National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is observed every year in United State on 11 January.
The day aims at raising awareness about the difficulties that a human trafficking victim faces. This day is celebrated so that we can promote and protect the rights of such victims.
Since 2010, the month January has been designated National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, but this day was specifically dedicated to awareness and prevention of illegal human trafficking practices.
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.
Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime.
History of Human Trafficking Awareness Day:
In 2007, The United States Senate designated January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. And back in 2010, President Obama dedicated the whole month of January as
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Today there are more that 50 established organizations globally that are fighting against this illegal practice and trying their best to raise awareness for the same.
Objective:
The main objective of this day is to bring greater awareness to the crime of sex trafficking as Sexual exploitation (e.g., sex trafficking) is by far the most commonly identified form of human trafficking. So each year, organizations around the world provide supports to communities, training to volunteers and educational events to increase awareness.
Quotes:
“Human trafficking is an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity.” —Pope Francis
“Defeating human trafficking is a great moral calling of our time.” – Condoleeza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State
We have a moral obligation to raise awareness and educate those around us so we can create a world where human trafficking is a thing of the past, and bring these human rights violations to an immediate end.-Jacky Rosen
In reality, victims of human trafficking are often left voiceless and completely unseen by society.-Elise Stefanik