HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Overview

HUMAN TRAFFICKING occurs worldwide and often involves transnational criminal organizations, violations of labor and immigration criminal codes, and government corruption.  Violence, deception and/or coercion typically occur in human trafficking, whether the ultimate destination is for forced labor, the sex trade or slavery. Most trafficking cases follow the same pattern, although circumstances vary from case to case.   People are abducted or recruited in the country of origin, transferred through transit regions, and then exploited in the destination country. People may also be trafficked internally, that is, within the borders of their own country.

A recent United Nations report says human trafficking appears to be getting worse, not better, because many countries aren't paying attention to it.  The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) surveyed 155 countries for its report on modern-day slavery, but didn't say how many people it believes are victims of human trafficking. Estimates range from 800,000 new victims each year, according to the U.S. State Department, to 2.5 million, according to the International Labor Organization.

Poverty and statelessness are the two biggest risk factors for human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.  This is an in-depth study of human trafficking, including undercover videos and photographs of traffickers.