Focus on Human Trafficking.

Criminal organizations continue to exploit vulnerable populations for forced labor and sexual exploitation through human trafficking. According to a recent European Commission report, sexual exploitation was the most common form of trafficking in the EU during 2021–2022. Globally, forced labor is the most common form of human trafficking. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), an estimated 27.6 million people were in forced labor worldwide in 2021, accounting for 77% of all victims of human trafficking.

Key statistics on the forms of trafficking include

Forced Labor: This accounts for about 42% of victims globally (based on 2022 UN data), which includes work in private industries like agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and domestic servitude. Men and boys make up the majority of victims in this category.
Sexual Exploitation: This is another major form, involving around 36% of victims globally in 2022. Women and girls are disproportionately targeted for sexual exploitation, making up over 90% of victims in this category.

 
While sexual exploitation is often the most well-known and reported form of trafficking, the number of people in situations of forced labor is significantly higher. This is partly because labor trafficking is less visible and more difficult to detect, as it often occurs in private homes, farms, or factories.
In the United States, sex trafficking is more frequently reported to the national hotline than labor trafficking, but experts believe there are more situations of labor trafficking nationwide.