Human Trafficking – a Global Crisis on Our Doorstep
Hey Collective Crew, Shaun here. On this week’s The Collective podcast, we stepped into a profoundly serious and often misunderstood subject: Human Trafficking. Joined by Alana Stott, with her decades of experience in OSINT and trafficking prevention, and Doug Patteson, a former CIA officer with deep knowledge of criminal networks, Chance and I embarked on a journey to learn, to understand, and to hopefully shed light on a crisis that operates in the shadows but impacts us all.
As I admitted at the start of the podcast, my own knowledge was limited before doing a deeper research dive in preparation for this conversation, and I suspect many of our listeners feel the same. This topic is often misunderstood due to myths, exaggerated movie plots, or insufficient attention. Here’s the reality… it’s a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise, evolving rapidly in the digital age, and its tendrils reach further than we might imagine.
This Week’s Illuminating Voices:
Alana Stott MBE: 24 years working in human trafficking prevention and education, OSINT specialist, founder of Blue Rose Foundation.
Doug Patteson: Former CIA officer, expert on security issues, criminal networks, and clandestine operations.
Key Realities We Confronted:
1) Defining the Beast: Beyond Smuggling & Kidnapping
We began by establishing a clear definition, guided by the UN’s Palermo Protocol and its “AMP” model (Act, Means, Purpose). Crucially, human trafficking isn’t synonymous with human smuggling. It involves the coercion of individuals into forced labor, sexual exploitation, or other forms of servitude against their will. Alana stressed that the stereotypical image of violent kidnapping, while it happens, isn’t the norm. Modern traffickers are masters of manipulation and psychological grooming – processes that often occur long before any “act” of trafficking and are tragically often not illegal in themselves.
2) The Evolving Face of Trafficking: From Ancient Evil to Digital Enterprise
While exploitation is ancient, modern trafficking is a distinct, profit-driven criminal activity. I highlighted the alarming rise of “scam factories” in regions like Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia – a newly emerging digital exploitation where victims are lured by fake job offers, their passports confiscated upon arrival and then detained/imprisoned in large factories forced into perpetrating online scams (like “pig butchering”) under horrific conditions and extreme duress. This criminality isn’t just happening “over there”; the further butchered victims are global, and the targets of these scams are often in our own communities.
3) It’s Everywhere, It Affects Everyone
Alana powerfully dispelled the myth that trafficking is confined to “third-world countries” or specific socioeconomic groups. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. Furthermore, she emphasized that even if you don’t think trafficking affects you directly, it funds war, terrorism, and contributes to global issues.
4) The Dehumanization Factor: People as Renewable Commodities
A core, chilling aspect is the dehumanization of victims. As I pointed out, unlike drugs, humans are a “renewable resource” for traffickers, able to be exploited repeatedly. This mindset allows for the immense cruelty and indifference shown by these criminal networks.
5) The Challenge of Detection & Prosecution
The subtle nature of modern grooming, and the difficulty in proving coercion contributes to shockingly low conviction rates. This is compounded by a lack of collaboration between agencies, even across county lines, let alone internationally.
6) What Can We Do? Awareness, Responsibility, and Human Connection
Educate Yourself: Don’t take our word for it; research the facts from reputable sources. Understand the myths versus realities. My research list used for the podcast prep is listed at the bottom of this newsletter.
Consumer Responsibility: Alana urged us to question “too good to be true” deals. Is that $10 car wash or $20 nail set enabling exploitation? Pay fair wages. Be a conscious consumer. My “hippie” approach of using things until they’re threadbare isn’t just about frugality; it’s about reducing demand.
Humanize Interactions: Look people in the eye. Ask questions. Don’t treat service providers as invisible transactions. As I suggested, turning a simple transaction into a human moment can be a small but powerful preventative step.
Communicate & Be Vigilant: Especially with children. Alana stressed that kids will find social media; so open dialogue is crucial. Teach them to recognize grooming tactics and come to you. Cold eye review your own relationships and those of your loved ones for red flags.
Support & Collaboration: Support organizations like Alana’s Blue Rose Foundation. Advocate for better laws (like the Grooming Accountability and Prevention Act she’s working on) and better inter-agency collaboration.
7) The Path to Healing & Reintegration:
The trauma experienced by trafficking survivors is profound, often compounded by being forced to harm others. Alana highlighted the striking similarities between the PTSD experienced by veterans and trafficking survivors, and the desperate need for specialized healing programs. Reintegration is a massive challenge, especially after prolonged dehumanization. Doug also pointed out the need to address the root economic causes that drive people into these pipelines in the first place.
Final Thought: The Power of Our Collective Conscience
Human trafficking is a dark, complex, and evolving threat. It thrives in ignorance, apathy, and the shadows of our own consumer demands and digital interactions. But as this conversation illuminated, it is not an insurmountable problem if we choose to confront it. It requires education, personal responsibility, a commitment to humanizing every interaction, and the courage to ask hard questions – of ourselves, our communities, and our systems.
The change, as Alana demonstrated by bringing this topic to us, begins with a single voice, a single action, a single conscious choice to see, to understand, and to act. Let this conversation be a spark for you.
Listen to the full “Human Trafficking” discussion with Alana Stott and Doug Patteson here: Human Trafficking
Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep striving to protect the vulnerable,
Shaun & The Collective Crew
Learn More & Get Involved:
- Blue Rose Foundation: www.bluerose.foundation
The information discussed and compiled for my show notes on human trafficking draws from a variety of highly credible international organizations, governmental bodies, and research institutions. Readers interested in delving deeper into the facts and ongoing efforts can consult the following.
I. United Nations Agencies:
1. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
– Key Resource: The primary UN entity for addressing illicit drugs and international crime, including human trafficking.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol): Provides the internationally recognized definition of human trafficking.
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons: Published regularly, offering comprehensive data, trends, and analysis.
Blue Heart Campaign: A global awareness-raising initiative.
– Website: unodc.org
2. International Labour Organization (ILO):
– Key Resource: A UN agency focused on setting labor standards, promoting rights at work, and encouraging decent employment opportunities.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery (often in collaboration with Walk Free and IOM): Provides key statistics on forced labor and forced marriage worldwide.
Numerous reports and resources on forced labor and child labor.
– Website: ilo.org
3. International Organization for Migration (IOM):
– Key Resource: The leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration, working to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Extensive research and data on trafficking as it relates to migration, vulnerable migrant populations, and providing assistance to trafficked migrants.
Often collaborates on global estimates.
– Website: iom.int
4. UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR):
– Key Resource: The leading UN entity on human rights.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives: Publishes reports on human rights situations globally, which often include detailed information on state-sponsored forced labor and other forms of trafficking (e.g., reports on Eritrea, North Korea, Myanmar).
– Website: ohchr.org
II. Governmental Bodies & Reports:
1. U.S. Department of State:
– Key Resource: Publishes one of the most comprehensive annual assessments of global efforts to combat human trafficking.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report: An annual report that assesses government efforts around the world to combat human trafficking, ranking countries into Tiers.
– Website: state.gov/j/tip/
2. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):
– Key Resource: Involved in investigating human trafficking and raising awareness.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Blue Campaign: A national public awareness campaign.
– Website: dhs.gov/blue-campaign
3. Public Safety Canada:
– Key Resource: Leads Canada’s federal efforts to combat human trafficking.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.
– Website: publicsafety.gc.ca
4. European Commission / European Union Agencies:
– Key Resource: Coordinates EU-wide efforts and policies.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
EU Anti-Trafficking Day (October 18th).
Various strategy documents and reports from bodies like Europol or Eurojust.
III. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) & Foundations:
1. Walk Free:
– Key Resource: An international human rights organization working to end modern slavery.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Global Slavery Index: Provides country-by-country estimates of modern slavery prevalence and government responses.
– Website: walkfree.org
2. Polaris Project:
– Key Resource: A leading NGO in the U.S. working to combat and prevent human trafficking.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives:
Operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Publishes extensive data and reports based on hotline information, highlighting trends in the U.S.
– Website: polarisproject.org
3. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking:
– Key Resource: Operates the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline.
– Website: canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca
4. Amnesty International & Human Rights Watch:
– Key Resource: Major international human rights organizations that frequently publish in-depth investigative reports on human trafficking issues and human rights abuses in specific countries or contexts, including forced labor and conflict-related trafficking.
– Websites: amnesty.org and hrw.org
IV. Intergovernmental Law Enforcement & Security Organizations:
1. Interpol:
– Key Resource: The International Criminal Police Organization, facilitating international police cooperation.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives: Issues reports, warnings, and coordinates operations related to transnational organized crime, including human trafficking and cyber-enabled crime.
– Website: interpol.int
2. Europol:
– Key Resource: The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
– Specific Reports/Initiatives: Produces threat assessments and reports on organized crime trends in the EU, including human trafficking.
– Website: europol.europa.eu
3. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE):
– Key Resource: World’s largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization, active in anti-trafficking efforts, particularly in Europe and Central Asia.
– Website: osce.org/trafficking
V. Investigative Journalism:
While not a single “source,” it’s important to acknowledge that much of the emerging information, particularly on rapidly developing situations like the cyber scam compounds in Southeast Asia, comes from in-depth investigative reports by reputable international and local news organizations (e.g., Reuters, Associated Press, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Vice, and many others). These reports often provide crucial on-the-ground details and victim testimonies.
Note for Readers: This list is not exhaustive, but provides a strong starting point for accessing reliable data and analysis on human trafficking. The situation is constantly evolving, so checking for the latest reports from these organizations is always recommended.
