5 Unexpected Truths About Human Trafficking

The problem of trafficking is bigger than you think. In fact, the numbers behind trafficking are so high that it’s hard to make sense of them.  

So, in honour of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we’re breaking down five common statistics about human trafficking in a way that can help us all better understand the human cost of this multi-billion-dollar crime.  

1) 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery worldwide. 

Truth: It’s massive. When laws are ignored, human lives become commodities. (Global Slavery Index) 

The majority of people trapped in modern slavery are victims of human trafficking—a global problem that affects every region of the world and takes many forms, from forced labor to sexual exploitation. The scale is staggering and the exploitation is profitable, but slavery is illegal everywhere. The gap is not the absence of laws, it is the lack of enforcement. When authorities investigate, prosecute and deter traffickers, exploitation declines and communities become safer.

For months, sisters Vijayalakshmi and Nandini were trapped in bonded labor at an abusive duck farm in South Asia. Their freedom came when local officials apprehended the suspected trafficker after the girls bravely fled and sought help. Having recently attended an IJM-led workshop, these officials recognized signs of bonded labor and took decisive action. Today, the sisters are safely reunited with their parents and beginning to heal. Their story proves that when justice systems work, lives are transformed. 

2) Children make up a third of detected trafficked persons worldwide. 

Truth: Children are being sold because traffickers believe no one will stop them. (ILO and UNICEF) 

Children are often targeted because they are more vulnerable and less protected. Adults have a duty to protect children because they cannot protect themselves. Strong child protection systems, coordinated police action, and survivor-centred care can change that. When governments enforce laws and communities are vigilant, traffickers lose their advantage. 

At just 2 years old, Aaron* was rescued from online sexual exploitation in the Philippines, a crime orchestrated by a relative and broadcast for profit. Working with local law enforcement and global partners, IJM helped secure Aaron’s freedom and arrest the perpetrator. Today, Aaron is thriving in foster care, playing with toy cars and superheroes, and rediscovering what it means to be a child. 

3) Traffickers earn 236 billion dollars annually. 

Truth: Traffickers gamble on weak justice systems, and too often they win. (International Labour Organization) 

Trafficking is a market driven by profit. The business model depends on impunity and the low risk of consequences. Strengthening investigations, increasing prosecutions, and improving survivor services raises the cost of offending and deters crime. Measurable declines in trafficking follow when laws are enforced consistently and transparently. 

When Godwin was 17 years old, a woman claiming to be his relative offered him a trip to meet his extended family, but instead sold him to a man on a remote fishing island. For nearly three years, he worked brutal days in dangerous waters, all so traffickers could keep their fishing business profitable. His rescue came when IJM and local authorities enforced the law, arresting the perpetrator and ending the cycle of exploitation. 

4) Trauma from trafficking can take years to heal. 

Truth: Rescue is only the beginning. By combining urgent rescue with survivor-centred aftercare and systemic reforms, dignity can be restored, and communities protected long term. (Polaris Project) 

Survivors need safety, legal protection, counselling, medical care, and pathways to education and livelihoods. Effective aftercare recognizes survivor agencies, reduces re-trafficking risk, and connects individuals to long-term stability. Systemic reform ensures that future harm is prevented, not merely responded to. 

After years of abuse and exploitation across Romania and the UK, Samara* finally found freedom, but freedom alone couldn’t erase the trauma. IJM connected her to therapy, medical care, legal support, and training courses so she could rebuild her life. Today, Samara dreams of opening a flower shop and becoming a pastry chef. Her resilience reminds us that healing takes time, and survivors need more than rescue to thrive. 

5) Change is happening. 

Truth: Over 13,500 children, women and men found their freedom over the past year because IJM and partners sent rescue. IJM is the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization, working alongside police, courts, survivors, community leaders, social workers, and governments to build sustainable protection. (FY25, 2024–2025) 

Justice system transformation works. Across IJM’s completed projects, independent evaluations have found 50 to 85 percent reductions in trafficking and related violence when laws are enforced consistently, and survivors are supported. Training officials, equipping investigators, improving prosecutions, and centring survivor care are all part of the proven path to safety. 
 
Want to see what this looks like in action? Explore how IJM and partners are creating a safer world together—one rescue, one reform, one restored life at a time. 

Be a Part of the Solution: Advocate for Freedom

Human trafficking thrives where laws are not enforced, but our collective voices can change that. Together, we can build a world where every person lives in safety and freedom. Until All Are Free.