There are an estimated 27.6 million victims of human trafficking around the world at any given moment. Human trafficking is considered the second largest growing criminal industry in the globe, only surpassed by drug trafficking.
Many of us don't realize how prevalent it is — or how easily it could affect anyone, including children. A United Nations report found that in recent years, the incidence and prevalence of child victims of human trafficking have increased astronomically. The situation is as dire abroad as it is at home. Florida ranks No. 3 in human trafficking cases by the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Earlier this year, NBC 6 reported that 67% of human trafficking victims in Miami-Dade are local and 40% are minors.
The recently released film "Sound of Freedom" sheds light on the horrors of child sex trafficking. The thriller/drama is based on the true story of former Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard, his mission to rescue children from traffickers and a real sting operation Ballard successfully led in conjunction with Colombian authorities in October of 2014. A fan favorite, "Sound of Freedom" has earned more than $160 million at the box office and currently holds a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.com.
To shed light on the plague of human trafficking and how we can combat it, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Suman Kakar, a human trafficking expert, spoke to FIU News.
"Traffickers treat people as commodities rather than as human beings. There is no reason for a child or any human being to ever be exploited."
– Suman Kakar, associate professor of criminology and criminal science
