Human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, is a crime that affects thousands of people, primarily women and minors, with irregular migration being a factor that increases people's vulnerability to this scourge.
Although different from the crime of migrant smuggling, human trafficking, the exploitation of human beings either for labor, sexual purposes, or both, is also a transnational phenomenon, often crossing country borders.
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On the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is commemorated every July 30, it is important to highlight that the International Labor Organization (ILO) states that although most migration is voluntary and has a positive impact on people and societies, when migrants are not protected by law or cannot exercise their rights, there is a greater risk of forced labor and human trafficking.
In this regard, the ILO points out in the document "Global Estimates on Modern Slavery (2021)" that national policy and legal frameworks are needed to promote respect for the rights of all migrants at all stages of the migration process, regardless of their migration status.
This World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, 2024, is dedicated to the most vulnerable: children - António Guterres
The message of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, regarding the fight against trafficking, emphasizes that it is an atrocious crime that preys on the most vulnerable sectors.
"A third of the victims of trafficking are children, who suffer unspeakable abuses, such as forced labor, bride sales, recruitment as soldiers, or coercion to engage in criminal activities" —
António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, 2024 World Day Against Trafficking message
The emergence of complex trafficking networks that challenge traditional legal frameworks and create new forms of slavery, as well as online platforms, make children even more exposed to sexual exploitation and gender violence, and allow traffickers to exploit their victims across borders. This calls for strengthening protection responses, supporting unaccompanied children on the move, providing care to survivors, and addressing the root causes of exploitation by helping vulnerable families.
There is a Consular Care Protocol for Mexican Victims of Trafficking Abroad
Mexico is a signatory to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), from which obligations arise to classify the crime at the national level, provide protection mechanisms for victims, and carry out prevention activities.
The General Law to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Crimes Related to Human Trafficking and for the Protection and Assistance to Victims of These Crimes in force in Mexico created an inter ministerial commission of which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a part for the design and coordination of protection and specialized care programs for victims of these crimes with the objective of being applied in consular representations abroad.
Based on a diagnosis carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in several Mexican consulates in the United States, as it is the country where more cases of Mexican victims of trafficking outside the country are attended to, the Consular Care Protocol for Mexican Victims of Trafficking Abroad was created in 2018.
The most recent data published by the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States by the non-profit organization POLARIS, with which the Mexican Embassy in the United States has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on assistance to Mexican victims of trafficking in the U.S., indicates that according to the 2021 data analysis, 10,359 trafficking situations were reported. In those situations, a total of 16,554 probable victims were identified. These figures, the organization clarifies, do not correspond to the total number of cases, but only to those who call the helpline.
The analysis of this information reveals that trafficking victims are generally recruited by someone they know, such as a family member or caregiver (33%), an intimate partner (28%), or an employer (22%), and the internet continues to be the most reported recruitment location.
In line with what was indicated by the ILO, Polaris data also highlight that recent migration/relocation continues to be the most frequently reported risk factor or vulnerability, applying to just over half (54%) of all likely victims with a known risk factor/vulnerability; this also applied to 93% of likely labor trafficking victims.
Regarding the ethnic origin of the victims, the majority do not disclose it (72%), but of those who do, the highest percentage (14%) is of people of Latino origin; Asian (5%); Caucasian or White (4%); African American or Black (3%), among others.
The areas of collaboration between Mexico through the consular network and Polaris include information exchange, building support networks to refer victims, ongoing training for consular staff, and conducting educational workshops for the Mexican community, as well as collaboration in prevention activities.
"Most importantly, we must listen to the victims and survivors of human trafficking. It is encouraging to see the long-term growth in the proportion of victims self-reporting their situations to the Trafficking Hotline, indicating growing awareness and trust, as well as improving the assistance the Trafficking Hotline can provide. As victims and survivors share their experiences and expertise, it is our responsibility to listen, respond, and amplify their voices as we work together to address root causes and broken systems" -
Hotline-Trends-Report-2023, polarisproject.org
Some data
The main types of exploiters identified were:
- Employers (43%)
- People with a familial relationship to the victim (26%)
- Intimate partners (22%)
- Of the victims:
- 65% women
- 17% men
- 18% not identified
- 1% other minority genders
What to do?
- You can call free of charge 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- United States, National Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 888 373 7888
- Mexico, National Human Trafficking Hotline: 800 5533 000
- You can also call the Information and Assistance Center for Mexicans (CIAM) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to receive guidance and consular assistance: 520 623 7874