Human Trafficking: A Billion-Dollar Industry

Ohio was among the six states in the United States that did not have a stand-alone human trafficking law. On December 23, 2010, Governor Ted Strickland signed the bill into Ohio legislation, making human trafficking a felony in the state. There are five states that have not implemented a stand-alone human trafficking bill: South Dakota, Massachusetts, West Virgina, Wyoming, and Hawaii.

This bill will take effect March of 2011 and human trafficking will be punishable by up to eight years imprisonment. Senator Teresa Fedor (D Toledo) states, "Ohio is no longer safe for trafficking human beings, and that the gap between the state's criminal code and the reality of human trafficking is closed."

Toledo, Ohio, is the third-largest city for human trafficking and sexual slavery in the United States; just recently a Somalian sex trafficking ring was busted in Columbus. The Buckeye State is known for football, chili, and the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. It now finds itself among the several states in America that have been confronted with the horror of human trafficking.

Crimes are being committed against the youth of this world. This is not something these young people have submitted to willingly. Their families and their lives are in danger if they do not comply to the perverse demands of their captors.

Slavery was abolished over a hundred years ago, yet runaways vanish into the night, child abductions have increased, and promises of false hopes have lured many young people to their enslavement. Human trafficking is a world problem, and teenage runaways are at greater risk to be abducted and beguiled into sexual enslavement. We need to educate our young people in hopes to prevent future human trafficking cases.

Foreign Youths are being promised American jobs and financial gain only to find themselves in the land of the free - enslaved, abused, and drugged against their will.

The world has felt the helplessness and mortification of these organizations that continue to exploit children and young women for sale. Human rights have been disregarded and the equality of life has been compromised and grossly abused for financial greed. These young people have been violated and deprived of their family, childhood, and innocence.

Human trafficking is estimated to be a billion dollar business. Craigs-list has recently removed their "erotic services" content from their website. It is unthinkable that you could go onto a website and order sexual perversions to specification, like a fast food restaurant.

We need to do more universally to protect the innocence of our youth from the monstrosities of human enslavement and sexual exploitation throughout the world. The punishment for human trafficking should be severe, and every state should consider stand-alone state legislation.

The emotional and physical abuse these young people face is unimaginable and inhumane. It is estimated that over 800 foreign-born youths are being imported into Ohio every year.

2,000 youths are estimated to be sold or transported throughout Ohio in 2010. The profit of another human being is unconstitutional and goes against every freedom Americans have fought to protect.

If you know someone who is a Victim of Human Trafficking, you can call this number for help: 1 (888) 373- 7888