World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2022 – 30th July

One minute Video to raise awareness that Human Trafficking has conquered cyberspace – click to view and to expand
One minute Video to highlight the use of technology to detect, rescue and support victims

The theme of this year    The theme of this  year’s World Day Against Trafficking is:

“Use and abuse of technology” 

Technology is a tool that can both enable and impede human trafficking. With the global expansion in the use of technology – intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift of our everyday life to online platforms — the crime of human trafficking has conquered cyber space. The internet and digital platforms offer traffickers numerous tools to recruit, exploit, and control victims; organize their transport and accommodation; advertise victims and reach out to potential clients; communicate among perpetrators; and hide criminal proceeds – and all that with greater speed, cost-effectiveness and anonymity.

Technology also allows criminals to operate internationally across jurisdictions and evade detection with greater ease. Traffickers use social media to identify, groom and recruit victims, including children; e-mails and messaging services are used for the moral coercion of the victims; and online platforms allow traffickers to widely advertise services provided by victims.

Crisis situations can also intensify this problem. Criminals profit from the chaos, desperation, and separation of people – particularly women and children – from support systems and family members.  For people on the move, online resources can become a trap, especially when it comes to phony travel arrangements and fake job offers targeting vulnerable groups.

However, in the use of technology also lies great opportunity. Future success in eradicating human trafficking will depend on how law enforcement, the criminal justice systems and others can make use of technology in their responses, including by aiding investigations to shed light on the modus operandi of trafficking networks; enhancing prosecutions through digital evidence, to alleviate the situation of victims in criminal proceedings and to support survivors. Prevention and awareness-raising activities on the safe use of the internet and social media could help mitigate the risk of people falling victim of trafficking.

STATISTICS:  Given the hidden nature of human trafficking, it is almost impossible to understand the full scope and scale of the issue. Amongst the most trusted sources for understanding, the global situation is the research by the International Labour Organization (ILO).  According to its latest report on forced labour:  There are an estimated 40.3 Million victims trapped in modern day Slavery. – 24.9 million were exploited for labour.  – 15.4 million were in forced marriage. – 71% of trafficking victims around the world are women and girls and 29% are men and boys.  – 16 million (64%) forced labour victims work in domestic work, construction or agriculture. – 4.8 million (19%) persons in forced sexual exploitation. – 4 million (16%) persons in forced labour imposed by state authorities.

Information Source:  https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/endht/index.html  
and https://trello.com/b/IKolsHsG/2022-world-day-against-trafficking-in-persons