Events+and+Conflicts+Shaping+the+Issue


 * Economic Crisis:** Human trafficking has grown enormously over the past twenty years due to world economic crisis. Poverty stricken countries and developing nations are especially susceptible to human trafficking as people are in desperate search of better jobs and lives abroad.


 * Profitable Business:** Human trafficking is the second most profitable criminal business next to sales of illegal weapons and drugs. This is because traffickers are able to resell humans beings countless times a day. There is little to no start up costs involved, and it is a difficult crime to prosecute since most women and children forced into trafficking, are too frightened to speak up, that is, if they are ever found by law enforcements.


 * Globalization:** Human labour is acquired and moved across international boundaries easier than ever due to globalization. The globalization process, and especially the break up of the Soviet Union, resulting in the creation of dozens of small, unstable Eastern European countries has created millions of poverty stricken people who are eager to do anything for work.


 * Culture:** The largest demographic who buys into sex slavery and sex tourism are males who are married and/or are in long-term partnerships. Males seeking paid sexual relations is something that is tolerated and in some countries completely accepted. Sex tourism is extremely prevalent in today's society with websites geared toward individuals sharing sexual experiences and posting tips and advice on where to go for a good time.


 * Gender:** We can clearly see that the struggle between gender and power have a major role in human trafficking. The vast majority of cases are female. "Globalization produces different forms of agency depending on one's gender and ethnicity, which concretize in the global sex industry that I see operating as a form of shadow globalization" (Penttinen, xiii).