Human trafficking is the process of recruiting people through the use of violence, deception, or coercion and exploiting them for financial or personal gain. Human trafficking is also called modern slavery.
These three components must be fulfilled for it to be considered human trafficking.
The human trafficker carries out one of the following actions: Recruitment, transfer, harboring, transport, receipt
One of the following methods is used: Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability.
For financial and personal exploitation.
Human trafficking occurs in various forms:
Indicators of labor exploitation can include (very) low wages, lack of residence and work permits as well as employment contracts, poor workplace safety, or an isolated workplace. It also occurs that the affected person must hand over identity and travel documents to the perpetrators, does not know exactly where they are, or must repay high amounts of fictitious debts to an alleged placement agency in the country of origin.
Sexual exploitation exists in the form of forced prostitution, portrayal of pornographic acts, or the production of pornographic material. If it happens against the person’s will or under coercion, or if a person’s freedom of action is restricted, it is considered human trafficking.
Victims of forced criminality are compelled to commit crimes against their will for the benefit of others. The exploiters force them to engage in illegal activities. This often happens in youth gangs.
Children, adolescents, and adults appear as beggars and street musicians, or sometimes go door to door in rural areas to beg. Handlers take away the money these people have collected. The victims usually only receive food, drink, and a place to sleep.
The free choice of a spouse is a human right. Nevertheless, women and men are still forced into marriage against their will. Almost always, the victims are women and girls under 18 years of age. The consequences are devastating: lack of education, violence and abuse, and often (high-risk) pregnancies.
Organ trafficking refers to when organs are removed without the free, informed, or express consent of the living or deceased donor and without authorization under local domestic law.
Here’s how you can recognize that someone might be affected by human trafficking:
If you are affected by human trafficking, if someone you know is affected by human trafficking, or if you suspect someone is affected by human trafficking, contact the appropriate hotline.
Lona Project
Hohlstrasse 535
8048 Zurich
Phone.: +41 44 857 13 20
E-mail: info@lona-project.org