Marine Corps News Room

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/3CC7B1F636B01BDB852570850069642B?opendocument

Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific
Story Identification #: 200592315119
Story by Lance Cpl. R. Drew Hendricks

U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (Sep. 23, 2005) -- Due to recent increases in the number of trafficking in persons cases and the release of the 5th annual Trafficking in Persons Report, President George W. Bush has required the Department of Defense to increase its training and awareness of this crime in order to assist in its prevention.

The Marine Corps has decided to take on this challenge in a very direct manner.
“The Marine Corps will take a zero tolerance approach to trafficking in persons…and the Marine Corps opposes all activities that contribute to this crime,” said Gen. Michael W. Hagee,
Commandant of the Marine Corps, in All Marine Message 016/05.

In light of the Corps zero tolerance stance no Marine, Sailor or civilian Marine will ever participate in any crime associated with trafficking in persons, no matter how small the association. Doing so will result in severe punishment.

Even small crimes, not usually associated with human trafficking, aid in the spread of it. Crimes such as buying or soliciting prostitution are condoning this human slave trade.

Trafficking in Persons is defined as the recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion.

There are many forms of coercion used in the human trafficking trade. Most criminals persuade their victims by use of physical force, however it is the victims’ families that are usually threatened with violence.

Even legitimate promises of marriage or stable work are used to coax potential hostages, according to the International Criminal Police Organization.

At least 600,000 to 800,000 people, mostly women and children, are conned or forced into human trafficking, and shipped, flown or boxed across borders worldwide. That includes 14,500 to 17,500 victims that are sent to the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of State.

The Marine Corps has decided that all commands will be required to provide adequate training to their Marines in order for each to be fully aware of the crime and it’s effects.

“We must ensure that our Marines and Sailors are aware of the far-reaching ramifications of trafficking in persons,” said Hagee. “Also to make sure they do not associate themselves with anyone involved in this crime.”

The Marine Corps’ point of focus in this training is the issue of prostitution, which is the number one motive of sex trafficking.

As horrible as sex trafficking is, it is not the worst thing that human traffickers participate in.

Some lesser-known atrocities, like the harvesting of human organs, brings the problem to a far more disturbing level, according to the Department of the State.
Human trafficking is nothing new to the U.S.

In San Francisco during the 1850’s, a young sailor looking for a good time could find himself drinking and having fun one moment and then drugged, tied and bound in the bottom of a ship headed for the Far East the next, according to Herbert Asbury, author of “The Gangs of New York” and the “The Barbary Coast.”

This early form of trafficking was called
Shanghai-ing.

Mankind has had a long unhealthy obsession with slavery. From America to Zimbabwe, each country has had to deal with slavery. Today the problem does not plague one country at a time but is making a global assault on the people of this world.

The Marine Corps has a long history of coming to the aid of those in need and will ensure that it is equipped to fend off this assault.

“Leaders must establish expectations for the conduct of all persons under their command to guard against and suppress all dissolute and immoral practices and to hold accountable those persons guilty of such practices we will combat these activities through education and adherence to our Corps values,” said Hagee.