Human trafficking: Combating an international crisis

National and global public health is also rendered more vulnerable when victims of trafficking are exposed to physical, sexual and psychological trauma. Forced prostitution often results in sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and HIV/AIDS. Anxiety, insomnia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder are common psychological manifestations among trafficked victims. Unsanitary and crowded living conditions, coupled with poor nutrition, foster a host of adverse health conditions such as scabies, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases. Children suffer growth and development problems and develop complex psychological and neurological consequences from deprivation and trauma.

Finally, and quite tragically, the most egregious abuses are often borne by children, who are more easily controlled and forced into domestic service, armed conflict and other hazardous forms of work. Children may be subjected to progressive exploitation, that is, resold several times and subjected to an array of physical, sexual and mental abuse. This abuse complicates their psychological and physical rehabilitation and jeopardises their eventual reintegration into society.

Among the recent steps the Australian government has taken to combat trafficking is a $20 million package announced last year to supplement existing programmes. It will significantly enhance the detection, investigation, and prosecution of traffickers, as well as improve the range of support available to victims. In addition, the Prime Minister’s tough but fair immigration policy and stance on asylum seekers is well known. Even regular immigrants are put through very tough checks and it seems to be working. This concentrated effort is bringing trafficking through the regular immigration channels down.

Unfortunately tourist visas are still abused for trafficking purposes, though this is more of a problem in the United States and the European Union, where overstaying is easier than in Australia.

But progress is being made. Over the past three years, the US has undertaken significant efforts to reduce trafficking, including: providing more than US$295 million to support anti-trafficking programmes in 120 countries.

In order to combat the trafficking crisis, source and destination countries need to work together to eliminate supply and demand for trafficking victims.