Abstract
Policy discourses regarding human trafficking nowadays increasingly link trafficking in human beings with institutional lapses such as inadequate political commitment; non-existent national legislation against trafficking in human beings; absence of a judicial framework for the perpetrators and accomplices to be punished for their acts; corruption involving immigration, judicial, and law enforcement officers; and lack of political will. Adopting content analysis and the descriptive methodology, this chapter explores the different levels of analysis and the interplay between human trafficking and traditional ethical values. The chapter explores emerging intersections between today's dominant anti-trafficking discourses and the spaces meant to be filled by values and democratic principles. Within this context, the findings reveal that human trafficking, as a symptom of exploitation, dehumanization, and devaluation of human life is an intrinsic part of everyday life affecting the entire society and not something that is just relevant for a few victims.
TopIntroduction
Human trafficking’ is a complex and worldwide phenomenon, which has become a matter of grave concern at regional, national and international level. Human trafficking is both a human rights violation and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world (Koettl, 2009). It is a composite, multi-faceted crime with no single solution yet at sight. Many countries are affected by it in some way, either as a destination country or a port of origin (Godbole, 2014). Although, there are number of initiatives, policies, conventions, laws, protocols and regulations against human trafficking through legislative, executive, judicial and social action, there is no end to their formulation as the issue continues to exist and is on rise. Trafficking in persons is an illegal enterprise involving criminal sale or trade of human beings for labor through abduction, the use or threat of force, deception and fraud or for sexual exploitation. Human traffickers tend to look for vulnerability when searching for their victims. Society’s most vulnerable members such as those burdened by disabilities, discrimination and poverty, are preyed upon by traffickers. There is not one single type of person that traffickers prey upon so victims tend to be from all walks of life and social status does not exclude someone from being potentially trafficked (Mishra, 2014).
In contemporary society, democratic governance and human rights are critical components of tackling human trafficking in every society. Countries with ineffective government institutions, rampant corruption, and weak rule of law have a 30-to-45 percent higher risk of vulnerability to human trafficking (Holmes, 2009). As far as democratic principles are concerned, the protection and promotion of the rights of the victims of human trafficking should be a matter of grave concern to any responsible government, it has to be utmost priority areas of the governments and public authorities, but the big question here is are they proactive in their actions and service delivery to the people? Indeed, it is the responsibilities of the government and public authorities who largely shoulder the responsibility of the attainment of the welfare of its citizens through the implementation of various people oriented welfare programmes and legal instruments that counter crimes and offences against the citizens and their rights as part of their dividend of democracy good governance schema (Maryse, 2020). Unfortunately, the continuous existence and increase in the high rate of human trafficking especially adolescents confirms that there is a gap in the implementation of preventive laws and post rescue operations which culminates into higher vulnerabilities and successful trafficking. Even though there are no direct study, which tries to link the existence of child trafficking to the issues of bad governance in contemporary societies, there are however, certain references that blame the inactions of government and public authorities on so many thing relating to weak governance and poor administration of democratic principles.
There are several studies that tries to narrate the inefficiency of the government and public authorities in curbing the social hazards of human trafficking in several societies, especially in Africa. But none has made an attempt to link the existence of human trafficking to bad governance or the lack of good governance. Therefore, this chapter clearly pontificates on the issue of human trafficking from the standpoint of weak or bad governance and poor democratic principles. This paper gives a synopsis of human trafficking in Nigeria in order to understand the complexity of the linkage between the existences of human trafficking and the instrumentalities of either bad or excellent governance.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Migration: According to prostitution organisations, most women working in the prostitution business are migrants; equally, data and estimations on victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation indicate that most of them are migrants. As prostitution and pornography are transnational businesses, a victim of trafficking might have to cross borders many times to provide sex services in different countries.
Sex Industry: The sex industry is not limited to prostitution but includes a wide range of activities such as pornography, Internet sex, phone sex, strip clubs, and other related sexual services. However, pornography and prostitution are considered the most profitable businesses within the market. M Farley’s study across nine countries showed a strong bi-directional link between pornography and prostitution.
Vulnerability: Trafficking is linked to the abuse of people in vulnerable situations, which is defined in international and European law. It highlights the lack of alternatives for a victim when submitting to the abuse. Thus, the Council of Europe advocates that the notion of vulnerability is treated in a wide sense by including situations of poverty and economic deprivation.
Child Sexual Exploitation: A child is a victim of sexual exploitation when she/he takes part in a sexual activity in exchange for something (e.g., gain or benefit, or even the promise of such) from a third party, the perpetrator, or by the child her/himself. A child may be coerced into a situation of sexual exploitation through physical force or threats. However, she/he may also be persuaded to engage in such sexual activity as a result of more complex and nuanced factors, either human or situational, including a power imbalance between the victim and the perpetrator. While any child may be sexually exploited, children may also find themselves in a situation that makes them particularly vulnerable to such exploitation (e.g., poverty, abuse/neglect, unaccompanied/homeless).