Understanding the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report
Introduction to the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report
The 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Ambassador-at-Large Cindy Dyer, marks the 24th edition of this comprehensive document. It stands as a critical resource on global anti-trafficking efforts, mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). This year's report includes narratives for 188 countries and territories, providing an in-depth look at the international landscape of human trafficking. Around the globe, an estimated 27 million people are exploited for labor services and commercial sex. The State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report provides a comprehensive assessment of human trafficking and efforts to combat it.
Key Issues Highlighted
This year's TIP Report places a significant focus on the Western Hemisphere, addressing the various anti-trafficking efforts by governments and other stakeholders in this region. One of the emerging global trends documented is the continual growth of forced labor in online scam operations. Traffickers are increasingly leveraging economic hardships and global youth unemployment to exploit individuals through fraudulent schemes. Traffickers prey on some of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable individuals.
The Role of Digital Technology
A notable theme of the 2024 TIP Report is the dual role of digital technology in both facilitating and combating human trafficking. Traffickers exploit online platforms to recruit, groom, defraud, and coerce victims. For instance, traffickers use dating apps and online ads to recruit victims, and they leverage encrypted messaging and digital currencies to evade detection. Reports from several countries demonstrated drastic increases in online commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, including online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC).
Technology has amplified the reach, scale, and speed of trafficking operations. Traffickers use the internet to advertise false jobs on social media platforms that are actually human trafficking schemes. Increasingly, victims and survivors of human trafficking have shared that they first connected with their traffickers online. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identified “hunting” and “fishing” as two common strategies perpetrators use to deceive and recruit victims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines sextortion as a serious crime that occurs when a perpetrator threatens to distribute private and sensitive material if the victim does not provide images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.
However, when used effectively, digital technology can enhance anti-trafficking efforts by aiding in the prevention and mitigation of these crimes. Mobile phones, social media platforms, and artificial intelligence are powerful tools in combating trafficking. For example, the Canadian NGO Center for Child Protection (C3P) operates Project Arachnid, a web crawler that searches for known child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The GraceCity App, developed in Sacramento, California, offers victims and survivors details on community resources, including NGOs, medical professionals, social workers, and therapists.
Western Hemisphere Focus
The report emphasizes the impact of unprecedented irregular migration on many Western Hemisphere countries, including the United States. Migrants often accrue significant debts to pay smugglers, making them vulnerable to trafficking if they are unable to repay these debts. Governments are encouraged to prioritize screening and preventive measures to protect these vulnerable populations. By the end of 2023, there were more than 22,000 government-affiliated Cuban workers in over 53 countries, with medical professionals composing 75 percent of the exported workforce. Experts estimate the Cuban government collects $6 billion to $8 billion annually from its export of services, including medical missions.
Government Efforts and Challenges
The 2024 TIP Report assesses the anti-trafficking efforts of various governments, noting both improvements and areas needing attention. For instance, while Iraq was upgraded to Tier 2 due to increased investigations, prosecutions, and victim identifications, issues such as official complicity and limited services for vulnerable communities remain problematic. The report defines "severe forms of trafficking in persons" as sex trafficking and labor trafficking, as outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA).
Notable Trends and Concerns
One of the troubling trends highlighted is the coercive or fraudulent recruitment of fighters for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The report also points out the forced labor in online scam operations, which have expanded beyond Southeast Asia to other regions. Despite these challenges, the report shows positive developments, such as the highest-ever number of victim identifications and notable progress in addressing labor trafficking. The 2022 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons noted that trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal constituted only 0.2 percent of detected victims of trafficking. Between 2008 and 2022, UNODC reported 700 victims of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal.
Exploring the Role and Impacts of Digital Technology on Human Trafficking
In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology is often a double-edged sword. While technology has provided innovative solutions to preventing and addressing human trafficking, it has also prompted complex ethical questions and created new opportunities for criminals, including human traffickers, to be increasingly sophisticated in exploiting individuals for profit. Traffickers use technology to recruit, control, market, and exploit vulnerable individuals while also evading detection. The FBI defines sextortion as a serious crime that occurs when a perpetrator threatens to distribute private and sensitive material if the victim does not provide images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.
Challenges and Risks Technology Presents for the Anti-trafficking Community
Digital technology has broadened the scope and scale of operations for traffickers as it allows the flexibility to target and exploit victims across the world while remaining hidden and more difficult to trace. Traffickers adapt their schemes to take advantage of the obscurity available with new online tools, such as hiding behind anonymization tools or software and benefiting from loose regulations of online platforms. These challenges make it increasingly difficult for law enforcement and anti-trafficking stakeholders to identify and implement coordinated solutions fast enough to effectively combat technology-facilitated human trafficking. In 2023, Operation Synergia led by INTERPOL targeted human trafficking rings linked to cyber scam centers, leading to the removal of 70 percent of identified cybercrime command servers. In September 2023, The Netherlands, supported by EUROPOL, coordinated a 3-day investigation targeting online criminal activities that enable human trafficking, identifying 11 suspected human traffickers and 45 potential victims.
Data Privacy Protection and Access
Data protection, data analysis, and data sharing are crucial methods of using digital technologies to prevent, identify, and reduce instances of human trafficking, but practitioners must consider potential negative effects on the safety and well-being of victims and survivors. Collecting and sharing data on human trafficking cases, including victims’ personally identifiable information (PII), can be essential for law enforcement and victim support efforts but could raise serious data privacy concerns for victims and survivors should their information be inadvertently released to the public through data breaches, which has become a common issue with digital technology in general.
The Financial Sector's Role
The financial sector also plays a vital role in combating human trafficking. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), human trafficking is responsible for an estimated $236 billion in illicit profits annually. All forms of currency, including both traditional and digital assets (e.g., cryptocurrency), can be laundered, requiring a multidimensional approach involving legislative measures, collaboration between justice and financial sectors, technological innovations, and ethical considerations to detect their use in criminal enterprises. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the standard-setting body for anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation, with more than 200 countries agreeing to implement its recommendations.
Recognizing the Heroes
The TIP Report honors individuals and organizations fighting against trafficking, known as TIP Report Heroes. Over the past 20 years, the Department of State has honored more than 170 TIP Report Heroes from over 90 countries. These heroes have been essential partners in this work, often putting their own safety at risk to support victims and share their stories.
The 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report underscores the ongoing commitment of the U.S. government to combat human trafficking globally. It celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking in Persons Heroes program, recognizing individuals from various countries for their contributions to this cause. As we look forward, it is essential to continue raising awareness, improving prevention and protection measures, and fostering international cooperation to eradicate human trafficking. The report highlights the need for global coordination among anti-trafficking stakeholders to effectively address this pervasive issue. Visit Info Decon to state up to date on State Department and White House briefings, press releases, and developments in real time!
References
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report
Secretary Blinken remarks on the release of the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report
