We won’t stop until we end the business of modern slavery for good
The problem
Trafficking and slavery still exist today
Though slavery is illegal almost everywhere, millions of men, women and children remain trapped in modern slavery around the world. The most common forms of modern slavery are sex trafficking, labour trafficking, and online sexual exploitation of children. Human trafficking is when a person is tricked or forced into a situation where they'll be exploited for profit.
Perpetrators will enslave entire families and force them to work in places like brick kilns, rice mills, and garment factories. Victims are exploited, abused and made to work up to 20 hours a day. In Ghana, children are routinely trafficked and enslaved by fishermen who force them to perform deadly jobs in unsafe conditions. In the Philippines, children as young as two are sexually exploited live for anyone in the world to watch through online sexual exploitation of children.
An estimated 50 million people currently live in modern slavery today.
Approximately 90% of labour trafficking takes place in homes, business and supply chains.
$200 billion in profit is generated every year by human trafficking—two-thirds of that comes from commercial sexual exploitation.
Forms of Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery
Labour Trafficking
Vulnerable people are forced to work for little to no pay, through deception, threat or violence.
Sex Trafficking
Someone deceives and sexually exploits another person for a profit. Sex trafficking includes exploitation in brothels, homes and on the internet.
Online Sexual Exploitation of Children
Children are sexually abused by traffickers who spread videos, photos or livestream the abuse for child predators to direct from anywhere in the world.
Forced Scamming
Criminals use social media platforms to falsely advertise lucrative jobs with good salaries and ideal working conditions.
Our solution
Our Proven Community Protection Model
Our work doesn’t end with rescue. IJM’s goal is to help people thrive in freedom by protecting them from experiencing violence in the first place.
That’s why IJM and our partners collaborate with local authorities to serve individual survivors of violence, pursue sustainable improvements in the justice system and build communities where all people can expect to be safe, protected and free.
Where we work to end trafficking and modern slavery
Meet Foli
A young boy rescued from slavery in Ghana
Foli* was a young boy forced to work 19-hour days casting and untangling nets to produce fish in Lake Volta’s massive fishing industry. For these young children, the only way out of slavery is to drown or be rescued. Foli prayed to God for safety and a chance to escape. After local police found him and brought him to safety, he was able to go to school and play soccer again. Today, there are still thousands of other children like him waiting for rescue.
Explore more stories related to
Trafficking and Slavery:
What is Bonded Labour?
28 Indonesians Victims of Forced Scamming Were Rescued from Cambodia and Repatriated Home
Cambodian National Police Officers Receive Training on Open-Source Data Investigation for Human Trafficking Cases
IJM’s European Anti-Trafficking Program Holds Conference with Top Lawmakers to Encourage Cross-Border Collaboration
Slavery and Trafficking Resources
We are seeing evidence that IJM’s model works—that enforcing the law deters criminals and protects people from violence. Here’s proof: