Violence is a constant threat to people in poverty.
Human trafficking, forced labor slavery, violence against women and children and online sexual exploitation of children are just some examples of the kinds of violence affecting people every day in vulnerable communities around the world.
In 2023, you helped change that reality for thousands of children, women and men.
Because of your support throughout the year, entire families who were once enslaved are living in freedom today. Children who were abused and exploited are now safe and protected. Men and women who were victims of violence are now survivors and leaders in their communities.
And we continue to move closer to a world where safety and freedom is a reality for all.
In 2023, you helped IJM and our partners:
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Relieve
10,372
children, women and men from violence
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Restore
243
survivors to safety, stability and strength*
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Restrain
3,143
suspected perpetrators of violence
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Train
22,197
justice system officials to better protect their communities from violence
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Convict
1,419
traffickers and abusers in local courts
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Train
18,206
community members and other NGO staff to recognize and respond to violence
Note: Numbers reflect internal reports as of February 2024 for the calendar year of 2023.
*This number represents survivors "fully restored" using IJM's externally validated Assessment of Survivor Outcomes tool. There are thousands more survivors currently receiving support and participating in ongoing aftercare programs.
Faces of Freedom
If pictures are worth a thousand words, numbers are worth a thousand stories.
The numbers we report every year represent stories of real people whose lives have completely changed because of friends like you.
They are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends and neighbors and survivors who now live in freedom, without fear, because they are finally safe.
Ruby*, Philippines
“I believe that you cannot change the world with just your opinion but with your example, and I want to be that living example. I was there too – abused, deprived, and trapped. I want those trapped to know there are people like you who won’t give up until they are found.”
Tin Tin*, Myanmar
“If I see or hear of anyone in abuse, I will tell them that there's a mechanism, there's a way through which you can receive help. There are people waiting to help you."
Collins, Kenya
“I want to advocate for all poor people to be protected from violence. I campaign for justice in my community and my country to bring about justice systems that protect everyone in our great nation.”
Radical transformation only happens when we’re brave enough to try
Since joining IJM in April 2024, I have been inspired by the incredible community of passionate Australians who have used their resources, time and voices to make giant strides forward in the fight against slavery.
I had the privilege of visiting our field office in Thailand earlier this year. A question that came up repeatedly during this trip was “What does it mean to live outside the protection of the law?” As we drove past a home and a factory that marked former places of captivity and oppression, and later got the opportunity to meet a survivor of forced scamming, I got a clear image of the devastating answer to this question. But whilst these experiences highlighted the depth of the problem, I was also encouraged by the brilliance of the solution that IJM offers. IJM work with prosecutors and other justice system officials to ensure that traffickers and perpetrators are held accountable, stopping the cycle of violence and dettering others from abusing vulnerable people addresses the root of the issue.
With your partnership, we can continue to build a profound movement that works to strengthen justice systems and ends slavery once and for all.
David Braga
CEO, IJM Australia
YOUR IMPACT AT A GLANCE
A ten-year partnership to end child sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic concludes with astonishing results.
When IJM’s office in the Dominican Republic first opened in 2013, children were openly trafficked in the streets, public beaches and parks. Traffickers had no fear of ever getting caught because they knew local police didn’t have the resources to stop them.
So IJM began a decade-long partnership with the local government to help strengthen the justice system’s ability to enforce laws effectively and protect children from this violent crime.
In 2023, the program concluded with astounding results. Read the full story.
After three decades of forced labour, an entire village is free and thriving.
Amaragiri is a small fishing hamlet where a close-knit community of 100 children, women and men live peacefully, making a living off the fish they catch, process and sell at nearby markets.
In 2023, this tranquil community celebrated a unique milestone – seven years of freedom since they escaped three decades of bonded labour.
