UNPO: Taiwan: Top Country Against Human Trafficking.
Rhode Island had both the lowest number of cases (10) and the lowest rate based on population (0.91/100,000) of human trafficking in 2020. Here are the 10 states with the highest rates of human trafficking: Mississippi - 6.38 per 100k. District of Columbia - 6.08 per 100k.
Australia (Tier 1)
The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Australia remained on Tier 1.
But as is the case in many crimes of exploitation and abuse, human traffickers often prey upon members of marginalized communities and other vulnerable individuals, including children in the child welfare system or children who have been involved in the juvenile justice system; runaway and homeless youth; unaccompanied ...
While boys and men are victims as well, most individuals identified as trafficked for both labor and commercial sex are women and girls. For every 10 victims detected globally, five are adult women and two are girls, according to a report released in 2021 by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (PDF, 18MB).
Regionally, child trafficking is quite common in Africa, particularly West Africa, where nearly all human trafficking victims are children. Child trafficking is also very common in Asia's Mekong region, which includes Cambodia, parts of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Here are some important facts: Children account for half of the victims of human trafficking. In fact, the average age that a young person becomes involved in sex trafficking is 12 years old. If the victim is a minor, no force, fraud, or coercion is necessary to prove trafficking.
China, the world's second-most populous country, has the second highest number of human trafficking victims in the world. It is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sexually trafficked persons. Sex trafficking victims in the country are from all ethnic groups in China and foreigners.
Australia is a destination country for victims of trafficking, and evidence suggests the majority are women trafficked into debt-bonded prostitution. Recent years have seen many changes in international and national responses to, and legislation on, trafficking in persons.
More common in Australia than labour exploitation, according to the AFP numbers, is sexual exploitation, which represents about 30% of slavery cases.
Sex and Labor Traffickers Make False Promises.
One of the most effective ways traffickers recruit victims is by making false promises. They may offer romantic involvement or a job opportunity. They may give the person a feeling of security, giving them hope for a better future.
There is no evidence that traffickers are more likely to be of a particular race, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. They may be family members, romantic partners, acquaintances, or strangers.
The children at risk are not just high school students – studies show that the average age a child is trafficked into the commercial sex trade is between 11 and 14 years old.
Some Populations Are at Higher Risk for Human Trafficking
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those include, but are not limited to: Unhoused youth. Refugees or migrant workers. Those with substance abuse disorders.
Sexual exploitation and forced labour
The most common form of human trafficking detected by national authorities is trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Women and girls will say they've been “in the life” if they've been involved in prostitution for a while. Track (a/k/a Stroll or Blade): An area of town known for prostitution activity. This can be the area around a group of strip clubs and pornography stores, or a particular stretch of street.
Traffickers look for people who are easy targets for a variety of reasons, including: Psychological or emotional vulnerability. Economic hardship. Lack of a social safety net.
Recruitment: Sex traffickers approach potential victims in a variety of ways, including pretending to be a potential boyfriend or friend, contacting them via social media such as Facebook, posting newspaper or Internet ads for jobs and opportunities, or even threatening or kidnapping them.
Due to the complex nature of the crime, traffickers often operate under the radar, and those trafficked are not likely to identify as victims, often blaming themselves for their situation. This makes it more difficult to identify the crime because victims rarely report their situation.
Stockholm syndrome is a common occurrence among those who have been trafficked; the victim feels attachment to the perpetrator as a coping mechanism to the abuse. Overall, victims of human trafficking do not want to remain victims, but they feel trapped. That is why you are the greatest help in saving them.