Theological Reflection on Child and Human Trafficking

Theological Reflection on Child and Human Trafficking

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to enlighten and explore the concept of human trafficking in a holistic manner. This paper aims to analyze the globally burning issue that is human and child trafficking; moreover, the objective of the paper is to analyze the concern of human trafficking through diverse biblical conceptions. Human trafficking and smuggling can be broadly defined as the illegal movement of people across international borders. In recent years, a distinction between the two concepts has emerged. “Trafficking” is associated with exploitation after movement—for example, when women are forced into prostitution after being brought into a country. “Smuggling,” in contrast, does not necessarily imply exploitation. Given their informal nature, the scale of human trafficking and smuggling is virtually impossible to measure, but most commentators agree that it is increasing. Some theorize that the increase is a response to restrictive immigration and asylum policies across the industrialized world.

The biblical conceptions assert that in any case, abduction of humans and children is forbidden as it engulfs the use of individuals for profitable concerns. Little is yet known, however, about the nature of trafficking and smuggling organizations, the routes they use, and the methods by which they operate. Trafficking and smuggling clearly challenge the ability of states to control their borders, and recently there have been (largely unsubstantiated) concerns that they might import terrorists. There are also serious consequences for the migrants involved, a proportion of whom perish en route while others are exploited after arrival in their destination. A range of policies to combat trafficking and smuggling has been introduced at unilateral and multilateral levels, but the extent to which these policies have reduced the problem remains unclear.

Human and Child Trafficking

Until the late 1990s, both academics and policy makers used the terms “trafficking” and “smuggling” more or less interchangeably. In 1998, the United Nations General Assembly Economic and Social Council produced separate protocols for the two and distinguished “victims of trafficking,” those who have suffered elements of exploitation and coercion, from “smuggled migrants,” those who have voluntarily engaged the services of a smuggler for assistance in moving illegally across a border (Bailey, 2003, 108-116). The implication is that human smuggling is essentially a migration issue, whereas human trafficking is essentially a human rights issue. The biblical conceptions portray that the Lord reigns forever: he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:7-10).

This distinction is now common, although not uncontested. There has been some resistance to simple distinctions between trafficking and smuggling from scholars pointing out that smuggling—with no associated coercion or exploitation—can nevertheless expose vulnerable migrants to risks and threaten their fundamental human rights. For the individuals involved, smuggling can effectively degrade into trafficking. For example, a migrant may pay a portion of a fee ...