Crime and Public Safety

Human Trafficking Reports Have Almost Doubled in 5 Years, Police Say

Police are concerned as reports of trafficking and modern slavery reach an all-time high, with women the majority of victims in some types of crime.
Human Trafficking Reports Have Almost Doubled in 5 Years, Police Say
Stock image of a trafficked child. Posed by a model. doidam10/Depositphotos
Rex Widerstrom
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Many forms of human trafficking in Australia have risen alarmingly in the past year. Reports of exit trafficking—where a person is taken or sent overseas and then has their passport taken from them so they have no choice but to remain, often illegally—have jumped by more than 100 percent between 2024/25 and the previous year.

Meanwhile, reports of human trafficking and modern slavery have reached record highs.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.