Labor Trafficking in Latin America and Europe (Research Paper Sample)

Labor Trafficking
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Abstract
Labor trafficking is a persistent problem around the globe. Traffickers are constantly engaging in illegal recruitment and movement of people from one country to another to work as forced laborers. Europe and Latin America are among the continents witnessing this criminal enterprise. Vulnerable members of the society, including children, find themselves in the hands of traffickers who take advantage of them for monetary gain. Different countries find themselves as source, transit, or destination of human trafficking. Belgium and Chile are examples of European and Latin American countries, respectively, with reported cases of labor trafficking. It is important to point out that there are similarities and differences in the nature of trafficking in these countries. The aspect that experts agree regarding this matter is that labor trafficking is a major problem that requires deliberate efforts to criminalize and protect victims.
Labor Trafficking
How much is labor trafficking a problem today? Europe and Latin America are among the regions around the globe who are greatly affected by increased labor trafficking. Statistics in 2018 showed that labor trafficking in Western and Southern Europe was at 32%. Also, an approximate of 1.8 million people in Latin America are exposed to forced labor (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2020). Belgium and Chile are examples of countries in Europe and Latin America, respectively, where labor trafficking has been a major problem. Given that labor trafficking is a global problem, there are notable similarities between trafficking in Europe and in Latin America. However, there are fundamental differences between the two regions worth discussing. Indeed, these statistics are an indication that labor trafficking is a problem that needs governments and agencies to increase their efforts towards finding lasting solutions. Criminalizing human trafficking and finding feasible ways of protecting victims should be a priority for governments, non-governmental agencies, and law enforcement