Trafficking in 

Human Misery 

UNFPA

Although slavery has been formally abolished from the world, the trade in human misery continues. 

Women, still considered property in some places, may be sold into marriage. 

Men or women may be coerced into working in brothels, sweatshops, construction sites and fields. 

As illegal migrant workers, they may be subjected to sexual violence, horrific living conditions, threats against their families and dangerous workplaces.

Because of their subordinate position, women and girls are most vulnerable. In view of the clear link between trafficking and the violation reproductive health and rights, UNFPA is working to draw attention to and address the problem. 

Trafficking in women and girls was the topic of an international workshop in Bratislava organized by UNFPA in October 2002. 

More than 60 parliamentarians, government officials and NGO representatives from 25 countries attested to the detrimental effects of trafficking on their populations and agreed that its elimination should be a matter of national policy. 

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However, eliminating this widespread and clandestine activity, which often involves organized crime and political corruption, will require collaborative efforts, with participation from international organizations, governments, NGOs and communities.

Statistics about trafficking are unreliable for a number of reasons, including the clandestine nature of the activity. 

However, rough estimates suggest that between 700,000 and 2 million women are trafficked across international borders annually. 

Adding domestic trafficking would bring the total much higher, to perhaps 4 million persons per year.

Human trafficking has become a global business generating huge profits for traffickers. 

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New trafficking routes are regularly established and the market for fraudulent travel documents, clandestine transportation and border crossing has become increasingly well-organized.

Some victims are lured into subjugation by advertisements for good jobs. Others are sold into service by a relative, acquaintance or family friend. 

Traffickers target poor communities, and may show up during a drought or before the harvest, when food is scarce, to persuade poor families to sell their daughters for small amounts of money.

The problem is widespread. Although the greatest volume of trafficking occurs in Asia, it also exists in Africa and Latin America. 

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Recently, the European Commission raised concerns about a growing ‘slave trade’ in Eastern European women — some 500,000 may have been forced into commercial sex. 

As many as 50,000 women and children are brought to the United States under false pretences each year and forced to work as prostitutes, abused labourers or servants, according to a report by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Few cases are prosecuted.

Trafficked migrants are vulnerable because of their irregular legal status, and may face deportation. 

They often cannot access legal assistance and medical care, and remain dependent on their agents and employers. 

Trafficking may also occur within countries, however, often spurred by commercial demand for young women in the sex trade.

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Human Trafficking

Also known as “trafficking in persons,” human trafficking is modern-day slave trade. It victimizes millions of people by forcing them from their homes and families and forcing them to work against their will, often in degrading circumstances. It is one of the most urgent human rights issues in the world today.

What is it?

The United Nations defines “Trafficking in persons” as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.

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Who are the Victims?

Victims of trafficking often come from vulnerable populations, including undocumented migrants, runaways and at-risk youth, oppressed or marginalized groups, and the poor. Traffickers specifically target individuals in these populations because they are often easiest to recruit and control and are least likely to be protected by law enforcement.

The needs of survivors of trafficking are among the most complex of crime victims, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach to address severe trauma and medical needs, immigration and other legal issues, safety concerns, multicultural barriers, and financial hardship.

Who are the Traffickers?

Many different people are traffickers. Sometimes they run recruitment agencies or are family members or friends, others encourage young women to believe they are their boyfriends. They may be small groups of individuals from poor backgrounds who have recognized how profitable trafficking can be, or even former victims of trafficking.

Why are people Trafficked?

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People generally put themselves in the hands of traffickers to escape poverty and/or discrimination or war. They are promised fantastic opportunities such as well paid jobs, education, or marriage. Many imagine that they will be able to send money home to help their families.

Human trafficking remains a low risk-high profit crime. Where laws exist they are often rarely implemented, and sentences are not equal with the crime. Criminals prosecuted for trafficking drugs receive a higher sentence than those prosecuted for trafficking human beings into slavery.

How Bad is It?

A recent U.S. Government estimate indicates that approximately 900,000 people are trafficked across international borders worldwide annually, and between 18,000 and 20,000 of those victims are trafficked into the United States.

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