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New reports about trafficking in Europe

17 October 2014

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström at the press conference in Brussels. Photo: European Commission

During the years 2010-2012, EU Member States registered 30 146 victims of trafficking in human beings. Behind this number are human tragedies, broken hopes and destroyed plans for a better life. During the same period, 8 551 prosecutions against traffickers were reported across the EU. 80 percent of victims of trafficking were female, and over 1 000 child victims were registered as trafficked for sexual exploitation. This data is part of a statistical report on victims and perpetrators of trafficking released by the European Commission.

A report also shows that many concrete measures against this severe human rights violation have been undertaken during 2010-2014, such as better cooperation with civil society, and guidelines issued to border authorities and other stakeholders on how to better identify victims.

To mark the 8th EU Anti-trafficking day on 18 October 2014, the Commission is today taking stock of all coordinated efforts which have been made during the 2010-2014 European Commission mandate towards the goal of eradicating human trafficking. With the adoption of the EU Anti-trafficking Directive in 2011, courts all over Europe are now judging crimes relating to human trafficking as equally severe, with common prison sentences, and EU countries are obliged to provide proper support to victims. Also, in the EU 2012-2016 Strategy on Trafficking in human beings, the EU has set out 40 concrete and practical measures against trafficking in human beings, putting the protection and rights of the victims at the forefront.

The European Commission today presents a mid-term report of the 2012-2016 EU strategy, accompanied by the statistical report on victims and traffickers for the years 2010-2012. The Commission is also reporting on the use of the Directive on residence permits to non EU victims of human trafficking.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, said: "When I took office as Commissioner in charge of Home Affairs almost five years ago, one of my main priorities was to work towards the eradication of trafficking in human beings. Back then, eradicating trafficking was not high on the political agenda and there was a lax attitude towards the crime in many countries. Today, we can be proud over what has been achieved to prevent this slave trade of our time. We have moved from words to real action. We must continue our work tirelessly, in Europe and beyond our borders. We owe it to the women, men, girls and boys who, as we speak, are being kept against their will and exploited in appalling conditions. Every victim of human trafficking is a victim too many."

Some of the statistics:

- 30 146 victims were registered in the 28 EU Member States over the three years 2010-2012. Member States’ authorities are becoming better at identifying and getting in contact with trafficking victims.
- 80% of registered victims were female.
- 16% of registered victims were children.
- Over 1 000 child victims were registered as trafficked for sexual exploitation.
- 69% of registered victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation.
- 95% of registered victims of sexual exploitation were female.
- 71% of registered victims of labour exploitation were male.
- 65% of registered victims were EU citizens.
- 8 551 prosecutions for trafficking in human beings were reported by Member States over the three years 2010-2012.
- Over 70% of traffickers were male. This is the case for suspects, prosecutions and convicted traffickers.3 786 convictions for trafficking in human beings were reported by Member States over the three years.

 

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A longer press release is also available, along with an infographic about victims, the full statistical report , the midterm report on the antitrafficking strategy and the report on the use of the Directive on residence permits . Photos and video from Cecilia Malmström's press conference can be downloaded from the audiovisual portal of the European Commission. More info about the struggle against trafficking on the EU Anti-Trafficking website: ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking