Facts About Human Trafficking
- Over 80% of victims of human trafficking are young people, including children, girls and women.
- 30, 000 Victims of human trafficking die every year, globally.
- Human trafficking is happening all over the world, and over 45 million people are victims.
- 1, 386, 000 Nigerians are victims of human trafficking (Global Slavery Index)
- 7 out of every 1000 Nigerians are victims of human trafficking
- 74 out every 100 Nigerians are vulnerable to human trafficking
- Human trafficking happens in every region, states and cities in Nigeria. It is happening close to you than you can imagine.
- Victims of human trafficking are used for sexual exploitation.
- The kidney, liver or heart of victims of human trafficking are removed and sold
- Victims of human trafficking are used as domestic workers, house slaves, and factory workers
- Victims of human trafficking are forced into marriage
- Victims of human trafficking are used for suicide bombing
- Victims of human trafficking are used for begging
- Victims of human trafficking are used for pornography
- Victims of human trafficking are used for baby factory
- Victims are promised scholarship, but they don't go to school
- Victims are promised better opportunities in cities
- Victims are promised love, but they see hatred
- Victims are promised better life, but they see worst life.
- Victims of human trafficking are used for rituals
How Do You Know a Victim?
It is often hard to recognize victims of human trafficking, and harder to identify human traffickers. However, below are some of the indications that a person is or might be a victim of human trafficking.
Signs of human trafficking include:
- Seem to be in debt to someone and doing unending work for the person
- A child or teenager over working, and being maltreated without going to school or missing schools because of work, and always afraid of speaking out.
- Poor living condition
- Someone serving as housemaid but being treated as slave.
- Multiple people in cramped space
- Inability to speak to individual alone
- Answers appear to be scripted or rehearsed
- Employer or master/madam holding his or her identity documents
- Signs of physical abuse
- Too quiet, submissive or fearful
- Is not free to go and come back as he/she wishes. (limited freedom of movement)
- Is fearful, anxious, depressed, nervous and paranoid
- Is avoiding eye contact with people
- Unpaid or paid little for services/work.
- Improperly or poorly dressed.
- Bruises and most times ownership mark on their body.
- The someone insisting on interpreting when he/she is asked question
- Victim sign a contract which makes her a captive to traffickers.
- Too much work load with unattainable targets and deadline
- Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in
- Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
Take Action Now To Combat Human Trafficking
- William Wilberforce said, “Let it not be said that I was silent when they needed me”.
- Don’t keep silent about it. Don’t pretend as if human trafficking doesn't exist. Don’t close your eyes to activities of traffickers and those who abuse human rights. You and your family are not immune to human trafficking, which means it can happen to any of your family members.
- Human trafficking is spreading to more communities in Nigeria. It is an epidemic outbreak that requires urgent action by citizens, government, private sectors, and religious group.
- If you don't do something now, something worst will happen, and more people will become victims to human trafficking. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking; it doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, from rural or urban area, big or small, male or female, etc
Do Something Now
a. Observe and report any suspicious act of human trafficking (If you see am…make you TALKAM)
b. Support Anti-Human Trafficking Project. You can Fund/Donate To Support TALKAM Project: Click here to donate:
c. Fundraise to support survivors of human trafficking
d. Volunteer to carry out a project against human trafficking
e. Create awareness in your locality
f. Encourage your company, organization, religious group (church or mosque) to be part of the fight against human trafficking.
