Human Trafficking: The Facts

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: THE FACTS

•An estimated 2.5 million people are in forced labor (including sexual exploitation) at any given time as a result of trafficking(1)

Of these:

1.4 million – 56% - are in Asia and the Pacific

250,000 – 10% - are in Latin America and the Caribbean

230,000 – 9.2% - are in the Middle East and Northern Africa

130,000 – 5.2% - are in sub-Saharan countries

270,000 – 10.8% - are in industrialized countries

200,000 – 8% - are in countries in transition (2)

•161 countries are reported to be affected by human trafficking by being a source, transit or destination count(3)

•People are reported to be trafficked from 127 countries to be exploited in 137 countries, affecting every continent and every type of economy(4)

The Victims

•The majority of trafficking victims are between 18 and 24 years of age(5)

•An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year(6)

•95% of victims experienced physical or sexual violence during trafficking (based on data from selected European countries(7)

•43% of victims are used for forced commercial sexual exploitation, of whom 98 per cent are women and girls (8)

•32% of victims are used for forced economic exploitation, of whom 56 per cent are women and girls(9)

•Many trafficking victims have at least middle-level education(10)

References

1 International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet (2007)

2 International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet (2007)

3 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns (Vienna, 2006)

4 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns (Vienna, 2006)

5 International Organization for Migration, Counter-Trafficking Database, 78 Countries, 1999-2006 (1999)

6 UNICEF, UK Child Trafficking Information Sheet (January 2003)

7 The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Stolen smiles: a summary report on the physical and psychological health consequences of women and adolescents trafficked in Europe (London, 2006)

8 International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet (2007)

9 International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet (2007)

10 International Organization for Migration, Counter-Trafficking Database, 78 Countries, 1999-2006 (1999)