Conflict Theory And Human Trafficking Essay

Words: 1484
Pages: 6

Conflict theory states that society is characterized by social inequality. This statement is true of the victims who are not treated as equals among others, especially in regard to their captors. More than 80% of people who are trafficked in a year are female, usually concerning sexual exploitation (Khatiwada, 2006). Not all trafficked persons are females, though, because there are many enslaved males and children as well. While males are primarily trafficked for labor, vulnerable females and children are the ones primarily trafficked for sexual exploitation (Bravo, 2010). Though, this does not mean each group is only involved in one type of enslavement, though. The drive and risk between men and women does differ (Rijken, 2008) but women are …show more content…
A person becoming involved in human trafficking because of poverty certainly proves that not every individual can be considered as equal to each other. Those who are wealthy receive the resources they need and want while those who are less fortunate do not even get the resources they need. There are push and pull factors involved that a person may look for when trying to improve a personal or economic situation, which can contribute to human trafficking (Nagle, 2008). Some of the push factors that may motivate a person to leave an area include poverty, unemployment, discrimination, abuse, violence, and environmental conditions as well as false expectations of a better life somewhere else (Nagle, 2008). Pull factors that can attract people to an area might include the high demand for cheap labor, weak laws and law enforcement, and the lack of public awareness among many others (Nagle, 2008). These pull factors do not seem like ideas that would appeal to a significant number of people looking for work, but to an illegal immigrant a country with weaker laws and weaker law enforcement means they do not have to fear of being caught residing or working in a country without a passport, documentation, legal residency, and citizenship (Nagle,