An estimated 50 million people worldwide are being trafficked for labor or sex. And while it might be easy to assume that human trafficking is primarily a third-world problem, it’s more prevalent in wealthy countries like the United States.
“I think people will be really surprised to hear that 52 percent of those who are in trafficking are actually living in the wealthiest countries in the world—in those that are developed,” Preston Goff, senior director of communications for anti-trafficking organization The Exodus Road, told The Epoch Times.
“It certainly happens in places like Thailand, but here in the U.S. the most recent estimate is that there are 1.1 million people [being trafficked].”
In 2016, ILO estimated 40.3 million human trafficking victims worldwide. By 2021, when the latest report was released, that number had jumped to 50 million—a 25 percent increase.
In the United States, the increase has been even more significant. Mr. Goff said that in 2016, the estimated number of trafficked individuals in the United States was between 400,000 to 500,000.
Trafficking Statistics
“Human trafficking exists in every single country in the world. It exists in every single state in the U.S., and often, it looks very different than what most people might imagine,” Mr. Goff said.He added that typically, when the media discusses human trafficking, there’s an emphasis on sex trafficking. And while that’s a significant problem, it’s only part of the story.
“The true incidence of forced marriage, particularly involving children aged 16 and younger, is likely far greater than current estimates can capture; these are based on a narrow definition and do not include all child marriages. Child marriages are considered to be forced because a child cannot legally give consent to marry,” ISO states.
When someone is trafficked, there’s not always a clear delineation between categories, Mr. Goff said.
Driving Factors
Human trafficking is estimated to generate approximately $150 billion globally in revenue each year, ISO reports, making it the third most lucrative criminal industry behind drugs and weapons trafficking—but not for long.Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry and, as a result, it’s expected to become the second “most lucrative” soon. Mr. Goff said desperation is a key factor in the increase, which is something Som (a pseudonym to protect her privacy) understands firsthand.
“This work will eat you up gradually. It will rot your heart. Every time a customer came to me, I felt like they took from me, and then they let me go, like a cycle.”
The cycle continued until Som’s daughter, Pearl (a pseudonym) was abused by a family member, motivating Som to find a different kind of life. That motivation led her to a local Freedom Home run by The Exodus Road in Thailand.
“I’m proud of myself that I could leave … but it wasn’t easy. There were people who helped me,” she said.
Another factor contributing to the human trafficking increase, according to Mr. Goff, was the COVID-19 pandemic because of how it created desperation. He said when people are despairing, a job offer means a vision and hope for the future, for themselves and their families. And that makes them more susceptible to traffickers.
“The pandemic increased vulnerability for those who were already vulnerable. When you hear things like war breaking out and natural disasters, even things like climate change, it causes an increased vulnerability in the impoverished world by those already experiencing vulnerabilities. And that creates this perfect climate for desperation that a trafficker can prey on.”
He said traffickers often trap desperate victims by promising them a job opportunity “that seems like it’s completely on the up-and-up.”
Following her friend to what looked like a typical job at a bar, Kratay said she soon found herself alone with an older man who raped her. When she told her parents what happened, they responded, “How much did this man pay for time with you?” She replied $30. They forced her to keep working at the bar.
Mr. Goff said in addition to promising a job that looks legitimate, traffickers often move victims to another location and then tell them that the job no longer exists. Then they tell the victim that because the trafficker paid for or facilitated the move, the victim has incurred a debt they must work off.
“It’s often a form of debt bondage that would hold somebody in that scenario layered with other forms of force, fraud, and coercion. That can really make someone feel stuck in a situation,” Mr. Goff said.
Another primary factor impacting human trafficking numbers is the digital nature of some forms of trafficking. Mr. Goff said that in the Philippines—one of The Exodus Road’s primary areas of focus—there’s a rise in online crime, specifically involving child sexual exploitation.
“Young children and teenagers are being exploited for this content. And one of the most terrifying and tragic pieces is that the marketplace that drives the demand for that is almost entirely outside the country, tracing back to countries like the U.S. and European nations,” Mr. Goff said.
“The online space results in both online exploitations and in-person physical exploitation in producing that content. So, the truth is with the rise of technology in our world, for those with serious desires, it makes it easier to access the vulnerable, and that’s tragic.”
Technology has also made it easier to track perpetrators, Mr. Goff said.
Combating Trafficking
Often people think that simply going in and pulling someone out of a trafficked situation will save that person, Mr. Goff said. But that’s not how it works.Instead, the journey to freedom for survivors begins at the moment of intervention. “The coercion, the trauma, that these survivors have experienced requires a lot of intentionality,” he said.
“We’ve had a lot of success with coming alongside good men and women who care deeply about their community and want to see those living in exploitation set free,” he said. “When we do that, it allows the survivor to access government and non-governmental services that otherwise would be harder to access.”
In Som’s case, the safety and education her local Freedom Home provided for herself and Pearl was Som’s ticket out of trafficking. While there, she took English classes and entrepreneurship training. She now envisions starting her own online business.
“When I worked as a sex worker, someone could buy me with money. But now? Money cannot buy me anymore,” she said.
In Kratay’s case, freedom came when undercover police officers posed as would-be buyers, rescued her, and placed her in a government home for exploited girls in Thailand. Following the resolution of her court case, Kratay moved to a Freedom Home and began taking business and English classes, and learned how to weave and sell baskets for income.
