I worked in social media. Once Middle Eastern countries came on to the platform we had to immediately hire contractors to patrol reported posts for child pornography. Hundreds of posts per day, had to take drastic measures to curb their posting behaviour and limit their damage to the rest of the sites' users. Worst part is, they don't think it's wrong… They don't stop…
https://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/researchdigest/trafficking/MiddleEast.pdf
Human Trafficking in the Middle East and North Africa Region
Difficulties because >Middle Eastern laws and cultures do not recognize certain forms of
human trafficking as being, in fact, trafficking.
#Human Trafficking as Slavery
>Human trafficking is considered a contemporary form of slavery. Slavery has historical roots in the Middle East, especially in the region bordering African states. One Middle Eastern state that has seen extensive slave trading, both historically and in the present day, is Sudan where the African non-Muslim population has been the target of mainly Arab slave traders. This slave trade has surged again in recent years due to the escalating attempts by the Arab government to dominate their southern, non-Muslim population. The use of human trafficking as a tool to control an entire population at odds with the Sudanese government is a key issue when examining Sudan.
#Migrant Workers
>One of the largest human trafficking problems in the Middle East is the trafficking of migrant workers. Many migrant people, mainly from Asian states, are tricked into coming to the Middle East; they then find themselves in a forced labor situation or working for very low wages. This tragic phenomenon is especially prevalent in the oil-rich Gulf States of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In addition, these workers may be held to pay off their debt, which accumulates from the exorbitant costs of travel and housing. Organizations like the International Labor Organization strongly warn migrating workers about fraudulent schemes that promise workers transportation and work in another state. Although the Gulf States have one of the highest populations of migrant workers in the world, certainly not all of them are victims of human trafficking. Nevertheless, migrant workers going to the Middle East should be aware of the problem.
#Sex Trafficking
>Although human trafficking for sexual exploitation does occur in the Middle East, it is difficult to find resources on this aspect of trafficking. In most Arab states, sex trafficking is not explicitly prohibited. As an example, Mohamed Mattar points out that in many Middle Eastern states, temporary marriage is permitted in which case the woman has few rights and the husband decides when the marriage ends. Temporary marriage is thought to be a way to legalize prostitution. In addition, Arab culture is sensitive to this issue, which makes researching and gathering information difficult. On the other hand, Mattar also notes that Iraq’s new constitution includes an article specifically prohibiting the trafficking of women and children for the sex trade, the first Arab state to do so. This may be a promising, although perhaps not completely genuine, first step toward recognizing and acting against sex trafficking. Certain states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also putting pressure on Middle Eastern states to implement more explicit laws in human trafficking in general. However, even when there are laws against sex trafficking, the laws are not respected or enforced. In Israel, there are laws against sex trafficking, yet the Israeli government and law enforcement agencies have largely neglected to enforce these laws. Therefore, not only legislating laws, but also enforcing laws is important for change in sex trafficking in the Middle East.
#International Laws and Organizations
>Today, there are many international laws and organizations working to prevent and stop human trafficking, and to hold traffickers accountable. International laws and treaties such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and organizations such as the United Nations, International Labor Organization, and International Organization for Migration are all working to stem human trafficking in the Middle East and around the world. Some Middle Eastern governments are doing their part to stop this problem, while other states are not doing anything to prevent human trafficking. Reports like the United States Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) expose states that are not making enough of an effort to end human trafficking. Through the many laws and documents, one can see that the international community is not taking the human Trafficking problem lightly.