Human trafficking reports in 2023 alarming

With recent incidents of suspected human trafficking, Germiston City News looks at this crime and subsequent human rights violations.

This comes after a raid at a premises in Sunnyridge on September 1, where more than 100 men, of which the youngest was reportedly about 10, were found locked inside a house on School Avenue.

This case had many similarities to a human trafficking case involving the discovery of 26 Ethiopian men locked inside a house in Benoni on August 23.

Also read: 100+ men found locked up in Primrose house possibly victims of human trafficking

The statistics are shocking

Human trafficking has been recognised as one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal enterprises and is estimated to be a $150b (about
R2 766b) global industry.

This is according to Laurie Pieters-James, a criminologist and human trafficking investigator.

In November , Caxton journalist Emily Bain witnessed police and other law enforcement take control of a property in Roosevelt Park along Beyers Naudé Drive that was thought to be a human trafficking location.

“It is estimated by the US State Department that 25 million people are victims of labour and sexual exploitation,” Pieters-James said.

She says the Covid-19 pandemic plunged already at-risk populations into increased vulnerability and the resulting global recession is expected to further increase those at risk of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

Also read: Human trafficking: Men rescued from Sunnyridge “prison”

Impact of Covid-19 on human trafficking
• Intensified root causes of human trafficking
• Intensified and changed kinds of exploitation
• Increased impact on children
• Increased legal and illegal migration
• Disruptions in victim support and services
• Reduced law enforcement
• Interrupted financial support and funding

Detected cases reveal
• Most victims are female
• Mainly adults but increasingly underage girls

Therefore, 30% are children worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa though, 55% are children. The majority of these are victims of sexual trafficking for sexual exploitation.
“Children account for one-third of all detected trafficking victims. Many are used for forced labour, but the majority are for sexual exploitation. In sub-Saharan Africa, 99% of detected victims originate from the area while in Europe, only 25% are. Most of these cases come from sub-Saharan Africa or Asia.”

Low risk – high reward for traffickers (Canada)
• 12–25 typical ages of females trafficked for sexual exploitation
• $900 (about R16 596) average daily profit earned by organised crime from one trafficked person
• $5 400 (about R99 576) average weekly profits from one trafficked person
• $280 000 (about R5.1m) average annual profits from one trafficked person
• $3 276 000 (about R53.8b) average annual profits from one trafficked person.

Societal Risk Factors
• Lack of awareness of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking
• Sexualisation of children
• Lack of resources

ALSO READ: How locals can guard against human trafficking this festive season

Community Risk Factors
• Peer pressure
• Social norms
• Social isolation
• Gang involvement
• Under-resourced schools, neighbourhoods, and communities

Relationship Risk Factors
• Family conflict, disruption, or dysfunction

Individual Risk Factors
• History of child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment
• Homeless, runaway, or ‘thrown away’
• LGBTQIA+
• History of being systems- involved (justice, criminal justice, juvenile care, or foster care, etc.)
• Stigma and discrimination