Woman of the Week: Louise Shelley

Louise Shelley

The past few weeks have been busy here in South Africa. I have slowly but surely been getting through Louise Shelley's book, Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective. I wouldn't consider it necessarily a light read and people often look concerned when they see me cuddled up on the couch reading about one of the biggest injustices performed against humanity in our lifetime. However, Shelley's book is necessary in understanding human trafficking as a whole. She takes readers through every region of the world and the tactics and business methods used by those regions as well as the after effects and consequences of human trafficking on individuals and the world as a whole. One of her most poignant points that has resonated with me, is that we cannot assume human trafficking is the same everywhere. In order to stop human trafficking, we must understand the business models behind the trade specific to each location. Russian trafficking is different than Asian trafficking, which is different than American trafficking.

Louise Shelly has worked tirelessly to stop transnational crime and terrorism. It is clear,  by even glancing at her book, that she has spent immense time researching human trafficking in its full capacity. Her book not only serves as a source of detailed information about the trade, but also is a call to action: human trafficking needs to be on our agenda. I strongly suggest reading this book if you would like to get a more in depth view into the world of human trafficking. Thank you Louise Shelley for your hard work and dedication!