Modern Slavery Statistics

Modern day slavery is defined as the prostitution of others; sexual exploitation; forced labour; slavery (or similar practices); servitude; and removal of organs. UN Trafficking Protocol

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit human beings for some type of labor or commercial sex purpose. – Dept of Homeland Security

There are an estimated 29.8 million people in modern day slavery globally. – The Global Slavery Indexhuman slavery map

There are an estimated 60,000 slaves in America – The Global Slavery Index

There are 20.9 million victims of forced labor in the world, 55% of which are women and girls – Internation Labour Organization

There are 168 million child laborers in the world today, 5.5 million are in forced labor – International Labour Organization

The illegal profits made from the use of forced labor in the private economy worldwide amount to $150.2 billion per year. Two thirds of the profits, amounting to an estimated $99 billion per year, are generated by commercial sexual exploitation exacted by fraud or force.  More than one third of the profits — $51.2 billion — are made from forced labor exploitation. – International Labour Organization 2014 Report Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour, download it here.

The US ranks 134th out of 160 countries by prevalence of population in modern slavery – The Global Slavery Index

The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution in the US is 12 to 14. It is not only the girls on the streets who are affected; boys and transgender youth enter into prostitution between the ages of 11 and 13 on average. – Estes and Weiner “The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children In the U. S., Canada and Mexico”

17,012 Human Trafficking cases reported since December 2007 – National Human Trafficking Resource Center

74% of reported child trafficking cases involved sex trafficking – National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline calls report 2007-2012

“It ought to concern every person, because it is a debasement of our common humanity. It ought to concern every community, because it tears at our social fabric. It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets. It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organized crime. I’m talking about the injustice, the outrage, of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name — modern slavery.” – President Barack Obama, Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 – US Department of State, download here.

When any man, woman, or child is enslaved anywhere, it is a threat to peace, justice, and human dignity everywhere. – Pope Francis Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 – US Department of State, download here.

It’s sad but true: here in this country, people are being bought, sold, and smuggled like modern-day slaves. – FBI

The food you eat, the products you buy, and the consumer items you use on a daily basis may have been produced by victims of forced labor.  Become a conscientious consumer by visiting Slavery Footprint to determine “How many slaves work for you?”

To report trafficking suspicions: National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) 1-888-373-7888, open 24/7, 365 days a year