THE PROBLEM
Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery in which someone coerces or deceives another person into sexual exploitation for profit.
A vast majority of victims of sex trafficking come from desperate economic situations. These difficult circumstances make women or girls more likely to accept job offers or marriage proposals that turn out to be fake – some even migrate to another country.
Though sex trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon, it is most pervasive in countries where perpetrators know they are unlikely to face any significant consequences.
- According to the Global Estimates for Modern Slavery, in 2022 as many as 6.3 million people were trapped in situations of forced sexual exploitation; Nearly 4 out of 5 of those cases were women and girls.
- Almost 1.7 million children are exploited in sex trafficking.
- It is estimated that human trafficking generates AU $225 billion a year — two-thirds of that from commercial sexual exploitation.
OUR SOLUTION
Our Proven Community Protection Model
Due to the severity of their crimes, traffickers, pimps, and others who profit from the sexual exploitation of women and children are particularly deterred by robust law enforcement action.
When the likelihood of serving serious jail time and paying significant financial damages increases, the potential financial rewards are no longer worth the high risk. Consequently, traffickers change their behaviour, resulting in safer communities where women and children can live in safety and freedom, dramatically less likely to be trafficked.
Our Response
IJM combats sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation around the world, including in the UK and Europe, Latin America, South Asia, Kenya and the Philippines.
We don’t stop at rescuing people from sex trafficking. Our goal is to take holistic action towards building a safer future by preventing the crime from happening in the first place.
Together with our partners, we:
RESCUE VICTIMS: We identify children and adults forced into the commercial sex trade, support professional law enforcement rescue operations and ensure that all people, including non-trafficked individuals who may be present, are treated with dignity during the operation.
BRING CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE: We partner with local authorities to combat impunity, build strong cases against traffickers and other perpetrators, and support their prosecution.
RESTORE SURVIVORS: We create individual treatment plans for each survivor, partner with excellent aftercare homes, provide focused trauma counseling and support access to school and vocational opportunities.
STRENGTHEN JUSTICE SYSTEMS: We provide training and hands-on mentoring to law enforcement, judges, prosecutors and other professionals, and advocate for improvements to the justice system that will ensure cases are heard and survivors are protected.
Our Results
IJM has spent more than 25 years partnering with law enforcement and justice system officials to combat violence.
We have proven repeatedly that strengthening justice systems to enforce the law deters criminals and protects people from violence. That’s two and a half decades of progress that wouldn’t have been possible without your support and the help of IJM partners. Here is a look at the impact we made together.
IJM-supported operations have had a major impact on cases of sex trafficking globally. This is our progress so far (as of 2021).
DECREASE IN
CASES
PERPETRATORS
CONVICTED
CHILDREN
RELIEVED
CHILDREN
RESTORED
MEET KASHI
Kashi* was told nobody would believe her if she spoke up. But now, she’s telling her story.
When she was just five years old, Kashi was taken from her family in her home of Mumbai, India, and sold to a man in Kolkata. For the next ten years, she was forced to cook and clean around the clock while enduring physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Later, the family sold 15-year-old Kashi for the second time in her life. This time, to a brothel. Afraid for her life, she didn’t think anyone was looking for her. But help was on the way.
read her story
Help protect vulnerable women and children from sex trafficking
You can help rescue victims, help survivors heal, and protect others from ever being trafficked in the first place.
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