Nature and Extent of Human Trafficking
Research conducted by NIJ grantees has uncovered several key findings:
- Source countries for human trafficking often have poor economies; women are often unemployed and victims are easy to recruit. [1]
- Most traffickers are the same nationality as their victims and usually have no criminal records. [2]
- Trafficking victims are most likely to be young and reasonably healthy people from poor, but not necessarily the poorest, backgrounds. [3]
- Recruitment is particularly effective when traffickers rely on victims whom they have turned into loyal enforcers or recruiters. Recruitment is also effective when the potential victim's family members are involved. [4]
- In the United States, law enforcement agencies reported encountering more female (81 percent) than male (18 percent) victims. When asked what type of trafficking was represented in their cases, the majority indicated forced prostitution, followed by domestic servitude, and agricultural labor. Whether this is the result of trafficking trends or training is not yet clear. [5]
Notes
[1] [2] Hughes, D.M., and T. Denisova. "Trafficking in Women From Ukraine." Final report to the National Institute of Justice, 2002, NCJ 203275.
[3] [4] Bales, K., and S. Lize. "Trafficking in Persons in the United States." Final report to the National Institute of Justice, March 2005, NCJ 211980.
[5] Clawson, H.J., K.M. Small, E.S. Go, and B.W. Myles. "Needs Assessment for Service Providers and Trafficking Victims." Final report to the National Institute of Justice, 2002, NCJ 202469.
Date Created: October 25, 2007
