On-Line Dating and Human Trafficking

The trend of on-line dating can be a fun and convenient way to meet new people and potentially fall in love. It can also be a dangerous portal into the world of human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking and forced labor. Sex trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world today.

Women and children are deceived, lured with the promise of a job or better life but in reality are traded within and between countries for commercial sex work and forced labor.

Such was the case for a Russian woman and her daughter after meeting Joseph Cunningham using an on-line dating service. Elizabeth Shuvalova accepted Joseph Cunningham’s marriage proposal after a 2 year courtship using the online dating site eHarmony. Once in the United States and living at Cunningham’s home in Clearlake California, Elizabeth and her daughter were forced to work long hours without pay, verbally abused and held captive inside the home. There is no way to completely prevent human trafficking but cases like these where abusers are taken to court is a good way to deter others from joining this profession.

In addition to forced labor in the home, Elizabeth claims she was forced to give massages to a naked Cunningham for hours while daughter was forced work on Cunningham’s property moving brush, rock and hauling trash and debris for hours at a time. Eventually the women were able to escape by sneaking off the property and hiding out at the Sonoma County Women’s shelter. According to Courthouse News Service in Sonoma County the women are now suing Mr. Cunningham under the Traffic Victims Protection and Reauthorization Act.

If you do use an on-line dating service while trying to find that special someone be aware of the ploys that traffickers routinely use. Tapping into emotions is the first step a trafficker will use to manipulate you into falling for their lies. Another common ploy especially for those who live in a different country is the promise of a job in America, promising decent pay and paid passage into the country. However once the women arrive they are often forced into prostitution and made to “pay off their debt” through forced labor.

Being aware of the common ploys criminals use is a great step forward to help stop human trafficking. If your on-line suitor is overly eager for you to visit them, offers to pay for everything within just a few days of connecting on-line think twice about accepting their invitation. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Avoiding any kind of scam that might be criminal is another good step to help stop human trafficking.

The United States in the Human Trafficking Report

After signing the Human Trafficking Protocol in 2000, the US State Department has monitored levels of compliance with the protocol among the member states. Human trafficking is now an international crime according to the United Nations. For the first time this year the State Department audited the US and included the data on the list.

States are graded on their compliance with the human trafficking protocol by a tier system. Tier 1 states recognize trafficking as illegal and enforce laws to maintain compliance with the protocol and the torture victim protection act standards. Tier 1 countries included most in western Europe as well as others like South Korea. Tier 2 countries have not yet met minimum standards but have made significant steps to do so. Some Tier 2 countries in the last report were China, Mexico, and Russia. Tier 3 countries have not attempted to meet any standards or enforce any modern human slavery laws. The number of tier 3 countries is relatively small compared to the other two, but some notable nations were Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Myanmar.

For the first time, the State Department ranked itself, and the US received a Tier 1 rating. While some question the validity of the US ranking itself, it is an important step to get the information out into the open. All countries have problems with human trafficking, and the US is no different. Because of the US's economy, it is a prime destination area for human traffickers. These criminals can pick up people in other countries, transport them here and sell their labor or sex services for much less than American citizens. The source countries are often ones that are poor or have suffered some sort of disaster. The people there have little hope and are willing to believe the smuggler's wild claims for a chance at a new life.

Some countries also serve as transit countries, as the human smugglers take their cargo from the source country to the destination country. This may be a stopover as the smugglers find a safe route into the destination country. Of course some countries do not even work to stop this problem.

One major problem with human trafficking is it is not all that obvious. Although run by underground criminal elements, businesses and people contribute to human trafficking when they turn a blind eye or use the services provided by enslaved people. Just like how South African apartheid was eventually destroyed by international economic pressure. Refusing to be involved with businesses that may smuggle and enslave humans is a great way to stop trafficking.

Texas Creates New Human Trafficking Commission

Texas was one of the first states to realize that human trafficking was a major problem. As the state with the largest border with Mexico, Texas is a prime entry point for smuggled humans. The "coyotes" or smugglers of Mexican citizens have been operating for years. The coyotes' customers are often there by choice; trying to make a new life in the United States, but because of the nature of the illegal smuggling they are involved in, many die on the way and once they get get into America get scammed or involved in illegal activities.

Because of the illegal nature of their customers, the smuggled people are at the mercy of the coyotes. At any time they could be reported to the authorities and deported. Some victims even believe the smuggler's lies about how they must work to pay off the debts accrued in the cost of their smuggling. In most cases, these debts will never be paid. Along with the smuggling of Mexican citizens, the long Texas border has become a port for many other human trafficking schemes.

To address the problem, the Texas Attorney General created a new task force specifically to address trafficking, forced labor, and prostitution rings.

Texas accounts for a full fifth of all human trafficking in the Unites States. Of course modern day slavery is illegal, but human trafficking has only been illegal in Texas since 2003. The main hubs for human smuggling are El Paso and Houston. The new Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force's main aim is to connect the law enforcement, government workers and nonprofit organizations involved in human trafficking so they can communicate where the smugglers are as they move people around the state.

As these people are smuggled in and bought and sold for slavery, the task force will try to monitor these activities and disrupt them when possible. Some ways that modern day slave traders control their victims, other than through force are by isolating them from the public and their family. They also threaten the victim's family in their home country with violence and controlling the victim's money for safe keeping or to repay debts. Most victims are female and many will be forced into prostitution. Because in most cases both the smuggler and the victim have committed a crime, the victim is afraid to go to authorities. Without any oversight, the victims are in complete control of the smuggling gangs.