Anonymous

About the author: The following viewpoint was originally an anonymous editorial printed in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Trafficking in humans is becoming one of the most profitable trades in the world, second only to trafficking in drugs and weapons. Traffickers offer destitute families bogus work or educational opportunities in distant countries and then force the unsuspecting victims into prostitution or make them labor in sweatshops. The victims are required to repay their travel costs to the traffickers—often in excess of $20,000—but their meager wages make repayment impossible, leaving the victims under the permanent control of the traffickers. International trafficking in humans is difficult to control because of the various jurisdictions and laws involved. However, world leaders must combat such human rights violations.

Most Americans have no idea that slavery still...