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Glossaries

Human Trafficking Glossary

Spanish Terms Related to Trafficking

Coyote o pollero
human smuggler
Criada or criado 1
child or youth who is given by a parent to live with another family; a form of informal adoption in Latin America
La frontera
the border
La Migra
slang term for U.S. entities that enforce immigration law such as the Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Mula
slang term that refers to a person who is used to transport drugs (a "mule")
Padrote
pimp, or one who finds customers for a prostitute
Trata de blancas 2
commonly used term in Latin America that refers to sex trafficking of women from any ethnicity
Zona Roja
refers to a red-light (prostitution) district or area

1"Criadas" or "criados" may be asked or forced to perform chores in exchange for food, lodging, clothing, and, in some cases, schooling. These children often end up as exploited child servants. In some Latin American communities, the term "criada" also refers to a maid.

2"Trata de blancas" originally referred to white slavery, or the trafficking of European women to Latin America for sexual exploitation purposes at the end of the 19th century. See term used in Organización Internacional del Trabajo, 2001, Alto al trabajo forzoso: informe global con arreglo al seguimiento de la Declaración de la OIT relativa a los principios y derechos fundamentales en el trabajo Conferencia Internacional del Trabajo. Informe del Director-General, 2001, Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations, Organización Internacional del Trabajo [International Labour Organization].

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