Human Trafficking and Health

Public Health Issues in the Media: Human Trafficking The impact of the topic and why it is an issue for public health There is no doubt that human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. Such victims are subjected to sex slavery through threats of violence and various forms of exploitation being meted against them if they do not comply. Victims of human trafficking suffer from range of physical and mental health which result from the experiences of abuse and mistreatment by the traffickers (Gray, 2016; McEachran, 2014).

Human trafficking is a global problem that affects economically vulnerable groups more than the rest of society. The nature of trafficking is such that it's a long-term affliction. It affects both the victim and the rest of their community. Thus, human trafficking is a public health problem. There are many mental and physical effects of trafficking. Some of these include chronic pelvic pain, depression and post traumatic stress disorder (Gray, 2016). Victims of human trafficking should seek professional help from counselling experts.

The only problem at the moment is that such services are not readily accessible by such victims. Most health care givers have not been given the requisite education to handle such cases. Moreover, there is a data deficit on health needs and the characteristics of victims of trafficking. Data on the best prevention and intervention is also scanty. Which institutions, groups, and/or individuals are affected by this issue? Human trafficking is a global industry even as it is a pandemic.

The income generated from the industry runs into billions of dollars. The effect of trafficking is felt in countries from where people trafficked. And those to where people are moved to. There are effects for both sets of countries. Children and women who are trafficked for the sexual exploitation are at a high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other STIs. There is also a risk of spreading the illnesses to the rest of the population.

The human trafficking process is a dangerous one and involves even holding the victims for significant periods long after they have reached their destination. The conditions that the victims are subjected to have far reaching negative mental and physical effects on the victims (McEachran, 2014). Children are known to be vulnerable to trafficking, particularly the ones who are not within supportive care environment. Law agencies in both countries of origin and the destination of the trafficked victims are challenged by organised criminal gangs which go beyond issues of trafficking.

Such issues as how well the countries such as the US track and prosecute traffickers and application of the threat to prosecute as a means of deterring the practice have an effect on human trafficking trends (McEachran, 2014; Gray, 2016). Which sociological perspective(s) could be used to understand why the health issue exists and/or persists? i. Structural function The above would analyse trafficking on the basis of structures that give rise to vulnerable groups versus the functions that human trafficking fulfils in the wider society.

Political structures that are typically unstable along with poverty create populations that are ready to accept extreme and unacceptable working conditions. They are willing to be relocated to distant places just to gain a chance for employment. This is also informed by the need to survive by running away from war problems in their home ground (Lerum & Brents, 2016). When desperate people are given a chance to earn an income, desperate individuals do not consider warning signs such as a situation being too good. They then fall to compromise. ii.

Conflict The practice of one group of people dominating another one is the central feeder of the sociological perspective on conflict. It analyzes human trafficking by examining groups that posses influence and power to exploit people who are vulnerable (Lerum & Brents, 2016). There is variation in dominant groups in different nations but may constitute groups sharing the most common religion racial class, upper economic clusters or high positions of authority.

Patriarchal societies seem to create a fertile ground for inferiority of women and subjugation and the encouragement of violence meted towards women. These conditions provide fertile ground for sex traffickers to thrive in their pursuits. Children are often victims in these circumstances. They are easy targets by adult groups to exploit them and push them into sex trafficking and forced labour. iii. Symbolic-Interaction The above approach examines social interactions at the micro-level. The approach takes cognizance of the fact that each person attaches meaning to their relationships and situation.

It also recognizes that individuals give meaning to their life at the personal level courtesy of their experiences (Lerum & Brents, 2016). They use daily experiences and apply to their general life. It is hard to recognize that there is some individual symbolic interplay at the micro level. However, each of those involved and thus affected applies their own thinking and symbolic significance to their own scenarios.

What type of social change would be needed in order to address the issue? Which social institutions should be involved? If human trafficking is to come to an end, people must be assured that there will be no human adversity that will lead them to leave their home in abandonment in pursuit of better living in another country.