Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name:  Speaking for the SilencedEpisode 6:  Organ Trafficking: Part 1

Tune into this week’s episode of #SpeakingfortheSilenced!

You are listening to Speaking for the Silenced podcast with your host(s) Jacqueline Sun.

In this episode of Speaking for the Silenced, we will begin a two-part segment discussing organ trafficking, perhaps one of the least visible forms of human trafficking. 

Segment 1: Background

• Involves a lot of stealth and intricacy, many crime groups participate in it
• Organ demand is much higher than supply, what makes the practice so lucrative
• Most traded are kidneys
• Average wait time for a kidney is around 3-4 years
• Time is much too long, people take desperate measures

Segment 2:  How does it happen?

• Traffickers target the most vulnerable as in other forms of trafficking
• Offer a lump sum of money
• Engage in insanely upscaled reselling
• Actual removal of organ is done without care for the patient
• Organ buying and selling is illegal in many countries, many engage in something known as “transplant tourism”, which is legal
• Little regulation on transplant tourism
• CoVID-19 has bred the perfect conditions for an influx of organ trafficking
• Influx of debt, traffickers can more easily extort organ removals
• Hospitals are backed up with COVID-19
• Waiting lists for organs increases, demand increases

Segment 3:  What Has Been Done

• Tracking through the monetary transactions
• Raising initiative: Project Protect initiative
• Legislation targeting transplant tourism and organ trafficking
• Involving the private sector
• Working through social media platforms, where many ads are posted for organ buying and selling

Music Credits:   Brooklyn and the Bridge by Nico Staf

• At the Restaurant by Monolog...