Human trafficking cases on the rise in Switzerland

Nicola Vigilanti/Interpol via AP

Last year, the Swiss platform against human trafficking (Plateforme Traite) recorded 197 victims which is 11% more than in 2022.

The number of male victims continued to rise but women still account for the vast majority of victims (75.5%). The increase in the number of male victims can be explained mostly by the fact that awareness of human trafficking and the corresponding checks have increasingly moved into male-dominated sectors of activity, according to a press release by Plateforme Traite on Tuesday. The network groups together the four services specialising in counselling and assistance for victims.

The number of victims detected in labour exploitation is also on the rise with 47% identified as having been subjected to this form of exploitation (compared to 33% in 2021 and 44% in 2022). These figures include people forced to commit illegal acts such as theft or drug trafficking. According to Plateforme Traite, this increase is due to the awareness-raising work carried out among the police, organisations providing assistance to migrants or victims of violence, and hospitals.

Most victims are African

The Swiss platform against human trafficking deplored the fact that the victims of this form of exploitation are often not recognised as such and have no access to their rights. They are even prosecuted and deported for illegal residence, while the perpetrators are rarely prosecuted.

In all, Platefomre Traite members helped 488 people in 2023, a figure that includes both newly and previously identified victims. The newly identified victims in 2023 came from 55 countries. Hungary, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Somalia were the most common countries of origin. The majority of victims came from African countries (56%), followed by Europe (17%), Latin America (14%) and Asia (12%).

Adapted from French by DeepL/ac

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