Fixing Broken Systems: How Men Can End Human Trafficking
By Michael M.
Following our recent NGM Circle on the subject, NGM friend and volunteer Michael wrote this reflection on the role of men in ending gender-based violence.
My first exposure to the topic of human trafficking came from Hollywood.
A young girl gets kidnapped by some random gang while backpacking across Europe, forcing her father to run-and-gun his way to save her. It was as simple as that. Kidnapped, saved, and left to go live her life without any long-term trauma.
The best part about movies is that they end when the bad guys face some form of punishment and the credits roll.
Yet in reality, human trafficking seems to never end. We catch one trafficker; there’s another one waiting. That’s why the human trafficking story does not really have the tidy, satisfying endings that it does in Hollywood. Instead, it’s a complex and multileveled conversation that lacks that finality that most people are looking for.
For some reason, I was always drawn to the topic of human trafficking, despite how depressing it can be. Personally, I think it is my lifelong, naïve desire to be a superhero and save the world. I was mainly fascinated by how human traffickers could flourish in the contemporary world—with the kind of technology we now have to be able to track people, how can we lose them? With the advancement of human rights over the last 70 years or so, how could human trafficking continue to flourish?
In truth, the tactics of human trafficking have remained consistent throughout history: traffickers exploit vulnerable people, preying upon those fleeing war, poverty, or violence, and thriving wherever there is injustice and discrimination. Since war, poverty, discrimination and injustice are still with us, so is human trafficking.
This can manifest in several ways: a family desperate to come to Canada for a better life can be controlled by their sponsor, who traps them in a cycle of VISA debt bondage; a young girl is groomed and coerced into the sex trade by a ‘boyfriend’; migrant labourers, eager to provide for their families back home, can find themselves facing employers who withhold pay. It ultimately comes down to how much power an individual has in their decision-making. Who controls their finances, their movement, or their choices?
Did they ever even have a choice?
One dark reality about human trafficking—specifically for sexual exploitation—is that women are trafficked disproportionally more than men.
Why are women targeted more than men?
This is where the rabbit hole of the human trafficking conversation seems darkest, because it’s rooted in so many issues that seem out of our control. I believe that women are primarily targeted due to the commodification of the female body, the stereotype that men should ‘prove their manhood’ by having many sexual partners, and the worldwide effects of discrimination against women that make them more likely to experience poverty and violence—regardless of where they live. There’s much more to it than this, but starting somewhere is necessary.
At the NGM Circle on Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation we asked everyone: What can men do to help combat human trafficking?
The answer seems simple: help minimize the factors that may lead to women being trafficked.
Now, that's easier said than done. There are so many factors out of the control of individuals like you or me—for example, I can’t end poverty in Canada on my own.
However, there are ways that we can take action both alone and together. Here are some ideas:
Support nonprofits and grassroots groups who work to support survivors of human trafficking and change laws and policies to better prevent trafficking in the first place. One such example is Aura Freedom, who joined us for last month’s discussion to share their expertise with us!
Learn more about human trafficking. A great place to start is Aura Freedom’s recent Relentless Resilience report.
Be a role model for the boys and men around you. Don’t buy into, reinforce, or remain silent in face of jokes or stereotypes that objectify women and contribute to their status as ‘less than.’ Same goes for stereotypes of men as ‘always on the prowl.’ Change the narrative. If you’re looking for more information about how to do this, consider signing up for our Raising Next Gen Men course.
Advocate for policies that reduce people’s vulnerability in Canada and overseas. Reconciliation and an end to systemic racism against Indigenous peoples, ending poverty, increasing access to education and healthcare, accessible affordable housing, harm reduction approaches to substance use and treatment, sustained investments in mental health and wellness, demilitarization and national policy that doesn’t support war, stronger protections for temporary foreign workers, compassionate immigration and refugee policies, and so on. Talk to your representatives, join advocacy groups, and use the power of your vote to stand up for what you believe in.
Use your power as a consumer! Human trafficking is found in the supply chains of many products. Learn about the products you consume and support ethical businesses.
Thanks to all who joined us! We hope to see you at an upcoming discussion!