Why Bankrupting The Business Of Trafficking Is A Key Aspect Of Preventing Exploitation

Human trafficking is a heinous crime that affects, according to the International Labour Organization, 24.9 million children, women and men and reaps $150 billion in illicit profits, annually. There is global law. There are action plans. There are strategies. There are data gathering mechanisms. Despite all efforts, these crimes have continued to proliferate unfettered throughout the world and have been exacerbated during Covid. Major focuses have been on aiding the victims after the crime is committed and developing programs to prevent abuse of the most vulnerable. While these are laudable efforts, they obviously have not stopped the crimes from occurring.

The simple fact is that with such a lucrative business, even if all victims were to be rescued today, tomorrow there would be a new set of victims to meet the demand  In April 2021, 24 international experts convened to identify recommendations for governments (including the United Nations), law enforcement, businesses and NGOs on ways to bankrupt the business of human trafficking by disrupting the demand for victims and the illicit profiteering to traffickers.  

Learn more, including recommendations for addressing these issues, here.

Rosalee Keech represents ECPAT-USA as Observer to the United Nations.