Global Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is people being bought, sold, and forced into labor and/or sexual exploitation.

The United Nations recently reported that four million people are traded each year against their will to work in servitude in their own country or around the globe. Many are trafficked and brought into the United States. It’s estimated that eighty percent of trafficking victims are women and girls.

Human Trafficking, A Problem in the U.S.

• Because of its covert nature, the international magnitude of the problem is difficult to ascertain.
• The United States government suggests that approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people each year are traded against their will to work in one or more forms of servitude.
• The United States government estimates that 14,500-17,500 women and children are trafficked each year into the United States, primarily from Latin America, countries of the former Soviet Union and Southeast Asia. This figure may be conservative since many trafficked women may not report to law enforcement. This is according to U.S. Government-sponsored research completed in 2006.

FUTURES is at the forefront of policy and research into preventing trafficking and helping trafficked victims to heal and thrive. As an active member of the Alliance To End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) coalition, FUTURES supports and advances the coalition’s commitment to advocate for solutions to prevent and end all forms of human trafficking around the world.  The scope of this work ranges from prevention of labor and sex trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable to ensuring justice for victims and empowering survivors with tools for recovery.

FUTURES also provides training and technical assistance to organizations seeking to work collaboratively to effectively respond to human trafficking in their communities. Our interactive training opportunities bring together professionals from survivor support agencies, immigrant rights, violence prevention, and law enforcement in order to advance best practices in preventing trafficking and ensuring self-determination and wellness for survivors.