In this week’s assignment, you will be reflecting upon a case study of a victim of human
trafficking as seen through victim’s perspective. You will analyze their experiences from your
point of view.
Instructions:
- Select a case study which includes the perspective of a victim of your chosen topic.
- Review the case study and in your words, reflect upon their experience by using the
following questions to guide you:
o Would you have responded to the situation in the same manner?
o What parts of the victim’s story shocked you?
o Do you believe that this situation could have been prevented? If so, how?
The case study I selected is from the Polaris Project, a non-profit organization that works to combat human trafficking. The case study is about a young woman named Maria who was trafficked from Mexico to the United States.
Maria's story is heartbreaking. She was promised a job as a waitress in the United States, but when she arrived, she was forced into prostitution. She was beaten and threatened if she tried to escape. She was also forced to work long hours and was not allowed to keep any of the money she earned.
Maria's story shocked me on many levels. I was shocked by the brutality of her traffickers. I was also shocked by the fact that she was so young and vulnerable. And I was shocked by the fact that she was so isolated and alone.
I don't know if I would have responded to the situation in the same manner as Maria. I would like to think that I would have had the courage to escape, but I don't know for sure. I do know that I would have been terrified and traumatized.
I believe that this situation could have been prevented. If Maria had had more information about human trafficking, she might not have been so vulnerable to being trafficked. She also might have had a support system in place that could have helped her escape.
I think it is important for people to be aware of the signs of human trafficking. If you see something, say something. You could save a life.
Here are some resources for learning more about human trafficking:
- The Polaris Project: https://polarisproject.org/
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
- The Human Trafficking Institute: https://traffickinginstitute.org/