“Human trafficking is the fastest growing international crime.”

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime

There are an estimated 35.8 million slaves in the world today—more than any other time in history.After drug dealing, human trafficking -both sex trafficking and trafficking for forced labour- is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing.Worldwide, there are nearly two million children in the commercial sex trade.

• Children below the age of 18 years represent between 40 to 50% of all forced labor victims.

• There are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 children, women and men trafficked across international borders annually.Approximately 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors.

The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion.Human trafficking is such a massive and hugely pressing problem.However there are a number of groups and organisations doing incredible work, on various of different levels to bring this crime to an end. In the midst of the grim statistics, there are still stories of hope: people are getting rescued, lives are being restored.

For further information about human trafficking please go to: www.modernslavery.co.uk

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”

William Wilberforce