HUMAN TRAFFICKING: A COMPARITIVE STUDY ON NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL LAW

- Swastik Grover, BBA.LLB (Hons.) 1st semester,

(Himachal Pradesh National Law University)
ABSTRACT:
“We take these stories to heart. We use them as fuel to motivate us to action as we work together
to end human trafficking once and for all.” – U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo.
Human Trafficking is the most despicable crime against humanity. It is a social evil and a grave
violation of human rights. “Trafficking in persons”, “Human slavery” and “Modern Slavery”
are considered to be interchangeable terms by the United States that refers to both sex and
labour trafficking. This assault on human dignity is very depraved. Trafficking of human beings
may take place for many causes like sexual exploitation, bonded labourers, begging, drug
trafficking, domestic subjugation, forced marriage, child soldiers, forced crime, harvesting of
organs and many more. The slavery of human beings is not only accessible to women and
children but also men. Of India, a large number of people are trafficked not only for sex
trafficking but also for other types of servitude. In India, slavery was officially abolished in
1976, but it still exists. Children were exploited in many ways like child marriage, child
pornography, and child prostitution and for many other causes. Traffickers use several
exploitive measures to control their victims such as beating, isolation, debt bondage, burning,
drug dependency, rapes, starvation and many other ways. Sometimes false promises were made
by Traffickers for the recruitment like to provide them with a good job, better life, marriage
and educational opportunities.
As criminal justice systems play a role in combatting and preventing trafficking in
persons, this role must be implemented in a way that takes into account the protection needs
of victims and fully respects their human rights, this research paper will further study all the
issues faced by the victims. How national and international laws protect them. What are the
safeguards? Why is human trafficking comparatively more widespread in some regions? The
author will also address other safeguard provided by the constitution how households get
influenced after knowing that abuser or victim is their family member. This research paper
would discuss the crimes that have been linked to human trafficking in the country. Indian
constitution and Indian Penal Code also provide many articles, acts, provisions and sections
for the protection of victims. Also, there are many International Instruments to prevent human
trafficking like “International Conventions for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and
the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, 1949”, SAARC Convention on Preventing and
Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, 2002 and many more.
KEYWORDS: Human Trafficking, Human Slavery, Child Exploitation, Sexual Exploitation.