Is human trafficking a form of slavery?

Numerous sources highlight human trafficking as a contemporary manifestation of slavery, involving the illicit transportation of individuals. Global estimates suggest that approximately 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders yearly, originating from East Asian and African nations to Western countries, America, the Gulf region, and beyond. Many are subjected to exploitation through prostitution, forced labour, domestic servitude, and other means.

Notably, statistics indicate that 71% of those enslaved are women and girls. Perpetrators employ methods of oppression, fear, violence, and intimidation against victims and their families, rendering human trafficking the third most profitable criminal enterprise globally, trailing only drug and weapons trafficking.

The United Nations approximates that one million individuals are trafficked globally, with between 20,000 and 50,000 trafficked to the United States annually, a significant destination for sex trafficking victims. Recognising the gravity of this issue, numerous nations, including the Sultanate of Oman, are actively engaged in efforts to raise awareness and prevent inadvertent involvement, thereby averting legal repercussions.

Various authorities, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the General Union of Workers of Oman, the Public Prosecution, human rights organisations, and other concerned entities, coordinate informative sessions and seminars on human trafficking, its modalities, and strategies for combating it.

The Sultanate of Oman, through its National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, endeavours to devise action plans and conduct educational and training initiatives to bolster the capacity of law enforcement personnel. It diligently monitors domestic and international developments related to human trafficking and imposes penalties on offenders pursuant to the Anti-Human Trafficking Law of 2008, encompassing imprisonment or financial sanctions as appropriate.

Human traffickers employ various methods, exploiting modern communication channels, employment agencies, media platforms, and local networks to ensnare victims. Profits from such operations are distributed among intermediaries, transportation and employment agencies, and other accomplices involved in facilitating illicit activities, visa issuance, and travel logistics.

Victims are often supplied with fraudulent documentation and coerced into the sex trade, vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse, sometimes to settle incurred immigration debts.

Globalisation serves as a catalyst for this issue, as it fosters the movement of migrants into lucrative labour markets, enabling criminal organizations to expand their operations and establish transnational networks. Consequently, individuals, regardless of age or gender, are ensnared into sexual servitude.

The scourge of human trafficking exacts economic, social, and psychological tolls, necessitating concerted efforts from society and institutions to combat it effectively.