A new wave of trafficking has hit the Caribbean now involving people as opposed to drugs.
Trafficking in people has become a serious and growing problem it was revealed to delegates yesterday.
At the seminar on trafficking in persons, held at the Nassau Beach Hotel, Ms Ashley Garrette, the project manager of the International Organization for Migration, gave a detailed presentation concerning people trafficking issues.
Her presentation, entitled ﾓBuilding ﾠCollaborative Responseﾒ, explained the process of trafficking, the root causes and incentives for traffickers, perspectives of trafficking, and how the Bahamas may be vulnerable to this issue.
Ms Garrette explained the process of trafficking, from recruitment and travel to exploitation. The recruitment involves kidnapping, purchasing, or offers of jobs that may or may not exist. After illegally crossing the border into the country of destination, the trafficked persons are exploited in multiple ways, including sexual desecration, forced labour, domestic servitude, street peddling, forced military service, or organ removal.
In her presentation, Ms Garrette discussed the key similarities and differences between smuggling and trafficking.
ﾓCommonalties between trafficking and smuggling are similar recruitment mechanisms, often, but not always linked to irregular migration, and similar transportation or movement mechanisms,ﾒ she pointed out. Ms Garrette also spoke on the risks for the victims involved in trafficking.
ﾓThe consequences for the victims include a violation of human rights, a risk or danger of death and serious disease, and the illegal status in the country of destination,ﾒ she said.
In addition, Ms Garrette described the consequences that await for the countries involved in trafficking.
Among them are increased irregular migration, violation of national legislation, threatened public health, and economic destabilization causing a rise in money laundering and sex and labour markets.
Ms Garrette urges anyone who would be interested in getting involved to help prevent the trafficking of people to contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at (202) 862 1826 ext. 224 or visit www.iom.int.
Matthew Cromwell, The Tribune
