9 Must Read Articles and Stories About Human Trafficking in the United States in 2017

These must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017 will shock you and leave you speechless.

Human trafficking is the modern version of slavery which includes illegal smuggling of people and trading them for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. The definition of human trafficking is recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception or abuse of power. This modern form of slavery is present in all parts of the world and victims include men, women, children, and teenagers. According to Scientific American, between 27 and 45.8 million people are trapped in some form of modern slavery worldwide. All these people are forced to be sex workers, beggars, child soldiers, factory workers, and laborers. It is terrifying to think that despite the progress that humankind has achieved in every aspect, there are still so many people deprived of freedom and forced to do despicable things. So does slavery still exist today? I believe this answers your question.

Since the fall of communism, human trafficking has been an increasing concern in Europe. Modern slavery is happening worldwide, and Europe is not an exception. People are struggling to survive and it this economic hardship has made them vulnerable to human trafficking within their countries. To learn more about human trafficking in Europe, take a look at 10 Worst Countries in Europe for Human Trafficking. In case you have wondered does slavery still exist in Africa, you can already assume the answer. In fact, Africa is one of the most problematic continents when it comes to human trafficking. As for Asia, just check out Top 15 Cities with Highest Human Trafficking in the World and you will realize that human trafficking is a worldwide issue that needs to be solved.

Does slavery still exist in America? Unfortunately, slavery affects all countries in the world, and the U.S. is one of them. Even though human trafficking occurs in every country in the world, there are few convictions. We are led to believe that human trafficking is a problem that affects poor or developing countries the most, but human trafficking statistics in the United States will convince you that the modern slavery does not spare developed countries.  Human trafficking in the United States is a profitable industry which generates billions of dollars per year. The situation is not the same in all states though. While some states don’t have a major problem with it, others seem to be a good place for human trafficking. We wrote about the worst states for human trafficking in America, and Nevada, Florida, Ohio, and California came at the very top of the list. These statistics about human trafficking in the United States may sicken you, but this is the sad reality we live in.

Trafficking in Persons Report from June 2017 emphasizes the tragedy that is human trafficking as well as the responsibility of governments to criminalize human trafficking and hold the offender accountable. The report also states the importance of international partnerships in fights against this evil called modern slavery that plagues the entire world. According to National Human Trafficking Hotline, which maintains extensive data on the matter, 4,460 cases of human trafficking have been reported this year. Victims were both adults and minors, men and women who are US citizens or foreign nationalities. These terrifying numbers increase every day, and the fact that no one nowhere is safe is simply frightening.

So why does slavery happen today despite being illegal everywhere? Poverty, population growth, lack of alternatives are just a few factors that contribute to modern slavery and, unfortunately, the problem persists.

The more human trafficking articles we read, the more horrified we were by the modern slavery statistics and cruelties that some people are capable of doing. We found many articles on human trafficking current events 2017 that speak of exploiting and abusing people in the United States, and while these are tragic events, it is important to read about them to raise awareness of this worldwide crime. We must not look the other way because the problem will not disappear if we simply ignore it. For that reason, we have collected a list of 9 must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017.

9. Sex Trafficking in Ohio

“Three Pastors Charged With Sex Trafficking of Children in Ohio”

The New York Times published an article earlier this month about three pastors who exploited and sexually abused teenage girls in Ohio. The three men, Kenneth Butler, Anthony J. Haynes, and Cordell Jenkins were charged with conspiracy for child sex trafficking, according to the article, and the abusing started back in 2014. The three men sexually abused three teenage girls and gave them money for their silence. They even recorded the abuse with their phones, and these horrific actions took place from 2014 to the mid-2017.

8. Data Science Helps Fight Human Trafficking

“Data Science Can Help Us Fight Human Trafficking”

Scientific American published an article on July 30 this year as this date marks the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons which is dedicated to ending the criminal exploitation of men, women, and children. According to the article which ranks 8th on our list of must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017, analytics, the mathematical search for insights in data, can help us fight human trafficking. The article explains that as human trafficking is a supply chain (human victims are the ’supply’ and ’demand’ is illegal labor), it is inevitable that traffickers will leave a trail at some point despite being very careful. This gives us hope that we can use bits of information we find on human trafficking. This article is definitely a must-read.

7. Human Trafficking and Natural Disasters

“Human Trafficking Is a Hidden Aftermath of Natural Disasters”

In October this year, just when the Caribbean and the American South were struggling to recover from devastating hurricanes, PRI published an article that raised many concerns. According to the article which ranks 7th on our list of must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017, natural disasters cause human trafficking to flourish as so many people are left homeless and with no means to survive. Allison Franklin, a former victim and now an advocate for victims of trafficking, speaks about the underground industry of sex trafficking and how she noticed many women suddenly showing up in Houston after Hurricane Katrina in 2016. Allison was a victim and lived in a hotel where she was abused for three years. Her story is truly an eye-opener, and it should be heard everywhere.

6. 1,000 Arrested For Human Trafficking

“More Than 1,000 Arrests in Sex Trafficking Operation”

Earlier this year, CNN published an article which ranks 6th on our list of must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017 and it is about sex trafficking operation in which more than 1,000 criminals were arrested in a month-long period. The operation was part of the National Johns Suppression Initiative aimed to reduce sex trafficking in the U.S. According to the article, the most arrests were in Harris County, Texas, and in Seattle. Among those arrested were a pastor, a state trooper, and a convicted sex offender.

5. Human Trafficking in San Antonio

“Human Trafficking and Smuggling Rile San Antonio — and Beyond”

Another CNN article on our list of must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017, that came out earlier this year spoke about the San Antonio tragedy when 38 people were found dead or injured in the back of a semi-truck. According to San Antonio Police Chief, this happens all the time, and people are concerned that San Antonio became an epicenter of human smuggling and trafficking. According to the San Antonio Against Slavery advocacy group, Texas has a serious problem with human trafficking stating that 25% of all human trafficking victims in the country have been located in Texas at some point.

4. Slavery in the Land of The Free

“Slavery Still Exists in The Land of The Free — We Must Confront It”

This article ranks 4th on our list of must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017. It is published by CNN and speaks about modern-day slavery in America that happens every day. Despite the fact that slavery is illegal for 150 years now, apparently it was not abolished, and women, men, and children fall victims every single day. The article mentions a series of new initiatives announced to fight human trafficking by Missouri Attorney General, Josh Hawley. He announces a new approach to fight modern slavery. This article gives us hope that human trafficking will be reduced and abolished once and for all.

And now, let’s see the top three must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017.

3. Child Trafficking

“What’s Next in The Fight Against Child Trafficking”

This article published by Forbes speaks about National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and what the world is doing to fight this crime. Many contributions have been made during this month to the fight against modern slavery including the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking launched by The United States government. This is definitely a must-read article that gives insight into what is being done to fight human trafficking in the world as well as in the United States.

2. Thousands of Human Trafficking Victims Every Year

“There are Thousands of Human Trafficking Victims Each year. Here’s How You Can Help Them”

Time reflects on the problem of human trafficking in this comprehensive article and spreads awareness of the issue. It encourages the public to help the victims if they see them by calling an anonymous hotline. Additionally, it is stated in the article that more than 33,000 cases of human trafficking were reported in the last nine years. The majority of those reports were made by people who observed potential victims of human trafficking, according to the article.

1. The Faith and Justice Communities Must Work Together

“Human Trafficking: The Faith and Justice Communities Must Work Together To Fight This Scourge”

Fox News released an article earlier this year speaking about human trafficking in the United States and states that America remains unaware of the seriousness of this problem. It stresses the importance of recognizing that the situation of these victims can result from a systematic failure of the nation’s justice system. More should be done to fight human trafficking and this must read articles about human trafficking in the United States in 2017 opens our eyes to the seriousness of modern slavery.