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.
The Philippines is one of the largest known sources of online exploitation of children. Estimates determine that 60,000 to 100,000 children are victims of human trafficking in the Philippines. Often, these children either go to work in child sex rings in the Philippines or are trafficked abroad as sex workers.
Human trafficking and slavery is a global problem and exists in Australia. Victims of human trafficking and slavery can be of any age or gender.
Who Is a Human Trafficking Victim? Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which victims are subjected to force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of commercial sex, debt bondage, or involuntary labor. Victims of human trafficking can be young children, teenagers, men and women.
Many sex traffickers lure victims by providing basic survival needs. They systematically provide distorted versions of higher needs to manipulate victims. Using threats, force and coercion, traffickers exploit the fact that, for many victims, “the life” may be their first experience of 'family' and belonging.
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.
Trafficking is used for a wide variety of purposes, such as domestic, agricultural or sweatshop labour, marriage and prostitution. Australia is a destination country for victims of trafficking, and evidence suggests the majority are women trafficked into debt-bonded prostitution.
Human trafficking in Australia is illegal under Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
Immigrant and refugee children are vulnerable to sex trafficking, especially when they are unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. Factors prompting migration may elevate the risk of sexual exploitation, including violence in the community or within the home, armed conflict and prominent gang activity in the area.
Using this technique, it is estimated that the number of human trafficking and slavery victims in Australia in 2015–16 and 2016–17 was between 1,300 and 1,900. This means there are approximately four undetected victims for every victim detected.
Who is Vulnerable? Human trafficking can happen to anyone but some people are more vulnerable than others. Significant risk factors include recent migration or relocation, substance use, mental health concerns, involvement with the children welfare system and being a runaway or homeless youth.
Australia works with other governments and organisations to prevent human trafficking, prosecute the perpetrators, and protect and support trafficked people. Australia's anti-human trafficking strategy was established in 2003.
In 2021 alone, Anti-Slavery Australia helped over 400 people who had been trafficked to or from Australia, or had faced modern slavery while in Australia, including forced marriage, servitude and forced labour. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. In Australia, only 1 in 5 victims of slavery are identified.
Human trafficking occurs when a perpetrator, often referred to as a trafficker, takes an Action (induces, recruits, harbors, transports, provides), and then employs the Means of force, fraud or coercion for the Purpose of compelling the victim to provide commercial sex acts (sex trafficking) or labor/services (labor ...
Some indications that a person may be a victim of human trafficking include (especially in the case of women and children): Appearing malnourished. Showing signs of physical injuries and abuse. Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and authority figures/law enforcement.
Taiwan is ranked as one of the best countries in the latest U.S. Department's report for its efforts against human trafficking.
To date, the majority of victims identified by Australian authorities and matters we have prosecuted have involved women working in the sex industry. However increasingly, victims of other forms of labour exploitation are being identified including in the agricultural, construction and hospitality industries.
Victims of human trafficking are young children, teenagers, men and women. Approximately 800,000 victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide, and between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the United States (U.S.), according to the U.S. Department of State.
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.
Human traffickers prey on people who are hoping for a better life, lack employment opportunities, have an unstable home life or have a history of sexual or physical abuse.
Sydney ranked as the 10th most liveable city in the world and is seen as the best place to live in Australia for migrating populations with more than 42% of the city's population being born overseas.