Human Trafficking In California Essay

Words: 625
Pages: 3

Worked until complete physical and mental exhaustion, victims find themselves in unsanitary conditions with no ventilation and restricted space. Chemicals and dust leave them with irritated noses, throats, and long term respiratory health defects. Behind the famous glamour and opportunities of America’s very own golden state is a hidden practice that often goes undetected in our everyday lives: human trafficking. California’s battle with involuntary servitude, a story of money, power, greed, and corruption, is a modern tragedy that many have attempted to aid along with further action that needs to be taken.
Common corruption of business, location, and vulnerability of immigrants makes California a perfect hot bed for the American failure known
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The problem begins with cheap labor. Large retailers often don't produce their own clothing. Manufacturers are hired to coordinate production. In 2012, the U.S. Labor Department sanctioned several Los Angeles garment contractors for sweatshop conditions while making wares for well known companies: Urban Outfitters Inc., Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp., Forever 21 Inc., the company that owns T.J. Maxx and Marshall's (TJX Cos Inc.), and others. (philadelphia inquirer) Many desperate people looking for any way out of unemployment are lured into sweatshop like jobs just to pay their bills. Corruption of businesses along with cheap prices promised by the clothing companies is in part the issue. Wanting to maximize profits while continuing to offer consumers cheap and current styles, workers were found being paid less than $6.50 per hour and were not paid mandated overtime when they worked over 40 hours per week (philadelphia inquirer). The disgusting practice of cheap mass production focuses on paying people less and less having them work more and more. Falsified time cards are a common way to cover up the true hours worked by each person, making it hard, in our government, to justify right from wrong in many situations. Most