Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) says human trafficking isn't just confined to far-off, Third World countries -- it's a real problem here in northern Illinois, and across the United States, and action has to be taken at all levels to combat it.
Kinzinger was the keynote speaker at the District 6420 Conference on April 28th; he says many of those involved in the sex trade, as well as migrant workers, are doing so against their will -- they are lured away from overseas by the promise of a better job and a better life, only to find themselves trapped and isolated from friends and family, forced to perform demeaning or backbreaking work with no chance of escape.
He says human trafficking involves power and control; illegitimate employers force workers to become dependent on them, make them believe they are just property and generally treat them as such. There are many organizations involved in combating human trafficking -- so many, that they have trouble coordinating their efforts; Kinzinger says the best way to get involved is to work at the local level -- make sure employers put up the state-required poster telling employees of their rights, and watching for signs that someone is being exploited.
Human trafficking and exploitation was a recurring theme during the one-day conference; speakers Bethany Lerch and Teresa Wasonga also touched on the effects of this on other countries, and Toni Lucas from Rotary's task force on human trafficking noted the far-reaching effects on individuals and the world at large...along with Rotary's work to help those involved, and to improve living conditions in underdeveloped countries and keep people from being lured in to begin with.