The information presented here has been gathered from articles that I have read, documentaries that I have watched and from people that I have spoken to who are actively involved in anti-human trafficking.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human Trafficking is the sale, kidnapping, coercion and exploitation of vulnerable people, resulting in slavery and abuse, of which a significant part is, of a sexual nature.

How big is this issue?

Human Trafficking is the fasted growing and the third most profitable business of organized crime in the world according to the FBI. It is a $150 billion/year industry. When you think of organized crime you might think of mafia, drugs, gambling etc. Someone who makes and sells drugs may receive $x for their product, the sickening truth is that a pimp's product may be a child or a young woman, and they can sell and resell them over and over again in the same day. Organized crime have clued into this and Human Trafficking is now the third most lucrative trade behind illicit drugs and weapons trafficking.

Estimates put the numbers at at least 20 million adults and children bought and sold into sex slavery

The warning with 'playing the numbers game' when it comes to human trafficking and sex slavery is that there are very few reports made from victims or survivors out of fear, shame and lack of understanding. Organized crime are so wealthy that they are able to operate in secrecy, even to the extent of corrupting authorities in order to protect and perform their criminal activity.


The truth is: Human Trafficking is big and we may never even know how devastating it's reach is.

Where does it exist?

Basically everywhere.
The trend is that adults and children are either stolen, bought or coerced from vulnerable situations in areas of the world such as; South and Southeast Asia, Central America, Africa and Soviet Eastern Europe. They are then trafficked to developed nations in areas of Europe, the United States of America, even Australia or to popular tourist destinations for westerners such as Thailand and Cambodia. Michelle Lillie posted an article regarding Sex Tourism and specifically the FIFA World Cup in 2014, underlining one aspect of how human trafficking correlates with major sporting events.

Why does it exist?

Aside from the above mentioned profitability of the industry, the sad truth is that there is supply because there is demand. I have no doubt that there are strong links between clients of victims and addictions to pornography. Taking it one step further, it would be reasonable to link that, the highly sexualised nature of our media is changing the way we understand, value and conduct sexual relationships.

How does it happen?

There are many forms of Trafficking, common situations could be:

• Children are sold by their families, sometimes knowingly into slavery other times on false premise. These families may be in destitute circumstances or be sold lies by the buyers, sometimes a child will be in the care of other family members as their parents have left to look for work or have passed away.
• Children are kidnapped/stolen.
• Adults who are desperately looking for work or an education are promised assistance or work in foreign countries. When they arrive their passport and paperwork are taken, they are told they now owe a debt to their captors that they must repay and are forced into sexual slavery.

Possible Life of a Victim of Trafficking

Victims need to be 'broken' by their pimps for the pimps to enforce control. This will often involve a victim being repeatedly raped, deprived of food and water, locked inside a dark room, treated like an animal. After this horrible process, victims are so fractured that they believe the lies that they are told, that they are only safe in the control of their pimp. Drugs are often abused, either as a part of the 'breaking' process so that there is a dependency to establish power and control, or as a way of masking the hurt and shame, to numb theirs feelings. Either way the addiction to substances makes the issue so much worse.

On any given day, victims would be required to service dozens of clients. When they are not forced into work they return to the small room, which they most likely share with other victims, to sleep until it starts all over again.

Our passion against Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking is an issue that we have not been able to shake from our mind or our hearts. It is something we believe is worth dedicating our lives to be apart of the solution.
Shell has volunteered for not-for-profit organizations who visit brothels in Melbourne to offer assistance to women who are looking for better pathways. She has also been involved in the advocacy of the issue of human trafficking. Last year Shell went to Europe for three weeks to shadow Leanne Rhodes as she conducted conferences for Anti-Human Trafficking and to learn more about shelters for victims of trafficking. Tim would like to work within educational settings to develop programs to designed to promote healthy sexual relationships, the dangers of exploitation and awareness of the systems that allow sex slavery and human trafficking to exist.
In 2015 we will be leaving our jobs and home to move to Romania for 9 months, volunteering with Abolishion, an anti-human trafficking organisation.