Trafficking and smuggling are often confused, but are NOT the same. Smuggling is the illegal crossing of a national border, and is a criminal act for the both the smuggler and the person smuggled. Trafficking, on the other hand, is the crime of slavery-like labor or commercial sexual exploitation, and may not involve any transportation at all. It is a crime committed by the trafficker against a victim, and so only the trafficker has committed a criminal act (Polaris).
Regarding forced migration or movement, while a trafficked person may experience forced movement during the trafficking, the forced movement or confinement is not by itself trafficking, absent other factors. It is the slavery-like labor exploitation or commercial sexual exploitation that determines whether trafficking has occurred. In some trafficking cases, little to no movement or transportation occurs (Polaris).
Trafficking does not necessarily require transportation, but it does always signify someone being deceived or coerced into a situation where they are forced to do some kind of labor against their will.
Trafficking is an umbrella term for persons being forced into activities such as:
- Prostitution
- Forced labor (factories, sweatshops)
- Domestic servitude
- Begging
- Soldiering
- Commercial or illegal adoption
- Camel jockeying (young boys)
- Organ trading
Chinese migrant laborers work 12-hour shifts at construction sites for
little pay amidst miserable work & living conditions. Source: Corbis
little pay amidst miserable work & living conditions. Source: Corbis
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