What is human trafficking and modern-day slavery?

More than 40 million people in our world live in slavery.

Human trafficking is a crime

It involves exploiting people for sex or to make them work, using force, threats, manipulation or deceit.

Child trafficking and sex trafficking are particularly exploitative practices.

Human trafficking is also known as modern day slavery. Vietnamese women, men, girls and boys are trafficked into brothels, farms, forced marriages, forced begging, factories, fishing boats and mines, or to be sexually exploited.

Girl sitting at a desk sewing - Child labour

…many victims know their traffickers – they may be distant family members, neighbours or ‘friends’…

Vietnamese girls and women are commonly trafficked to China and Myanmar where they are sold into the commercial sex trade or are forced to become brides.

Boys and girls who are homeless on the city streets are targeted by pimps and pedophiles to be abused and traded.

Criminal gangs sometimes smuggle Vietnamese people to other countries in Southeast Asia, or to the UK, Europe and other places. Once there, they are vulnerable to being trafficked because they lack legal protection.

People who have been trafficked are often unable to call for help, or believe that they will be punished if they do.

In Vietnam, many victims know their traffickers – they may be distant family members, neighbours or ‘friends’ – so they may fear reprisal against themselves or their family members.

Human traffickers are skilled at making their victims feel that it is their own fault. Sometimes they force or manipulate their victim into committing a crime, so that they will fear going to the police. Victim blaming is a very common problem for trafficking survivors.

Many traffickers control their victims using violence and threats.

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See the Blue Dragon Fact Sheet on Human Trafficking in Vietnam to learn more.

A boy and girl holding hands - many victims know their traffickers

How can we end human trafficking?

The problem is massive, so we must all be a part of the solution.

Blue Dragon is working to end human trafficking in Vietnam.

We are strengthening families, schools, communities and systems to bring human trafficking to an end.

We rescue people from slavery and care for them as they recover while putting traffickers behind bars and representing their victims in court through legal advocacy.

Wherever you are, take the time to learn about trafficking and arm yourself with knowledge of the issue. Choose to buy from brands that make the effort to eliminate slavery in their supply chains.

And donate to Blue Dragon to get help to victims and survivors of this crime.

Find out more