A Complex History

It is difficult to pinpoint the beginning of human trafficking, because of its close ties with slavery. If one views human trafficking as an extension of slavery, human trafficking has been occurring for thousands of years, since before the Roman and Egyptian Empires. If, however, one sees a distinction between slavery and human trafficking, then the origins of human trafficking must fall after the end of legal slavery, at least in the western hemisphere. From either viewpoint, it is clear that there is no linear history of human trafficking, and that our modern world has not advanced in its humanitarian efforts despite our technological and global feats.

As Benjamin Skinner points out, "There are more slaves today than at any point in human history... One hundred and forty-three years after the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in 1865 and 60 years after the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights banned the slave trade worldwide, slavery--or, as it is euphemistically called, human trafficking--is actually thriving." The key to understanding human trafficking must come from exploring why the laws set up by the United States, the United Nations, and other global super-powers to combat slavery have not been effective.

The United States government did not consider the issue of human trafficking until 1994; in 2000 The Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed "To combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes." This act recognized the hitherto invisible existence of trafficking within the US, but also acknowledged that laws in the US do not allow officials to adequately prosecute individuals guilty of trafficking other human beings. Since 2000, various other laws and acts have been passed in the United States concerning human trafficking, but because of jurisdiction issues and ambiguity, crimes against humanity are still largely committed throughout the US. People who could be convicted of trafficking are typically only charged with lesser crimes, while the victims of trafficking are still vulnerable and likely to be charged for prostitution or working without proper documentation, instead of receiving help from governmental officials.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also became concerned about human trafficking in the late 1990s, suggesting that something in the 20th century triggered an increase in slavery globally. This "something" most likely includes the increased globalization and industrialization of economies--as multinational corporations looked for cheaper sources of labor overseas, people saw a possible profit for providing slave laborers. As business travel became more common, places like Thailand saw the opportunity for becoming sex destinations. The Trafficking In Persons website attributes the sex tourism industry to the urbanization and industrialization of southeast Asian countries, a higher number of wealthy men willing to pay for sex, and the demand for brothels after the Vietnam War.


Though slavery was ended in western nations by the mid-nineteenth century, human trafficking grew globally throughout the twentieth century and reached alarming rates by the turn of the milennium. Due to an inability to punish the offenders, governments have been unsuccessful thus far in stopping this outrage against humanity. However, within the last 10-15 years human rights groups have become more aware of human trafficking and are working to spread information to help protect and prevent new victims from being exploited, and prosecute the criminals responsible for trafficking other humans.

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