Galo Blacio Aguirre.
Lawyer and Doctor of Jurisprudence.
Professor of Private Technical University of Loja.
Post-graduate studies in Fundamentals
in political law at the UNED (Spain).

THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

It is a crime against human rights considered as the twenty-first century slavery, in full century where the ideological principles as freedom, humanism and democracy have been affirmed throughout the world, is morally unacceptable that human beings continue to be exploited, abused and enslaved by force, fraud, corruption and other means.
Human trafficking is a crime whose nature is complex legal, that is difficult to check there and affects many states, including ours. It is estimated that each year are trafficked around 800,000 and 900,000 people. The trade in human beings represents an industry of approximately 5 to 7 billion dollars and 4 million people displaced in annual average.
The policies implemented by governments, international institutions and agencies have contributed positively in strengthening networks of control, prevention and care of victims, but the magnitude of the problem requires us to deploy additional shares from different regional areas, mainly communication campaigns and socialization, because we are facing a transnational dimension of crime to demand the formation of alliances and institutional state to minimize its effects.

WHAT IS THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

It involves the forcible transfer by deception or one or more persons from their place of origin (either domestically in the country or transnational), the total or partial removal of their freedom and exploitation of a person.
To understand a little more, we will analyse some conditions or characteristics to meet this crime, which are:

Transfer.- People who are moved from their usual environment (country, city, state, community) to another, that is, no matter whether the relocation of the victim occurs within the country (in the province to the city), or outside it (from one country to another).

Deprivation of liberty.- The victim may be liable to imprisonment and mistreatment, this does not mean that the person has necessarily to be tied or chained, there are other ways of limiting this important universal right as is freedom, for example moral coercion which is a form of violence that involves threats, pressure, all this provokes fear, limits and affects physical liberty of the person to think, speak and act.

The exploitation. - consists of exploiting the victim and the fruits of their work, debit salaries or wages of those working in the retention of personal documents (passports, visas and other IDs).

FOR WHAT PURPOSE THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?
Trafficked can be used for several purposes and not only as an immediate end cree that is sexual exploitation, and, among its purposes have been able to identify the following:

Sexual exploitation (prostitution,- pornography, paedophilia, sex tourism)

Labour exploitation (forced labour)

Domestic Service

Begging

Marriage servile

Removing organs

Exploitation military (soldiers captive soldiers or children)

Forced pregnancy, bellies rental

Religious practices

WHY DO PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING?

There are different causes of children, women and men permanently suffer the consequences of this depraved human behavior, for example conditions of underdevelopment of some countries, which in turn generates a vicious circle of social conflicts such as unemployment, lack of access to major utilities, misinformation, lack of prevention campaigns and social education for the community; together all this contributes to destabilize the atmosphere, causing its members are forced to seek alternative livelihoods for their needs, this situation becomes clear objectives of the trafficker, who taking advantage of their vulnerability and often their ignorance and naivety offers them a better quality of life (apparently) for them and theirs.

WHO ARE THE TRAFFICKERS?

The traffickers, who mostly operate through organized networks may have different profiles and acquire this name those responsible for recruiting the victims, to organize their trip, to handle personal documents (passports, visas and other permits) , To receive the person upon arrival in another country or city and once here, who is threat, which deprives them of freedom and that requires work.

HOW DOES TRAFFICKERS TO CONTROL THEIR VICTIMS?

By Coercion and control mechanisms such as:
• Debt bondage
• Isolation
• Use of violence and fear
• Retaliation or threat of retaliation against the victim’s family

HOW DOES THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS OF TRAFFICKERS?

It should be mentioned that in most cases, victims are already looking for an opportunity to emigrate and therefore easy access to an announcement of any proposal or unknown.

There are cases where people are recruited through agencies offering jobs with good wages that require little more professional, including undertake to settle all documentation in order to make the trip. Other people are made to believe they have been chosen to work legally marry or abroad.

Generally, the trafficker is with all these costs, carrying out efforts to create debt. At the time the victim reaches its final destination, is a different reality, with a debt that grows daily because they must pay for their food, lodging and other items that may be made by the trafficker.

In the subsequent victims are unable to escape or return to their countries, traffickers because they take away their identity papers, using threats to be deported or even imprisoned if they go to the police.

HOW CAN THEY BE IDENTIFIED?

Traffickers can be known or unknown persons, live in your neighborhood to be friends and relatives; them tend to approach their victims so nice or friendly, to offer invitations, gifts, money, travel, greater job opportunities and better quality life, even offered to handle the documentation to leave outside the country.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN TRAFFICKING ROUTES?

The victims of this crime are found in all continents, we are talking about a global phenomenon. The routes are modified on an ongoing basis, although they originate mainly from poorer countries to more developed.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

Although it is difficult to quickly identify a victim of trafficking, by the complexity of crime, there are factors that can alert the community, law enforcement or other organizations to act in response to situations that are suspicious happening locally.
Victims of trafficking, usually found in the streets or working in establishments that offer sexual services and promote, in places where people work as laborers in factories, farms and as domestic workers.

THE STATE OF TRAFFICKING IN ECUADOR.

Our country is a state characterized by being a source of origin, transit and destination of many people affected by the crime of trafficking in persons, especially for sexual exploitation and labor. The report issued by the United States Department of State for the section of Ecuador in 2005, refers to read “In 2003, the International Labour Organization estimated that over 5,000 children were operated on in Ecuador prostitution. Poverty leads to some poor rural families to send their children to work in banana plantations or in small mines or send them to urban areas where traffickers exploit them. Citizens Ecuadorians are trafficked to Western Europe, particularly Spain and Italy and other countries in Latin americas. Citizens Colombians crossing the Ecuadorian border to engage in prostitution and cree many have been trafficked. The weak border controls of Ecuador make it a point of origin and transit of illegal migrants. Using organizations to smuggle illegal migrants by increasing their vulnerability to becoming victims of trafficking. ” <!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1]<!–[endif]–>

THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ECUADORIAN LEGISLATION.

The Ecuadorian Penal Code in its Art. 190.2 states:

“It is an offence of trafficking in persons, although mediated by the consent of the victim, promote, encourage, participate, encourage or facilitate the recruitment, transfer, harboring, receipt or delivery of persons resorting to threats, violence, deception or any other form fraudulent, illegal exploitation purposes, with or nonprofit.
For purposes of this offence is seen holding any form of forced labour or services, slavery labour, sale and / or use of people for begging, armed conflicts, or recruiting for criminal purposes. “<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[2]<!–[endif]–>

Remember that trafficking involves recruitment, transportation or receipt of a person using power, violence, deception and abuse of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation, with the aim to generate illicit revenue for traffickers.

IS ABLE TO BRING TO WHOM HE OR COMPLAINTS?

If you need help or know someone who is in a situation of exploitation, can reach out to denounce the fact before the following institutions:

The Public Prosecutor’s Office:
Campaign “Flame and lives”
National Police Directorate for Special Children and Adolescents (DINAPEN)
National Institute on Children and Families (INNFA)

Informe sobre Trata de Personas – 2005. Sección Ecuador. Tomado del sitio web www.usembassy.org.ec<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[2]<!–[endif]–> Código Penal del Ecuador. Art. 190.2 Página 73, 74