Human Trafficking
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Human trafficking is a pervasive, global problem with acute consequences for the survivors. Human trafficking, according to the U.S. Department of State, is a form of modern-day slavery involving the recruitment, harboring, or obtaining a person for labor or services, through force, fraud, coercion, or threat for the purpose of exploitation. There are an estimated 40 million slaves in the world today - that’s more than at any other point in human history. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise worldwide, with estimated total profits of $150 billion.
Human trafficking is happening right here in the United States:
- More than 276,654 total contacts of human trafficking have been reported to the Hotline since 2007.
- According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported call data, there were 11,852 sex trafficking cases reported in 2019.
- The 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report made its first efforts to include prevention in the fight against human trafficking, holding 1,350 training and awareness events.
- Of the active sex trafficking cases in the U.S. in 2019, 5,359 involved child victims.
- Since the onset of COVID-19, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has reported a fourfold increase in online child sexual exploitation in the same time period from 2019.
