In March 2024, Florida law enforcement officials announced that an 8-day, multi-agency investigation resulted in nearly 230 arrests for human trafficking, with 13 potential victims rescued. It was the largest such bust on record in the state.
While the scale of the story may be alarming, however, cases of human trafficking in the U.S. are all too common. In fact, a recent report found that there are more than one million victims of human trafficking in the U.S. on any given day. This is just a portion of cases worldwide. According to September 2022 data from the International Labor Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Walk Free Foundation, there are nearly 28 million victims of human trafficking globally. Among these, “17.3 million are exploited in the private sector, 6.3 million in forced commercial sexual exploitation, and 3.9 million in forced labour imposed by state.”
Because human trafficking is a global challenge that shows up right here in the U.S., it’s impossible for American law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem on their own.
Here’s how the UN is working with local law enforcement agencies across the U.S.
The UN’s Role in Combating Human Trafficking
Human trafficking – the international transportation and sale of individuals for sexual exploitation, forced labor, and other illicit activities – is a thriving system of modern-day slavery that touches over 160 countries, generating more than $150 billion in revenue annually.
In November 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, as well as a supplemental agreement known as the Palermo Protocol (the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children). The U.S. ratified the protocol in 2005.
Importantly, the Palermo Protocol establishes a framework for international cooperation, including assistance in investigations, prosecutions and extradition of offenders, and obligates countries to criminalize human trafficking.