Child trafficking on alert: UN warns of dramatic increase!

Child trafficking on alert: UN warns of dramatic increase!

The situation of human trafficking has become alarmingly worse in recent years. According to the new human trafficking report from the UN Drug and Crime Agency (UNODC), there were 75,000 documented cases worldwide in 2022, including 25,000 children. That is an increase of 25 percent compared to the years before the corona pandemic. Of particular concern is the increase in the smuggling of girls into many regions for the purpose of sexual exploitation. But it's not just girls who are affected - boys, often migrants traveling alone, are also increasingly falling victim to criminal activity Volksblatt reported.

The UNODC identified 440 transnational human trafficking routes, with most victims coming from Africa. Organized crime is responsible for these crimes in three out of four cases. Girls and women are increasingly having to work as prostitutes or serve fraudsters in online contexts, which further increases the complexity of the crime. This illustration shows that there are more and more companies that hide behind legal facades in order to engage in human trafficking. The need for a clear legal framework and efficient enforcement is more urgent than ever. But the statistics are deceptive, especially when you consider the incomplete data situation. The situation is similar in Germany. The annual federal situation report on human trafficking only contains completed investigations, which means that many cases go unnoticed and are not included in the statistics COC explained.

Dark field and challenges

The number of unreported cases in Germany, but also internationally, is high. Many of those affected lack the necessary information or are unable to testify for various reasons, which makes it difficult to record their cases. Responsible authorities therefore have difficulty providing a comprehensive picture of the situation. Scientists and authorities agree that the actual numbers are significantly higher than publicly available statistics. This is also underlined by international data from organizations such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), which estimates the number of people living in modern slavery at around 50 million. The complexity and diverse nature of this social problem requires comprehensive strategies and measures to combat human trafficking and to support those affected in order to sustainably improve the situation.