Awareness and caution are a safeguard from those setting dubious traps.
Lured by empty promises and false hopes, Human Trafficking traps desperate victims in dangerous, dehumanizing and otherwise inescapable surroundings. Preyed on by a range of actors in the trafficking supply chain, victims become simple commodities used either as forced labour, drug smugglers and sexually exploited slaves, among others.
Also read: Human trafficking needs to be stopped
To help raise awareness of the increasing prevalence of human trafficking in their precinct Honeydew Community Police Forum(CPF) held an anti-human trafficking workshop in the hall of a primary school on February 15. Chaplain and CPF member, Wendy McKillop, gave a presentation on the far-reaching tactics and outcomes before attendees heard a first-hand tale of trauma told by a survivor.
Also read: Several reports of human trafficking on West Rand in past two years
The phases of trafficking are split into three parts, each leading to the other. Trafficking starts with acts such as recruitment, transport and harbouring of persons, among other forms of targeting potential marks. The next step is the means with which victims are trapped, such as the threat or use of force, fraud, deception and the exploitation of a power imbalance. The final stage is the entrapment of the victim and their use in various forms of abusive situations.
Due to her captors still being at large the brave speaker could not be photographed or recorded but Honeydew CPF’s Wendy McKillop is helping to create an avenue whereby victims can seek refuge. Together with the CPF’s Victim Support Centre, they noted an alarming uptick in cases where women and children are coming into contact with criminal elements taking advantage of those in need of help.
Wendy joined the CPF through a congregation member at her church and has been an ever-present since her first patrol. Her interest in human trafficking was piqued after discovering the non-profit organisation National Freedom Network via a Unisa Criminology module. Wendy also volunteers as a Community Chaplain with Trauma Support SA & Community Chaplaincy Services.
“Until about 2013 or so, I was ignorant of the fact that human trafficking was even an issue in South Africa. I spent about five years very involved in the counter-trafficking field until late 2019 and since then I’ve remained involved in volunteering as needed, mainly in spreading awareness of the reality of Human Trafficking in our communities, our city and our country as a whole,” said Wendy.
South Africa’s role in combating trafficking has been lax, leaving the country open to being a transit node for traffickers.
“Legislation against the trafficking of persons only came into being in August 2015. Until then there was no law against this horrific crime,” stated the Chaplain.
Using her platforms and encouraging greater collaboration, Wendy urged, “Awareness and education are what is needed throughout both the public sectors and all the other sectors because if one is aware they know what to look out for. They can then protect themselves and speak out where they see it happening.”
