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Frequently asked questions about human trafficking
Some frequently asked questions about human trafficking.
Is human trafficking the same as people smuggling?
Human trafficking differs from people smuggling.
In the latter, people pay to be smuggled into the country and on arrival at their destination, the smuggled person is usually free. Trafficking is the movement of people by means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.
How do human traffickers lure their victims?
Victims are sometimes tricked and lured by false promises or physically forced.
Some traffickers use coercive and manipulative tactics including deception, intimidation, feigned love, isolation, threat and use of physical force, debt bondage, other abuse, or even force-feeding with drugs to control their victims.
People who are seeking entry to other countries may be picked up by traffickers and misled into thinking that they will be free after being smuggled across the border.
Who are the victims?
Trafficked people are usually the most vulnerable.
They often come from the poorer areas where opportunities are limited, they are often ethnic minorities and can be runaways or refugees.
Women are particularly at risk from sex trafficking. Criminals exploit lack of opportunities, promise good jobs or opportunities for study, and then force the victims to become prostitutes.
Thousands of children from Asia, Africa, and South America are sold into the global sex trade every year.
Often they are kidnapped or orphaned, and sometimes they are actually sold by their own families.
Men are also at risk of being trafficked for unskilled work predominantly involving forced labor which globally generates $31bn. Other forms of trafficking include forced marriage, and domestic servitude.
Who controls human trafficking?
Trafficking is a fairly lucrative industry.
In some areas, like Russia, Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, and Colombia, trafficking is controlled by large criminal organisations. However, the majority of trafficking is done by networks of smaller groups that each specialise in a certain area, like recruitment, transportation, advertising or retail.
Some key facts about trafficking:
Home Office research found that up to 1,420 women were trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation in 1998.
The figure was based solely on reported cases, and trafficking in people is understood by the police and by organisations that work with victims to be increasing exponentially - because it is extremely profitable, with "high demand" and little capital outlay needed at the start
Sex in the City, a 2004 report by victims support agency, the Poppy Project, found that women from Eastern Europe, South East Asia and West Africa are known to be trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation
Metropolitan police estimate trafficked women forced into prostitution in London see between 20 and 30 men per day
The Poppy Project is the only dedicated safe house providing specialist support for victims of trafficking in London: it has 25 places.
Find out more about human trafficking
The UK Human Trafficking Centre - www.ukhtc.org
The CARE campaign - www.care.org.uk
Amnesty International - www.amnesty.org.uk
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