue colonisation and imperialism. The transatlantic slave trade on cotton farms in Queensland, during the 1830’s. This was
resulted in continued use of slaves (used as resources for British officially banned by the QLD Gov in 1860’s, but wasn’t
expansion). The abolition movement, protesting it, began around effectively banned until the 1890’s. From the 1860’s-1970’s
the 18th century. First stopped with Slave Trade Act 1807, then ATSI peoples were taking from their homes and made to work
Declaration of Independence. More recent efforts include the on cattle and sheep properties.
General Act of Brussels, and the Slavery Convention.
As is the case with global slavery, slavery is considered to have
Human Trafficking is considered a modern form of slavery. This been abolished within Australia, but remains present in the
crime has resulted from globalisation and the increase in form of human trafficking.
immigration. It originally consisted of women in the sex market,
but has come to include both men and women in practices such as
sex, labour, ‘child soldiers’ and organ donors.
Location/ ● WHO estimates that 6-800 000 people are bought and sold ● Between 1842-1904, over 60 000 men and boys
statistics across international borders every year. (unknown # of women and children) were kidnapped
● Whilst brothels are illegal in Taiwan, it is estimated that and enslaved to work in sugar plantations.
1000 run every night. ● From 2003-2011, there have been 305 investigations
● More than 200,000 adults slaves remained in French into sex slavery in Aus., 184 rescues, 75% of which are
Colonies until the 1960’s. women.
● the global human trafficking industry makes $32 billion a ● 0.065% of the Australian population lives in modern day
year slavery.
● there are approximately 2.5 million human trafficking ● For every slavery victim detected, 4 victims go
victims, 76% of which are female (2009) undetected (1:4)
● 79% of trafficking cases is for sex
