Human trafficking has always been a crime that is committed with the intention of exploiting in conflict circumstances that are characterized by coercion, brutality, and violence. Traffickers have always operated with great impunity and horrific dimensions. The Global Report on trafficking in Persons 2018hs brought to light human trafficking in armed conflict with dimensions such as forced labor, child soldiers, and sexual slavery. The conflict has developed within armed groups that are exploiting and trafficking displaced individuals. 2018’s Global Report has indicated that the total number of reported trafficking cases has increased which means that not only are more people are being trafficked but also the detection of victims and crime in some countries.
The global report from data gathered in 149 countries, has offered information on the assessment of the scope of human trafficking, the patterns, country-specific information on trafficking in persons as well as the legal steps undertaken to respond to trafficking in persons. The report has focused on the collective global response to human trafficking. Over the last few years, countries have reported an increased number of detected trafficking victims. From a regional dimension, the increase in the number of people detected has been more in Asia and America (Kangaspunta et al., 2018). Considerably, the intensifications can be an outcome of enhanced state capabilities to record, identify, and report information on trafficking victims. This can also be due to more trafficked victims. Most of the trafficking victims are women with sexual exploitation continuing to prevail globally. The second most common form of human trafficking is forced labor.
The report offers an overview of trafficking in person and the indirect and direct links to armed conflict. Armed groups have increased trafficking in different ways in areas with few resources and weak rule of law to respond to crime. Armed groups in conflict have trafficked victims such as children for sexual slavery, sexual exploitation, forced labor, and marriage (Kangaspunta et al., 2018). Within conflict zones, armed groups have utilized trafficking as a strategy of gaining territorial dominance and spreading fear of trafficking to control the local population. Armed conflicts have negative impacts on the lives of people in displaced and vulnerable communities.
In conclusion, the report has detected different patterns of human trafficking and the vulnerabilities to trafficking in persons. Despite the progress in policy implication, the patterns have reflected negative and positive developments against trafficking in persons since impunity has still prevailed in large parts of the world. The global report has offered a comprehensive analysis of trafficking in persons and how nations are responding to the issue.
