The trafficking of children, men, and women frequently happens “underground” and is often hard to detect, so any statistics are “best guesses.” However, the following points paint a picture about trafficking:

• The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that approximately 1.2 million children are trafficked for labour or sexual exploitation at any given time, representing half of the over 2.4 million people trafficked worldwide.
• For every trafficking victim forced into prostitution, nine others are forced into work in places like factories, sweatshops, boats, and farms.
• The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime says that human trafficking is the third most profitable organized crime after drugs and arms trafficking.
• UNICEF estimates that 126 million child labourers worldwide do dangerous work. Trafficked children are amongst them.
• Canada is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked children, men, and women.

Definitions
Human Trafficking - is modern-day slavery. It is putting or keeping a person (girl, boy, woman, man) in an exploitative situation that they can't get out of. They are not free and can be exploited for private profit over and over again. It is a crime that violates a person’s fundamental rights. Trafficked people can be kept in situations of forced labour, child labour, slave-like conditions working in households, and sexual exploitation, among others.

Child Labour - is work that negatively affects children. It deprives them of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development.

The Worst Forms of Child Labour - are types of work that are particularly dangerous and harmful for children. This kind of work often involves children doing dirty, dangerous, and degrading tasks.

What is World Vision Doing?

1. World Vision works to prevent and lessen the effects of human trafficking by educating migrant families and children on how to move safely; supporting community groups to identify traffickers and vulnerable children; and by providing shelter and care for victims.
2. We partner with governments, law enforcement, civil society, children, and families to address this abuse.
3. In Canada, World Vision works to address global trafficking issues, and raise awareness and provide recommendations on the role that individuals, governments and businesses can play in combating trafficking.

What Can You Do?

1. Read our latest report: 10 Things You Need To Know About Labour Trafficking
2. Join World Vision’s Voices for Children to learn more and stay tuned for the launch of our 2012 campaign to combat child trafficking and child labour!
3. Help fight exploitation with gifts that empower. Provide birth registration for a community—a birth certificate gives a child legal standing and is considered essential for protecting children from exploitation—OR help a sexually exploited child by supporting World Vision’s Trauma Centres.

Is my sponsored child at risk of being trafficked?
Traffickers manipulate those who lack education, employment, or who face difficult life situations. By sponsoring a child with World Vision, you help bring long-term benefits to the child, and his/her family and community. Your sponsorship supports vital development work in the child’s community, helps families meet their basic needs, and ensures that sponsored children have the chance to go to school—thereby reducing their vulnerability to being trafficked.

Does World Vision directly rescue trafficked people?
World Vision is committed to seeing the end of child and human trafficking. While there is a need to respond to this crime, we do not condone any activity that involves civilians investigating or directly engaging in ‘rescue’ work. World Vision takes this stance because these situations may put all people involved in danger, or they may accidentally interfere with investigations by the appropriate authorities, or even interfere with the freedom of the person being ‘rescued’. If you suspect you are witnessing an illegal activity, it is best to inform the relevant law enforcement authorities, who can then determine whether to intervene. You can call your local police or crime stoppers: 1-888-222-8477 (TIPS).