Human trafficking is a growing problem in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that contains major source, transit, and destination countries for trafficking victims. Major forms of TIP in the region include commercial sexual exploitation of women and children, labor trafficking within national borders and among countries in the region (particularly in South America), and the trafficking of illegal immigrants in Mexico and Central America. According to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the share of victims trafficked for forced labor outside the commercial sex industry in Latin America (44%) is higher than in Europe and Central Asia. The two countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with the largest percentages of their populations subjected to “modern slavery,” a term associated with human trafficking, are Haiti and the Dominican Republic, according to the Walk Free Foundation.
It is often difficult to measure success in the fight against human trafficking. Many countries in Latin America have reported increases in the number of training courses provided, conferences held, and workshops convened as evidence of their commitment to combat human trafficking. However, as stated in the 2009 TIP report, the State Department prefers countries to focus on “concrete actions” when determining the adequacy of a particular country’s anti-TIP efforts. Concrete actions include enacting new or amended TIP legislation; expanding victim assistance and prevention programs; and, perhaps most importantly, securing prosecutions, convictions, and prison sentences for TIP offenders.
Although many countries in Latin America have passed or amended their existing TIP laws, until very recently, the number of TIP-related arrests, prosecutions, and convictions remained low in comparison to other regions. Some have questioned the adequacy of the State Department’s indicators. They maintain that more credit should be given to countries that are seeking to address the underlying factors that put people at risk for trafficking, such as gender and racial discrimination, violence against women and children, and economic inequality.
| Categoría: | Publicaciones |
| País: | Estados Unidos de América |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| Año: | 2016 |
| Institución: | Congressional Research Service |
| Autor: | Clare Ribando Seelke |
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FAQs
Most trafficked victims are sent to Western Europe, and some are sent to North America. Out of all areas in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic has the highest number of trafficked persons; women are trafficked to Costa Rica and Panama as well as to Western Europe.
What are the factors that contribute to human trafficking in the Caribbean? ›
Recent Findings Human trafficking in the Caribbean continues to be influenced by the push and pull economic factors of poverty, poor educational attainment, political instability, and the promise of better jobs and opportunities in higher-income countries.
Which country is most involved in human trafficking? ›
Informed by qualitative and quantitative measures and expert input, the five worst-scoring countries for human trafficking are:
- Libya.
- Eritrea.
- Yemen.
- United Arab Emirates.
- Turkmenistan.
States with the Most Human Trafficking:
- Mississippi - 6.38.
- Nevada - 5.80.
- Missouri - 4.32.
- Nebraska - 3.65.
- California - 3.43.
- Oregon - 3.29.
- Florida - 3.26.
- Texas - 3.24.
The two countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with the largest percentages of their populations subjected to “modern slavery,” a term associated with human trafficking, are Haiti and the Dominican Republic, according to the Walk Free Foundation.
What are the top 10 cities for human trafficking? ›
The 25 Cities with the Most Human Trafficking Cases
| Rank | City | Total Number of Cases between 12/7/2007 - 12/31/2016 |
|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | 1,021 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 884 |
| 3 | New York, NY | 759 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | 596 |
21 more rows3Ps: Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention.
What is the main source of human trafficking? ›
Many factors make children and adults vulnerable to human trafficking. However, human trafficking does not exist solely because many people are vulnerable to exploitation. Instead, human trafficking is fueled by a demand for cheap labor, services, and for commercial sex.
What are the top three nations of origin for victims of human trafficking? ›
The United States is again ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking. According to a recently released report by the State Department, the top three nations of origin for victims of human trafficking in 2018 were the United States, Mexico and the Philippines.
Who is the biggest victim of human trafficking? ›
Undocumented immigrants are particularly susceptible to human trafficking because they are unfamiliar with their rights in the United States and often do not speak English. They also do not have the required paperwork to live or work in the country and so they are constantly under threat of deportation.
Sexual exploitation and forced labour
The most common form of human trafficking detected by national authorities is trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Where is human trafficking most concentrated? ›
Human Trafficking in Regions Around the World
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Asia and the Pacific region has the highest number of forced labor and marriage. These regions account for more than half the global total: 29.6 million.
How can you tell if someone is being trafficked? ›
Someone may be experiencing labor trafficking or exploitation if they:
- Feel pressured by their employer to stay in a job or situation they want to leave.
- Owe money to an employer or recruiter or are not being paid what they were promised or are owed.
- Do not have control of their passport or other identity documents.
Florida ranks third in the country in human trafficking cases according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, with Miami-Dade County having the most reported cases in the state.
What is the number 2 state for human trafficking? ›
States with the Highest Human Trafficking Numbers
California consistently has the highest human trafficking rates in the United States, with 1,334 cases reported in 2020. This is followed by Texas with 987 cases, Florida with 738 cases, and New York with 414 cases.
Is Jamaica known for human trafficking? ›
Jamaica is a source, transit, and destination country for adults and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor.
What Caribbean countries are involved in drug trafficking? ›
In 2020, the US Drug Enforcement Administration estimated that around 24% of all cocaine movement in the Western Hemisphere passed through the Caribbean Sea. Today, large amounts of cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs transit through the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dutch Caribbean.
Where is the highest rate of human trafficking? ›
Table of Contents
- The World's Worst Human Trafficking Locations.
- Afghanistan.
- Algeria.
- Belarus.
- Cambodia.
- Chad.
- China.
- Cuba.
