The Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Women and Girls

No government or international agency knows how many people are victims of human trafficking due to the crime’s illicit nature. Some agencies estimate 2.5 million victims (UNODC), others 27 million (U.S. State Department). However, there are some things we do know.

Human trafficking exists in every country in the world — as a place of origin, transit or destination for victims of the crime. An extreme violation of human rights, trafficking in persons occurs across borders and within cities and towns victims have never left. The overwhelming majority of human trafficking victims are women and girls, most of whom are bought and sold in the multi-billion dollar sex trade, where they suffer extreme violence at the hands of exploiters, including sex buyers. Women and girls trafficked for forced labor are equally vulnerable to sexual exploitation and violence.

Human trafficking and sexual exploitation overwhelmingly impact women and girls globally. Basing our work on international law, women’s rights and human rights principles, we fight these forms of gender-based violence and discrimination to create a world where everyone can live free from violence and exploitation.