An Introduction to Human Trafficking - United Nations Office on ...

The impact of trafficking in persons
Judith Dixon
I.—<strong>Introduction</strong>
<strong>Human</strong> trafficking <strong>to</strong>day is a global phenomenon, affecting men, women and children in
over 130 countries of the world. 1 <strong>Trafficking</strong> is a crime against individuals. 2 As such, the
consequences are most directly felt by trafficked persons. As well documented, trafficking
activities contravene fundamental human rights, denying people basic and broadly accepted
individual freedoms. <strong>Trafficking</strong> also has broad economic, social and cultural consequences.
As a criminal act, trafficking violates the rule of law, threatening national jurisdictions
and international law. Further, trafficking in persons redirects the benefits of
migration from migrants, their families, community and government or other potential
legitimate employers <strong>to</strong> the traffickers and their associates. Difficult as it is <strong>to</strong> measure
accurately the scope of human trafficking, it is equally difficult <strong>to</strong> measure its impact. The
dynamics of the trade are constantly evolving and a range of national perspectives exist.
Available statistics are dependent upon a variety of sources, methodologies and definitions.
Because trafficking is an underground activity, its consequences are also hidden and
adequate indica<strong>to</strong>rs have yet <strong>to</strong> be developed that will allow the anti-trafficking community
<strong>to</strong> successfully measure the impact of this crime. This paper identifies some of the
most notable social, political and economic impacts of human trafficking and outlines
important policy considerations in each of these areas.
1
<strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> <strong>Office</strong> on Drugs and Crime, <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons: Global Patterns
(Vienna, <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong>, 2006).
2
<strong>Trafficking</strong> in persons and the smuggling of migrants are distinct crimes. While there are many similar
components, there are four important differences:
(a) Consent. The smuggling of migrants, while often undertaken in dangerous or degrading conditions, involves
migrants who have consented <strong>to</strong> the smuggling. <strong>Trafficking</strong> victims, on the other hand, have either never
consented or, if they initially consented, that consent has been rendered meaningless by the coercive, deceptive
or abusive actions of the traffickers;
(b) Exploitation. Smuggling ends with the migrants’ arrival at their destination, whereas trafficking involves the
ongoing exploitation of the victims in some manner <strong>to</strong> generate illicit profits for the traffickers. From a practical
standpoint, victims of trafficking also tend <strong>to</strong> be affected more severely and become more traumatized by their
experiences and are also in greater need of protection from revictimization and other forms of further abuse
than are smuggled migrants;
(c) Source of profits. The financial benefits derived from these crimes come from quite different activities. Those
who smuggle migrants profit from effecting the transportation of migrants from one country <strong>to</strong> another. The
key source of criminal income from human trafficking is the exploitation of victims in the countries they are
transported <strong>to</strong>;
(d) Transnationality. Smuggling is always transnational, whereas trafficking may not be. <strong>Trafficking</strong> can occur regardless
of whether victims are taken <strong>to</strong> another country or only moved from one place <strong>to</strong> another within the same
country. For further reference, see the Pro<strong>to</strong>col <strong>to</strong> Prevent, Suppress and Punish <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons, Especially
Women and Children (General Assembly resolution 55/25, annex II), and the Pro<strong>to</strong>col against the Smuggling
of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (resolution 55/25, annex III), both supplementing the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong>
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; available at
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/index.html.
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