Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of being used for labor or sex. While victims of trafficking may be adults or children, men or women, and even the physically or developmentally disabled, this modern form of slavery typically targets young children for sex. The numbers on sex trafficking are staggering and it is an epidemic both around the world and in the United States alike.

Elements of Sex Trafficking

The elements that define trafficking were defined by the 2000 UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which was ratified by 154 countries:

Act: Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons;

Means: Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim;

Purpose: Prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, or slavery.

International Human Trafficking Statistics:

10-30 million modern day slaves exist in the world today. The majority of the reports consulted for the purposes of this fact sheet estimate that the number is around 27 million people4 with several respected analysts estimating the number to be much higher.
After drug trafficking, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today – and is considered the fastest growing – generating $32 billion a year.
$15.5 billion is generated in industrialized countries alone.
The estimated financial cost of forced labor (compared to free employment) is $21 billion a year.
12.3 million adults and children are in forced labor world wide.
The International Labour Organization estimates that for every 1 victim of sex trafficking there are 9 victims of labor trafficking worldwide. However, sexual exploitation (79%) is by far the most commonly identified form of trafficking in persons, followed by forced labor (18%).
In 2011, 42,291 victims of human trafficking were identified worldwide. Of that number only 7,909 cases were prosecuted and resulted in only 3,969 convictions.
In 2011 there were 15,205 labor trafficking victims identified resulting in only 278 convictions.
In 2006 there were only 5,808 prosecutions and 3,160 convictions throughout the world, which means for every 800 people trafficked, only one person was convicted.
600,000 – 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year.
80% of transnational victims are women and girls.
50% of transnational victims are minors.An estimated 2 million children are exploited by the global commercial sex trade, with 100,000 minors in the commercial sex trade in the U.S. alone.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 20% of all trafficking victims are minors.
161 countries are affected by human trafficking.
The majority of suspects involved in human trafficking are nationals of the country where the trafficking process is occurring.
The majority (56%) of trafficking victims are subjected to forced labor in their place of origin or residence, with only 44% who are considered transnational trafficking victims. The International Labour Organization found that cross-border movement is closely linked to forced sexual exploitation.
Only 54% of the recruiters are strangers, 46% are known to the victims.

US-based human trafficking statistics:

According to the Trafficking in Persons Report by the US State Department between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the US annually (this is not the total number of trafficking victims in the US as it Georgia Human Trafficking Fact Sheet Compiled by the Center for Public Policy Studies For more information visit www.centerforpublicpolicy.org 2 June 2013 excludes US nationals who are victims of human trafficking within US borders).
A Department of Justice report extrapolating from a San Diego county survey estimated the potential
number of unauthorized immigrant labor trafficking victims in the U.S. at 2.47 million.
In 2010, 449 certifications were given to adult victims of human trafficking and 92 issued to child victims.
82% adult victims and 56% child victims of trafficking in the US were labor trafficking victims.
53% of adult victims and 66% of child victims of trafficking were women.
Victims came from 47 different countries. The top 5 host countries include: Thailand, Mexico, Philippines, Haiti and India, in that order.
While the ILO estimates that the ratio between sex:labor trafficking is 1:9, In 2011, 83% of reported incidents in the US were sex trafficking and only 12% of reported incidents were labor trafficking, leaving 5% categorized as “other.”
Between FY 2000 and FY 2009 only 1,591 T visas were granted by the Department of Homeland Security. Approximately 1/5 of the annual cap for T-visas, which is 5,000.
Types of labor trafficking in the US include: domestic servitude (nannies, housekeepers), small businesses (landscaping, nail salons, restaurants, industrial cleaning, construction, hospitality), Sale Crews (magazine, flower and candy sale crews) and large scale labor cases (agricultural, factory settings).
Types of sex trafficking in the US include: Bar/Club operations (cantina bars, Stripping or exotic dancing clubs, salons, massage parlors, hostess clubs and karaoke clubs, domestic strip clubs and gentleman clubs); Residential brothel settings (homes, apartments, hotels, mobile trailers); Escort services (bar/hotel based, internet-based, private, boat cruises, chat lines); Pimp-controlled prostitution (hotel-based, internet-based, private parties, street-based, truck stops).