Introduction 

       Human trafficking is one of the most prominent forms of modern slavery today. Victims of human trafficking often go through severe abuse, torture, and violence from their captors. From kidnapping young children to recruiting innocent adults, individuals are lured to into the intricate system of human trafficking rings with little to no possible way of escape. Although many efforts have been put into preventing trafficking globally, lack of awareness and misconceptions about human trafficking is key contributor to the increase in victims today. Two of the most prevalent and devastating forms of this exploitation are forced begging and forced labor.   

 

Forced Begging  

         Force begging is a global issue where children and young adults of all ages get kidnapped and sold into traffickers who often torture captives until they go blind, deaf, and/or are severely injured. Victims are then placed in crowded areas in public to beg for money. The money, however, almost never goes to those who are begging. Instead, the traffickers often steal the profit entirely for themselves. Although victims tend to fall under various age groups, the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative states that “19% of child trafficking cases,” are exploited into forced begging (IOM, 2017). Through this never-ending cycle, children are stripped of their freedom and turned into slaves for that beg for the rest of their lives.  

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           In addition to the increasing statistics of children being forced to beg, the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative also states that “the extent of family involvement in the trafficking of children is more than four times higher than in case of adult trafficking” (IOM, 2017). While it is not uncommon for children born in third world and developing countries to be sold off to traffickers by their parents in exchange for money, it is important to keep in mind the millions of lives that are ruined every year due to the desperate actions of parents seeking a temporary solution to their dire financial problems. One example of a third world country is India. According to the Times of India, “In Bihar, over 24,000 children have been found missing since 2020. The police are yet to trace over 12,600 of them…” (Mahapatra 2025). In many cases, these children are abducted at any time of the day (including broad daylight) and transported all around the country/world. They are intentionally and physically abused until grievous wounds develop, becoming visible to the naked eye. These visible wounds elicit greater public sympathy, thus increasing the trafficker’s profits. To make matters worse, once these children are no longer “profitable”, they are often put on drugs and/or sold to organ traffickers in order to always keep them in control and/or sold to organ traffickers. These innocent children and young adults lose their freedom, dreams, and futures. 

 

Forced Labor 

          Forced Labor is the recruitment, kidnapping or selling of individuals for the sole purpose of maximizing profits through exploitation. The International Labor Organization indicates that, of the “50 million people were living in modern slavery in 2021…28 million were in forced labour” (IOM 2022). Forced labor can be similar to forced begging as the victims are often abused, tortured, and mistreated while working and are also forced to work extremely long hours with little to no pay. In many cases, victims are unable to leave due to legal repercussions. The Kafala system implemented in the Middle Eastern nations is a great example of how governments fail to protect the millions of lives forced into labor-intensive work with no chance of escape or freedom. According to the Global Slavery Index, “[a]n estimated 10.1 people per thousand people were living in modern slavery in the [Arab States] region, which breaks down to 5.3 in forced labour” (Walk Free, 2023). 

         

          The Council on Foreign Relations reports that victims trying to find a better life in a foreign country are first offered sponsorship to work in the Arab States with a work visa in addition to, “travel expenses and [provided] housing, often in dorm-like accommodations or…the sponsor’s home” (CFR 2022). They are then forced to sign “multiple contracts, some in languages they don’t understand,” the Council on Foreign Relations also reports (CFR 2022). They face the confiscation of their passports, visas, and phones which means that the workers have almost no communication to the outside world and cannot walk away even if they wanted to. Finally, they are forced into intense labor every day of the week, earning extremely low and/or below minimum wages for their work. The minimal consequence for this exploitation, as suggested by Walk Free, is that “forced labour allegations are often considered regulatory violations for which businesses receive fines or lose their licenses instead of imprisonment” (Walk Free 2025). Agencies and businesses that continuously commit crimes are often not punished severely, permitting the cycle to continue with no end in sight.  

     

             While this system is simple but effective in recruiting millions around the world into this trap, many believe they are engaging with “legitimate” private agencies only to later get tricked and become trafficked as a forced labor worker for the rest of their lives. Most work long hours each day with little to no rest, endure a malnourished diet, lack freedom of speech, and face physical abuse almost every day. The system’s effectiveness also allows forced labor to remain one of the most prominent ways that traffickers take advantage of their captives. Under such conditions, forced labor taking place in this system is a blatant form of modern-day slavery. Although it is the 21st century and it might come as a surprise that slavery still exists, forced labor is only one form out of many forms of modern-day slavery. 

 

Conclusion 

          In conclusion, human trafficking rings represent a significant, pervasive criminal industry that raises severe global safety and human rights concerns. The two most common abuses to those who are trafficked are forced begging and labor. These horrifying acts dehumanize victims by stripping away their freedom, health, and overall wellbeing. In fact, criminal trafficking rings’ involvement is often found in the most unexpected places, such as your local salon or boutique, further illustrating the far reach of this harmful industry. Because Human trafficking can occur in unexpected places and affect anyone, immediate and widespread awareness is critical to preventing exploitation and protecting potential victims in the future.  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Bibliography​​​

Human trafficking. National Human Trafficking Hotline. (n.d.). https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking 

 

What is human trafficking? | homeland security. (n.d.-b). https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-trafficking 

 

Dhananjay Mahapatra / TNN / Updated: Feb 15, 2025. (n.d.). 36k of 3L kids who went missing since ’20 untraced: Govt: India News. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/36k-of-3l-kids-who-went-missing-since-20-untraced-govt/articleshow/118261121.cms 

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Family members are involved in nearly half of child trafficking cases. (n.d.-c). https://www.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl2616/files/2018-07/Counter-trafficking%20Data%20Brief%20081217.pdf

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Alexander, L. (2023, September 24). Risks of child begging in India. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/risks-of-child-begging-in-india/

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Data and research on Forced Labour. International Labour Organization. (2024, April 24). https://www.ilo.org/topics/forced-labour-modern-slavery-and-trafficking-persons/data-and-research-forced-labour

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Walk free. Walk Free. (2024, May 24). https://www.walkfree.org/

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