No one can forget Liam Neeson’s awe-inspiring performance in the action thriller, “Taken.” His ability to scale walls and fight international bad guys will surely be one of many claims to fame for the actor. But the movie is about more than Neeson’s fists of fury — the movie sheds light on an international trade concern. The trade not of goods, but of people.
Human trafficking has in the past two decades become more prominent in international news, but still isn’t covered nearly enough. The complex matrixes of origin, transit and destination countries run through the main hubbubs of East Asia, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Yet, these trade routes run through every continent and many are interconnected, making the process of tracking them down virtually impossible.
Human trafficking is not just limited to certain countries; it affects nations worldwide. Commonly known as “white slavery,” human trafficking does not just mean the enslavement of Caucasians, but rather it affects people of all races and cultures.
Issues of human trafficking are taken very seriously in the U.S. The government has very strict laws and polices on the exploitation of people. That’s [not the case](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061602628.html) in other countries. In Europe, there is very little law enforcement against white slavery. This raises moral and ethical questions. Who would support such a degrading, demeaning system?
Many of the enslaver’s networks are so organized, formal and complex because of collaboration and connections with employers and law enforcement officials. “Taken” also shows government officials turning a blind eye to forced prostitution and labor. This is partly due to the fact that human trafficking rings bring foreigners and their money into those officials’ countries.
The sale of humans is a morally disgusting act, and it’s hard to believe that the issue of slavery is still prevalent. It’s even harder to believe that many countries do nothing to stop it. Take some countries in Europe as examples. Europe’s lax regulations on the sale of humans make it easy for this type of slavery to continue. Although the U.S. does provide support and opportunities for the prevention of trafficking, so far Europe hasn’t made much of an effort to reduce its number of trafficked victims.
President Barack Obama, in an address to the U.N. on Tuesday, touched on [the issue of human trafficking](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/25/obama-romney-to-spar-on-foreign-policy-at-clinton-global-initiative-summit/#ixzz27WEbZYF7), saying, “It is a debasement of our common humanity.” The U.S. does provide aid and support to prevent this form of modern slavery in other countries, but there is still work that needs to be done.
In recent decades, there has not been enough coverage on the issue, despite an increase in human trafficking. In his address, President Obama stated his plan to increase the already strict regulations of human trafficking in the U.S.
White slavery is a global concern. Europe and Asia need to take the initiative and crack down on the human trafficking rings currently operating in their regions.
Some governments turn a blind eye to human trafficking in the belief that it bolsters the economy; that is not the case. The exploitation of humans is a morally degrading act that promotes violence and numbs the mind to violence and cruelty. It splits families apart and damages the health and lives of thousands of people. The slavery of children is the most damaging to a country. By abducting children, countries are riding themselves of the next generation of leaders.
Human trafficking is not prevalent enough in today’s news. Apart from Neeson’s daring saves in “Taken,” most people don’t stop to consider that thousands of people enslaved worldwide, and many more will continue to be forced into slavery. The blockbuster hit is only the tip of the iceberg.