Abstract

Serious worldwide problems, such as drug misuse and sex trafficking, affect women and children and feed cycles of control and exploitation. Traffickers frequently use coercion, fraud, and manipulation to coerce vulnerable people—those who are poor, illiterate, or socially marginalized—into sexual servitude. Abuse of drugs is often used as a method of control, rendering individuals helpless and reliant. This magazine examines how these two issues are connected, emphasizing the origins, effects, and legislative frameworks that are in place to address them. The effects on victims' bodies and minds are severe. In addition to health issues, addiction, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), women and children also experience sexual abuse. Beyond just an individual's experience, the effects spread over entire communities due to a rise in crime, strain on the economy, and persistence of poverty. Globally, a number of legislative frameworks, including the UN Palermo Protocol and state legislation such as the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA) in India and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in the United States, seek to address these issues. However, due to a lack of resources, corruption, and ineffective law enforcement, drug trafficking and networks continue to flourish and enforcement is still uneven. Comprehensive solutions—stronger law enforcement, cross-border cooperation, and victim rehabilitation programs that address the trauma of human trafficking as well as the difficulties associated with drug addiction—are required to end this cycle. Reducing susceptibility also requires the use of prevention techniques like community-based initiatives, economic empowerment, and education. This publication emphasizes the significance of international cooperation and coordinated action in breaking up trafficking networks and shielding society's most vulnerable citizens from exploitation by looking at case studies and global initiatives.

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