Help with a 7 page paper (using APA format), reiterate your proposed area of study ( Human trafficking) including your problem statement used in (111 revised see files) and your research question from
Running head: Human Trafficking 0
Introduction
This chapter attempts to describe the problem and aim of this research. Also, this provides proof of the problem as well as the need for the research, ultimately discusses the study on the issue, provided the research questions, and provides the reason why action research will answer the research questions.
Description of Background of the Topic
Human trafficking is a current type of slavery, and many people around the globe, and now children and adolescents, are also victims of these crimes (Anachalee, 2012). Human trafficking is the exploitation of people, mostly vulnerable individuals, and it is identified as one of the most dangerous abuses of human rights. The infringement of human rights is a cause and effect of human trafficking. Each nation worldwide has been impacted by human trafficking, whether as an origin, transit, or destination country. It is now a local and global crime which is now considered high visibility due to the globalization of society, according to the research conducted by the United Nations, after Italy, the leading destination for human trafficking victims in the United States.
Human trafficking is an issue domestically and internationally. Within our nation’s borders as it has been reported in all 50 states. Research brings out a vast range of statistics related to the size of the problem, with estimates showing a range of 28 million people. The amount of traffickers in the international borders yearly has been placed at 800,000, where 80 percent of them are females, and 50% of them are children and young adolescents.
The Problem Statement
Trafficking in persons or human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery (Human, n.d.). Human trafficking is nothing more than modern-day slavery. Cases of human trafficking have exploded within recent years. Individuals internationally and within the United States need to be aware of what constitutes human trafficking and how to clearly identify it. Innocent women and children are falling victim to this, as they are not even aware of the techniques in which traffickers use to recruit. Spreading awareness of this issue has the potential to save countless lives.
Many consider trafficking in persons as a hidden crime, which occurs in the shadows. However, people have not realized the degree to which it has grown; therefore, they do not consider it an issue. Victims can be domestic or international, as trafficking does not discriminate. Domestically this issue has grown to such a degree that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.) created a task force to combat the problem. For example, within the small community of Hampton, Virginia, many citizens would be shocked to know that there is an F.B.I. Field office with the sole purpose of thwarting human trafficking. The Hampton Roads Regional Human Trafficking Task Force was established in 2016, and as of January 2020, this office has investigated 276 cases (prosecuting 28 of them), made 104 arrests, and found 193 victims (Dixon, 2020). International cases have risen to such a high degree that countries are categorized as transit, origin, or destination based on trafficking patterns. Origin countries are the leading country traffickers get their victims. A transit country is a location considered as a stop on the way to the final destination country. Lastly, the destination country is the last stop for victims, as this is where their services are sold.
There has been some attention and response to the issue of human trafficking in the United States. Trafficking in children is a type of human trafficking that involves individuals under the age of 18 (ILO, 2008). In the United States, young children are trafficked for labor, and mostly sex trafficking. Those who commit these extreme acts of human trafficking prey upon the vulnerability of kids and represents a great form of child maltreatment. Based on the U.S Department of Justice (n.d.), it is unlawful to incite or acquire an adolescent to prostitution or any other illegal sexual actions under federal law.
The current study has shown that not having a clear understanding of trafficking leads to the misidentification of victims; child trafficking is mostly referred to as children prostitution. This misinterpretation impacts the valid identification and addressing child sex trafficking issues, thus endangering the wellbeing of the kids (Smith, Vardaman & Snow, 2009). According to child welfare, insufficient training and understanding of human trafficking by the nation’s child protection service agencies lead to misunderstanding of mislabeling. In the intake procedure, it is hard for the agencies to enquire about youth-based domestic child sex trafficking. In addition, victims mostly do not self-identify themselves as trafficking victims since they are not familiar with the term, or they don’t consider themselves victims of human trafficking. According to Atwell-Davis (2010), language contributes significantly to the elaboration and meaning of the problem. When American citizens hear the words human trafficking, they believe it to be an issue of other countries rather than an issue that occurs right here in the United States. It has been discovered that trafficking victims are not just from other countries. Many are American kids and are from all areas of the nation. Most of these children leave their homes voluntarily and fall victim to traffickers along the way. More than 100,000 American kids between the ages of 11 and 14 are being sold for sex each year (Atwell-Davis, 2010).
Research Question
This study aims at advancing the research and knowledge regarding human trafficking among individual citizens. Primarily because, although there is information regarding the issue. Many citizens are not aware of the severe degree to which cases of human trafficking are increasing, not just in the United States but also around the world. Most citizens of the United States are not aware of the signs of human trafficking and may not be able to identify it if they encounter a victim. Within the average American community, very little is known concerning human trafficking, as many consider it an issue that is more international than domestic. The research will utilize action research methods to answer its research questions. Mainly, this study aims at answering the following research questions:
1. What is the degree of knowledge regarding human trafficking among the average population?
2. How to identify a trafficking victim, as most victims are hidden in plain sight and may or may not be American citizens.
Explanation of how Action Research will answer the Research Questions
In this study, action research will significantly aid in answering our research question. It is a disciplined process of inquiries carried out by and for us undertaking the activity. It will assist us as the researchers to refine our actions. Action research is an empowering experience since it is always relevant to the researcher. Relevance and reliability are guaranteed since the focus of every research project are identified by the researchers that also the main consumers of the results. Moreover, action research will assist us in being more productive in the study. Answering our research questions is basically our greatest joy (Kemmis, 2006) when we acquire convincing evidence that our efforts have made a significant difference in the people’s lives, and the efforts given seem worthwhile.
Action research will allow effective answering of the research questions using a seven-step process. First, the action research will help to identify our focus in the study—this will involve finding a plan to study and answer our research question effectively. We will have to identify the aspects that we will have to study based on the research questions. Action research will also assist me in identifying the values and theoretical perspective I have on the issue of human trafficking majorly on child sex trafficking and the ways that can be used to answer my research questions. Through this approach, I will identify the research designs that can be effective in my study. The data collected will help children, as well as the community, become more aware.
Given than reliable data is desired by each person, action research will assist in ensuring that the data that used to justify our action is valid. It will also ensure that information brings about and our message and safe techniques of accuracy. As action researchers, we will not rely on one source of data to enhance reliability and validity. Action research advocates for the use of triangulation, which involves the use of several sources to respond to the research questions (Great School Partnerships, 2015). Action research enables the satisfaction of the research method to the research questions this the relevance of findings is guaranteed.
To effectively respond to our research questions, action research will provide us with the ability to analyze data to find out if it fits the needs of our research study. It offers several user-friendly techniques to help the researchers determine the trends in action research data. Also, in the whole process, we shall methodically sort, sift, rank, and evaluate the acquired data to identify the story being told by the data and the reason why the data brought itself out the way it did. Through this, we shall get a better understanding of the issue being investigated, and due to this, we shall effectively respond to the research questions.
Action research would as well be useful in answering our research questions since it enhances collaboration. Action research will help us to collaborate with one another, which will aid in identifying extensive and relevant answers to our research questions. Because action research requires sharing, thus it will be easier to respond to our research question if well all share our ideas and determine the most appropriate answers to our questions.
Conclusion
This study aims at providing new knowledge on human trafficking, majorly on sex trafficking. There is a great need to identify and bridge the existing gaps associated with sex trafficking and general populace. Within the average American community, there appears to be limited knowledge of child trafficking and also the misconceptions that it is a global problem. Insufficient awareness and understanding can lead to children, and teenagers falling prey to would-be traffickers. Furthermore, not being able to identify victims who are often hidden in plain sight clearly, will lead to more suffering as they may be moved to another destination without a means to escape. Knowledge and information are the keys to putting an end to this international epidemic.
Additionally, to effectively respond to the research question, action research will be an effective approach due to it providing a systematic procedure that can aid in responding to the questions. It enhances and advocates for collaborations and sharing, thus improving the validity of the results of the study. It as well aids in strengthening the confidence of the researchers and thus enhancing the data that they collect.
References
Anchalee P. (2012). Human trafficking in the United States. Part 1. State of the knowledge. Faculty Publications, UNL Libraries
Atwell-Davis, C. (2010). Sexual exploitation online. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/Cago/docs/Community/Testimony/NCMEC.pdf
Great School Partnerships. (2015). Action Research. Retrieved from https://www.edglossary.org/action-research/
International Labour Organization. (2008). Report III: Child labor statistics. Geneva: 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/--- integration/---stat/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_099577.pdf
Kemmis, S. (2006). Participatory action research and the public share. Educational Action Research, 14(4), 459-476. doi:10.1080/09650790600975593
Smith, L.A., Vardaman, S.A., & Snow, M.A. (2009). The national report on domestic minor sex trafficking: America’s prostituted children. Arlington, VA: Shared Hope International.
U.S. Department of Justice. (n.d.). Child exploitation and obscenity section. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ceos/subjectareas/prostitution.html
