Human trafficking involves the purchase or sale of a person for exploitation, usually sexual or forced labor. It is a crime against humanity that occurs all over the world in every type of industry, including agriculture fields, restaurants, hotels, massage parlors, retail stores, fishing vessels, mines, and private homes. Human traffickers can be anyone from any background or location and can be individuals or organized criminal enterprises. Traffickers target people who are vulnerable for various reasons. These include children in the child welfare system; runaway and homeless youth; persons who do not have legal immigration status in their country of destination; racial minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ) individuals; and those with intellectual disabilities. Traffickers also prey on the victims of natural disasters and armed conflict.
Identifying victims of human trafficking is challenging and complex. Data on the number of identified human trafficking victims are collected by a variety of sources, including government surveys of populations in their jurisdictions. These figures are used to produce the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, produced by UNODC. Generally, governments do not publish the names of those they have identified as trafficking victims to protect their privacy.
Many of these individuals have been subjected to psychological and physical abuse, including threats, sex manipulation, cigarette burns, branding, and strangulation injuries. Some have developed addictions to drugs, both as a tool of control and as a means of coping with the stressors of their situation. The provision of healthcare, especially physical and mental health, is a vital component to assisting these individuals in their journey towards freedom.
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