FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM B. 3 Trends in Trafficking As of now, there are no reliable estimates on trafficking. The difficulty of coming up with accurate figures related to trafficking stems from two inter-related factors: • Trafficking as a process is largely hidden and has become an organized crime. • There is a nexus of criminal syndicates with those in power. Nevertheless, some estimates can be made on the dimensions of the problem. The United States State Department estimates that around 1 to 2 million people are trafficked each year worldwide, 50,000 to the United States3. Trafficking affects virtually every country in the world. The largest number of victims comes from Asia, with over 2,25,000 victims each year from South East and over 1,50,000 from South Asia4. The former Soviet Union is now believed to be the largest new source of trafficking for prostitution and sex industry, with over 1,00,000 trafficked each year from that region. An additional 75,000 or more are trafficked from Eastern Europe. Over 1,00,000 come from Latin America and the Caribbean, and over 50,000 victims are from Africa5. Most of the victims are sent to Asia, the Middle East, Western Europe and North America. Who is a Trafficker? Primary Traffickers • Crime syndicates. • Master operators. • Trafficking gangs / networks. • Pimps and procurers. • Brothel owners / Madams. • Tourists and travel agencies. • Employment agents. Secondary Traffickers • Parents / relatives / neighbours and friends. • Local / influential leaders. 3 Francis T. Miko, Trafficking in Women and Children: The US and International Response, Congressional Research Service Report, The Library of Congress, May 2000, p1. 4 Ibid. p 1. 5 Ibid.