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Human trafficking is often not discussed enough, especially in the media, even though it is still very common. It is extremely important that more people educate themselves on this topic and fight to diminish human trafficking across the world.

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Many times “difficult” conversations are avoided to make them easier. These conversations include race, class, sexuality, major issues around the world, etc. It is necessary to master these conversations and practice them quite often. These conversations challenge us and help us better acknowledge shame, fear, and defensiveness. It is also stated that these conversations might not be difficult, but just unpracticed due to the lack of these conversations in the classroom. I believe this ties into my blindspot because it can be very difficult and upsetting to talk about human trafficking and how often it truly happens around the world, so many people take the easy route and completely avoid the topic. We need to help others talk more about this topic and come to realizations of how important it is to understand it and find ways to contribute to helping this issue.

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“The blame instinct is the instinct to find a clear, simple reason for why something bad has happened.” It is easy for us to use this instinct because it gives a feeling of control, like someone has tried to cause something to happen, not that the world is surprising, unexpected, and frightening. The blame instinct can lead us to victim blaming in order to find a scapegoat to make us more comfortable with the world. In order to resist finding a scapegoat, you must instead find causes or systems as to why certain situations are happening. I used this as a source for my blindspot, human trafficking, because I believe many people think it is the victims fault due to the situations they put themselves in, such as walking alone in the dark or wearing less, “showy” clothing, etc. In reality, these situations are 100% not the victim’s fault and we need to bring more attention to that matter rather than letting it go because individuals believe it can’t happen to them if they are not putting themselves in these specific situations.

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Almost all of our choices and decisions are not made rationally. This is due to our built-in biases. Niche media and social media makes it easy to surround yourself with things you agree with, but makes it harder to change your mind when you are wrong. This can definitely tie into people’s opinions and information about human trafficking, while also causing a blindspot. If you are not familiar with/not interested in this issue it will not show up on your everyday social media.

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Many people have misconceptions of what human trafficking is and who it truly affects. It is believed that to put efforts to stop this issue, you must know exactly what it is. There is a clear difference between human trafficking, thought of more as sex trafficking, and modern slavery, thought of more as labor forced. Some ways you can personally contribute to diminish this issue are the following: raise awareness, fundraise and/or volunteer for anti-trafficking organizations, report human trafficking, learn the red flags and there are many professions you can go into in order to help, such as Criminal Justice, Public Health, Social Work, Psychology. I was very interested in the way this article laid out exactly what human trafficking is and how to notice signs of it for yourself and for others around you.

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Grant, D. (2020, July 15). On “Difficult” Conversations . Inside

Higher Ed.

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/07/15/why-classroom-conversations

-about diversity-and-identity-shouldnt-be-framed

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Rosling, H., Rosling Rönnlund, A. R., & Rosling, O. (2018).

Chapter Nine: The Blame Instinct. In Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong

About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (pp. 204-222).

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The Conversation: In-depth analysis, research, news and ideas from leading academics and researchers. (2019, November 22). The Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/us

About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (pp. 204-222).

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How to Help Stop Human Trafficking: Volunteer & Career Ideas. (n.d.). Public Service Degrees. https://www.publicservicedegrees.org/be-the-change/stop-human-trafficking/#:~:text=%205%20Ways%20You%20Help%20Stop%20Human%20Trafficking

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End Human Trafficking | United Way Worldwide. (2019). Unitedway.org. https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact/featured-programs/end-human-trafficking#