Dollars or Diapers?

Emily Pye

Ms. Tompkins

World Lit Honors Period 1

3/12/15

Dollars or Diapers?

If 30,000 dollars just disappeared, and you found out that it was to be used to generate money for others, would you be concerned? What if it was 30,000 children that were to be used for the same thing? It is reported that 30,000 children go missing each year in South Africa due to human trafficking (IOL News), yet the majority of people do not take an interest into these disappearances.  

Roxanne Rawlins of Freedom Climb states that, “At least 30 000 children are prostituted through human trafficking annually in South Africa and 50 percent of them are under the age of 14.” (IOL News). This number is a disputed statistic as many experts on this topic seem to disagree on the exact number because of a lack of solid evidence. Someone who possesses this kind of opposing opinion is ISS researcher Chandre Gould who believes the way that these numbers are deceitfully presented is detrimental to the cause, as he suggests that, “Such overestimations, while successful in capturing public attention and generating moral outrage, do not provide a sound basis for policy-making and resource allocation” (Africa Check). Gould claims that while these huge numbers may spark public interest to the given topic, they fall short when the lack of research does nothing to help support the causes in lawful instances. Even if the exact number is controversial, there is no debate to some organizations whether or not they should become involved with this problem.

Chrisna Visser is a survivor of human trafficking in 2005 in Cape Town, she was held captive for thirteen months (Times Live). Visser recalls the period in life and explains how the traffickers kept her submissive, "I (Chrisna) was threatened that my children would be hurt if I ran away. I was rescued by an NGO (non-governmental organization)" (Times Live). The main reason that Visser escaped human trafficking is because an organization decided to step in and extract her from this business. This is becoming popular as more and more organizations are trying to crack down on the lucrative industry that is human trafficking, one of them being the Oromia Police Commission Women, Children and Youth Bureau of Ethiopia. And according to the their Deputy Head Commander Shitu Liqisa, "in 2014/15, 111 traffickers were brought to justice and sentenced to seven years imprisonment as well as fines, while 565 youth, victims of trafficking were united with their families."(Africa News Service). These perpetrators have been brought to justice by organizations that are aiming to reduce the statistic that revolves around human trafficking in Africa.  

So many people in South Africa would benefit tremendously from a gain of 30,000 dollars, but wouldn’t they benefit so much more if 30,000 children were to finally return home?

Works Cited:

Monama, Tebogo. "'30 000 Kids Prostituted in SA Annually' - Crime & Courts | IOL News." Independent Online. N.p., 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

Wilkinson, Kate, and Sintha Chiumia. "Are 30,000 Children Really 'trafficked' in South Africa Every Year? The Claim Exaggerates the Problem - Africa Check." Africa Check Are 30000 Children Really Trafficked in South Africa Every Year The Claim Exaggerates the Problem Comments. Africa Check, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

"Oromia Police Commission Said Gaining On the Fight Against Human Trafficking." Africa News Service 6 Mar. 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

Masombuka, Sipho. "30000 Kids Trafficked in SA." Times LIVE. N.p., 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.