This prohibition is actually referring to kidnapping and enslavement, i.e., stealing a human being, or as it is known today, human trafficking. The sages learnt this from the fact that the other prohibitions surrounding this one lead to capital punishment and theft of objects (prohibited by a different verse) is not punishable by death.
The reality of the world is such that usually the victims of human trafficking are children. A child is viewed as the extension of his father. The sefirah of victory is also called eternity (netzach). Human beings cannot live eternally. Thus, our eternity, so to speak, is achieved through our children. When a human being’s freedom is stolen, his or her role in the transmission of our eternal heritage is shattered and the person is broken off from his connection with eternity/victory.
