On Sunday, Riyadh hosted a large symposium to educate the public on the issue of human trafficking.
Panel discussions with subject matter experts discussed the value of research and media coverage in the fight against international criminal activities.
In honor of the United Nations’ World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Saudi Human Rights Commission hosted this event.
“This cause is not urged or informed enough throughout our societies,” said Dr. Fawziah Albaker, professor of sociology of education at King Saud University and member of the Saudi Journalists Association.
Human trafficking is defined as “using, appending, transferring, harboring, or receiving a person for the purpose of abuse or exploitation” by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s Department of Combating Trafficking of Persons.
“Even regular people have the power to educate themselves and aim to raise awareness on human trafficking in order to become knowledgeable about its many forms.”
The most vulnerable members of society are often the primary targets, whether through stalking or selective victimization.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that deceptive advertising, especially on the internet, is the primary means by which victims are lured. One study found that while 52% of victims were male, 40% were female, 6% were girls, and 2% were boys.
Assistant professor of social services at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Dr. Aljohara Alzamil said there had been little research on the social element of people trafficking and its impact on communities and victims, particularly in the Middle East region.
She recently published research on the topic and said, “This is why we’ve conducted this research: to shed light on research and media activity related to this phenomenon in an effort to present a vision that activates and benefits protecting victims from this issue on the one hand, and combating it on the other.”
The delegates debated the responsibility of the media in shaping public opinion and raising awareness of human trafficking and its global impact.
They pointed out that journalists and opinion leaders may draw attention to the illicit trade.
According to Metab Alinizi, CEO of Ibtissam, an organization that helps empower victims of human trafficking, the reality about the trade is best told by individuals who have experienced it firsthand.
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“It’s our job to get to the bottom of the news,” he stated. How did the victim end up at this weak spot from which they were easily exploited? Where did they come from?
Alinizi gave the example of the upcoming 2023 film “Sound of Freedom,” which is based on the true story of a former government agent who embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers, to demonstrate how telling the stories of victims helped to dismantle stereotypes while remaining faithful to the facts.
For research endeavors to succeed, experts recommend consolidating national legislation, data, and information and encouraging worldwide collaboration among learning and higher education institutions.
Professor of Law at Majmaah University, Dr. Mishal Alsamhan, has said, “It is the role of the researcher to highlight the connection between human trafficking legislations and other laws, as well as how judicial authorities, media entities, or others deal with this issue.”
Attendees at the conference agreed that there was a need to strengthen the role of social media platforms and journalists in covering the topic, citing media campaigns, websites, television, and radio coverage as potential avenues for doing so.
To combat human trafficking, Saudi Arabia has developed legislation and other methods to prevent and treat the problem, as was stated by several speakers.
