Morocco Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking and sex slavery seem like problems that are far, far away from the every day life that we live here in the United States. Unfortunately, sex slavery is an issue that occurs right under our noses in even our own country. Morocco is not exempt from these issues, as it faces its’ own issues with sex trafficking.

“Morocco is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Some Moroccan girls from rural areas as young as six or seven years old are recruited to work as maids in cities and often experience conditions of forced labor, such as nonpayment of wages, threats, restrictions on movement, and physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; however, an NGO reports that the incidence of child maids has decreased since 2005, in part due to government-funded programs promoted in primary school, especially in rural areas, and awareness programs funded by UN agencies and NGOs.” (U.S. Department of State)

Born Free does address the issue of human trafficking. “The Outcome Document explicitly calls for eliminating “trafficking” in several places. Under proposed goal five -- “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” -- the drafters call for the end of trafficking of women and girls. Under proposed goal eight -- “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” -- the document urges the end of the trafficking of children, including child soldiers, by 2025.”(Mendelson)

Mendelson makes good points about the attempts to slow human trafficking. Subgoals have been created to have knock-off effects, including providing legal identity and sustainable tourism. “People without legal identities are more vulnerable to victimization in general and to being trafficked specifically. Meanwhile, the tourism and transportation industries have been important partners in combating trafficking.”(Mendelson)

To combat human trafficking, one of the best practices is to know and understand the red flags of human trafficking. Knowledge is key in the protection of yourself and others. It is important to understand the red flags on how to identify a victim. There are classes and training sessions available for individuals and businesses to take to learn how to identify these factors. “Human trafficking is a hidden crime, and the first step to combating it is to identify victims so they can be rescued and help bring their perpetrators to justice. The Department of State’s TIP Office, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed awareness and training materials to help increase awareness and educate on the indicators of human trafficking.” (U.S. Department of State)

Human trafficking may not come to an end in our lifetime, or in anyone in Morocco’s lifetime, but by taking proper precautions and educating yourself, we can see a slow to it.

Mendelson, S. (n.d.). How to Prevent Human Traffiking. In Born Free.

Morocco. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2013/215523.htm