Noy Thrupkaew: Human trafficking is all around you. This is how it works

TED

13 Jul 201518:51

EducationalLearning

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TLDRThe speaker shares a deeply personal story of discovering that their primary caregiver as a child was actually a distant relative who had been brought to the U.S. from Thailand on a tourist visa to care for them. This revelation led to a broader exploration of human trafficking, a problem the speaker has been researching for eight years. The narrative highlights the misconceptions surrounding human trafficking, emphasizing that it is not just about forced prostitution but is deeply embedded in everyday life, affecting sectors like agriculture, domestic work, and construction. The speaker criticizes the criminal justice system's approach to trafficking, which often fails to protect vulnerable populations and instead contributes to their marginalization. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, the talk calls for a systemic change, advocating for solidarity with trafficking survivors who are leading social justice movements and fighting for a more equitable world.

Takeaways

😢 The speaker's personal story reveals that their primary caregiver was a distant relative, not their parents, who faced abuse and exploitation.
🤔 The therapist's question about who raised the speaker as a child led to a realization about the complexity of the speaker's upbringing and its impact on their life.
👵 The speaker's 'auntie' was a young woman brought from Thailand to the U.S. on a tourist visa to care for the speaker, highlighting the issue of human trafficking.
🌎 Human trafficking is a global issue, often misunderstood and underestimated, with a significant portion of it embedded in everyday life and industries.
🔍 The journalist's research into human trafficking has shown that it is not limited to forced prostitution but also includes state-imposed labor and everyday goods and services.
😡 The current societal and legal approach to human trafficking is largely through the criminal justice system, which often fails to address the root causes and protect the victims.
📉 The statistics provided show that forced prostitution is only a part of human trafficking, with the majority being for labor in industries like agriculture, domestic work, and construction.
💼 The speaker criticizes 'look at her scars' journalism for focusing on the sensational aspects of trafficking, which distracts from the broader societal issues at play.
👮‍♂️ The criminal justice system is often part of the problem for trafficking victims, with reports of police abuse and a lack of identification and support for victims.
🌾 The Global Horizons case study illustrates the exploitation in the agricultural sector, where workers are tied to their employers and denied rights.
🤝 The speaker calls for solidarity with trafficking survivors, who are often the most resourceful and resilient, and for collective action to change a broken system.

Q & A

What was the unusual question the therapist asked the speaker?
-The therapist asked the speaker, 'Who actually raised you until you were three?', which seemed like a weird question at the time.
Why did the therapist question the speaker's upbringing?
-The therapist questioned the speaker's upbringing because she believed that if the speaker's parents had raised them, they would be dealing with more complicated issues than what was presented.
Who was revealed to be the primary caregiver of the speaker during their early years?
-The speaker's primary caregiver was a distant relative of the family, whom the speaker referred to as 'auntie'.
What was the shocking revelation about the speaker's auntie?
-The shocking revelation was that the auntie had been physically abused by a family member and was eventually forced to run away.
How old was the auntie when she came to the United States to care for the speaker?
-The auntie was just 19 years old when she was brought over from Thailand to the United States to care for the speaker.
What is the speaker's profession and how does it relate to the personal story shared?
-The speaker is a journalist who has been writing and researching human trafficking for the past eight years. The personal story of the auntie connects with the speaker's professional life as it highlights the issue of human trafficking.
What is the most prevalent form of human trafficking according to the speaker?
-According to the speaker, the most prevalent form of human trafficking is for the purpose of creating goods and delivering services, which accounts for 68 percent of all cases.
What is the speaker's criticism of the common narrative about human trafficking?
-The speaker criticizes the common narrative that focuses primarily on forced prostitution, arguing that it oversimplifies the issue and ignores the broader societal context and structural factors that contribute to trafficking.
What are some of the industries where human trafficking is found, according to the speaker?
-The speaker mentions that human trafficking is found in industries such as agricultural work, domestic work, construction, cotton fields, coltan mines, car washes in Norway and England, U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Thailand's fishing industry.
What is the speaker's view on the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in addressing human trafficking?
-The speaker is disappointed with the criminal justice system's approach to human trafficking, stating that it often fails to protect the most vulnerable populations and can sometimes exacerbate the problem.
What steps does the speaker suggest to combat human trafficking?
-The speaker suggests that individuals and companies should demand transparency in labor and supply chains, eliminate exploitation, end recruitment fees for migrant workers, and ensure guest workers have the right to organize without fear of retaliation.
How does the speaker describe the survivors of human trafficking?
-The speaker describes survivors as resourceful, resilient, and responsible individuals who are often leaders in their communities and are actively involved in social justice movements.

Outlines

00:00

😔 The Impact of Early Childhood Care on Personal Identity

The speaker reflects on a challenging period in their life, which led them to seek therapy. The therapist's probing question about who raised the speaker until the age of three revealed an unexpected answer: a distant relative, not the speaker's parents. This discovery led to a deeper understanding of the speaker's identity and behavior, as well as a realization about the profound influence their 'auntie' had on their life. The auntie, it turns out, was a victim of human trafficking, brought to the U.S. to care for the speaker. The speaker's emotional connection to their auntie and the guilt associated with her suffering is a powerful personal narrative that introduces the broader topic of human trafficking.

05:03

😕 The Misunderstood Reality of Human Trafficking

The speaker challenges the common misconceptions about human trafficking, emphasizing that it is not limited to forced prostitution but is a pervasive issue embedded in everyday life. They provide statistics to show that the majority of trafficking cases are related to labor exploitation in industries like agriculture, domestic work, and construction. The speaker shares shocking examples of trafficking, including the Thai fishing industry and various other unexpected scenarios. They express disappointment with the current approach to tackling human trafficking, which often relies on a criminal justice system that may further victimize the marginalized populations most susceptible to trafficking.

10:04

😠 The Systemic Failures Enabling Human Trafficking

The speaker delves into the systemic issues that allow human trafficking to thrive, particularly in the United States. They discuss the case of Global Horizons, which involved the exploitation of Thai farm workers, highlighting the use of temporary guest worker programs that tie legal status to an employer and restrict workers' rights. The speaker also addresses the lack of labor inspection and the layers of plausible deniability that protect those who exploit workers. They argue that the current legal and economic systems inadvertently foster an environment where exploitation can occur, and call for a collective effort to demand transparency and justice in labor practices.

15:08

💪 The Empowerment and Activism of Trafficking Survivors

The speaker shifts the focus from viewing trafficking survivors solely as victims to recognizing their strength, resourcefulness, and resilience. They highlight the activism and social justice movements led by survivors, such as the fight for domestic workers' rights and the establishment of anti-trafficking organizations run by survivors. The speaker emphasizes the potential for change when society chooses solidarity with survivors and the power each individual has to influence systems and policies. They conclude with a call to action, encouraging everyone to participate in creating a more just world and to be part of the solution to human trafficking.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the illegal trade of people for exploitation or forced labor. It is a significant theme in this video, where the speaker's personal story of her auntie and her professional research as a journalist converge. The video emphasizes that human trafficking is more prevalent and complex than commonly understood, encompassing not just forced prostitution but also forced labor in everyday sectors like agriculture, domestic work, and construction.

💡Force, Fraud, or Coercion

This phrase describes the methods used to compel another person's labor, which is central to the definition of human trafficking. The video illustrates how these methods are employed in various industries, including the Thai fishing industry and U.S. military bases abroad, to exploit workers.

💡Structural Inequality

Structural inequality refers to the inherent, systemic disparities in social, political, and economic opportunities that exist within a society. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as one of the societal factors that contribute to the conditions that allow human trafficking to occur. The speaker criticizes the tendency to oversimplify human trafficking as solely the act of a 'bad man' against an 'innocent girl,' which ignores the broader societal issues at play.

💡Guest Worker Program

A guest worker program is a system that allows foreign workers to enter a country temporarily to work in industries with labor shortages. The video discusses how such programs can be exploited, as seen in the Global Horizons case, where Thai farm workers were promised work but instead faced abuse and exploitation. The program ties a worker's legal status to their employer, which can lead to a power imbalance and limit workers' rights.

💡Recruitment Fees

Recruitment fees are charges that workers, often from impoverished backgrounds, pay to secure employment, sometimes abroad. In the video, the speaker describes how these fees are a mechanism for exploitation, as seen with the Thai farm workers who had to sell their possessions to pay these fees, only to be deceived and abused upon arrival.

💡Agricultural Work

Agricultural work is a sector highlighted in the video as a significant area where human trafficking occurs. The speaker discusses the exploitation of migrant workers in the U.S. agricultural sector, drawing a connection between the produce we consume and the labor conditions under which it is produced.

💡Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system is the set of institutions and processes involved in the enforcement of criminal law. The video criticizes the system's role in exacerbating the issues faced by victims of human trafficking, particularly through the high rates of violence and abuse reported by those in the sex trade and the barriers to justice posed by criminal records and deportation risks.

💡Labor Exploitation

Labor exploitation involves the abuse of workers' rights for economic gain. The video discusses this concept in the context of various industries, including agriculture and domestic work, where workers are often underpaid and subjected to harsh conditions. The speaker argues that labor exploitation is a form of human trafficking that is deeply embedded in everyday life.

💡Temporary Work Visas

Temporary work visas are permits allowing individuals to work in a country for a limited period. The video uses the example of the speaker's auntie, who was brought to the U.S. on a tourist visa to care for the speaker as a child, to illustrate how such visas can be misused to facilitate human trafficking and exploitation.

💡Supply Chains

Supply chains are the networks involved in producing and distributing a product, from raw materials to the end consumer. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the labor practices within these chains to eliminate exploitation. It calls for transparency and corporate responsibility in supply chains to ensure fair labor conditions.

💡Social Justice Movements

Social justice movements are organized efforts to challenge and change societal structures and institutions that perpetuate inequality and injustice. The video highlights the activism of human trafficking survivors, who are not just victims but also leaders in advocating for change and the rights of other workers. Their stories and actions are part of broader social justice movements aiming to create a more equitable world.

Highlights

The speaker initially saw a therapist to address personal challenges, which led to the discovery that their primary caregiver until age three was not their parents but a distant relative.

The therapist's insight suggested that the speaker's issues were more complex than initially thought, implying the importance of early childhood experiences.

The speaker's 'auntie' was a significant figure in their early life, providing a deep emotional bond and a strong memory of her abuse at the hands of family members.

The auntie's story is revealed to be a case of human trafficking, as she was brought to the U.S. on a tourist visa to care for the speaker at the age of 19.

The auntie's harsh treatment and eventual escape from the family is a poignant example of the abuse and lack of rights often faced by victims of human trafficking.

The speaker's professional work as a journalist investigating human trafficking led to a profound personal realization connecting their auntie's story with their research.

Human trafficking is more prevalent and complex than commonly understood, often involving everyday goods and services rather than just forced prostitution.

Forced prostitution represents only 22% of human trafficking cases, with the majority involving labor for goods and services.

The speaker criticizes 'look at her scars' journalism for oversimplifying the issue and ignoring the broader societal factors that contribute to trafficking.

Human trafficking is deeply embedded in industries like agriculture, domestic work, and construction, which are often staffed by underpaid and exploited workers.

The Thai fishing industry's connection to global retailers and its reliance on trafficked labor for cheap shrimp is a shocking revelation of the issue's reach.

Trafficking is shown to occur in unexpected places, such as ice cream trucks and hair braiding salons, demonstrating its pervasiveness in society.

The criminal justice system often fails to protect trafficking victims, with many victims facing further abuse or legal issues due to their circumstances.

The speaker calls for a systemic change in how society addresses and prevents human trafficking, advocating for the rights and protections of workers.

The Global Horizons case study illustrates the exploitation within the agricultural sector and the legal loopholes that allow such treatment of workers.

The speaker emphasizes the need for consumers and businesses to demand ethical labor practices and supply chains to combat trafficking.

Survivors of trafficking are portrayed not as victims needing saving but as resilient individuals leading social justice movements and advocating for change.

The speaker concludes with a call to action, urging everyone to be part of the solution to human trafficking by making informed and ethical choices.

Transcripts

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Noy Thrupkaew: Human trafficking is all around you. This is how it works

Takeaways

Q & A

What was the unusual question the therapist asked the speaker?

Why did the therapist question the speaker's upbringing?

Who was revealed to be the primary caregiver of the speaker during their early years?

What was the shocking revelation about the speaker's auntie?

How old was the auntie when she came to the United States to care for the speaker?

What is the speaker's profession and how does it relate to the personal story shared?

What is the most prevalent form of human trafficking according to the speaker?

What is the speaker's criticism of the common narrative about human trafficking?

What are some of the industries where human trafficking is found, according to the speaker?

What is the speaker's view on the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in addressing human trafficking?

What steps does the speaker suggest to combat human trafficking?

How does the speaker describe the survivors of human trafficking?