UN: Number of victims of human trafficking is increasing again

According to the latest report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the number of victims of human trafficking is increasing again worldwide. In 2022, the number of child victims increased by 31 percent, and the number of girls by 38 percent. Most girls are sexually exploited, while boys are involved in forced labor or criminal activities. The exploitation of children and women has increased in particular.

The report states that the number of victims of human trafficking increased by 25 percent between 2019 and 2022. The increase in the exploitation of children and women is particularly notable.

Child victims increased by 31 percent in 2022, and by 38 percent for girls. The majority of girls are sexually exploited, while boys are involved in forced labor or criminal activities. Poverty, armed conflict, and the climate crisis are exacerbating this alarming trend, making people vulnerable to criminal networks.

New methods used by criminals were also highlighted. Online fraud and cybercrime recruitment ranked third among the identified types of exploitation, increasing from one percent in 2016 to eight percent in 2022.

The dynamics of human trafficking vary by region.

The number of victims has increased significantly in North America and Western Europe.

At or below pre-pandemic levels in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

And while child trafficking is common in Africa, there are challenges in collecting data.

The UN is stressing the need for drastic action to address the factors that increase human vulnerability - poverty, armed conflict and climate change. It also noted the importance of strengthening cooperation between countries to rescue and assist victims and hold perpetrators accountable.

Human trafficking is a global crisis, and its victims, especially children and women, are in dire straits.