Many people still think that slavery is something that existed long ago and far away. Unfortunately, that is not true at all. Rising numbers of especially women and girls are trapped in the vicious cycle of human trafficking each year. It does not appear to be a trend that is going away as poverty rates continue to rise and laws against Human Trafficking are unable to keep up with the trend. MMM Sisters are actively involved in giving a voice to the victims and to working in small communities to protect the most vulnerable people who are deliberately targeted for this. We have been dealing with sexual exploitation for several years, working with hundreds of women surviving sexual exploitation and providing direct support to victims, who were mostly forced into prostitution.

While there is a lot of frustration that more is not being done to help victims who often fall between laws of different countries as they are trafficked, more is needed to be done to help the victims whatever country they arrive in. Trafficked people deserve more dignity and more support. Education is also needed to prevent this from happening in the first place and to help them know what is possible if it does happen.

This year’s theme puts victims of human trafficking at the centre of the campaign and will highlight the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking. The campaign portrays survivors as key actors in the fight against human trafficking and focusses on the crucial role they play in establishing effective measures to prevent this crime, identify and rescue victims and support them on their road to rehabilitation. Many victims of human trafficking have experienced ignorance or misunderstanding in their attempts to get help. They have had traumatic post-rescue experiences during identification interviews and legal proceedings. Some have faced revictimization and punishment for crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers. Others have been subjected to stigmatization or received inadequate support. Learning from victims’ experiences and turning their suggestions into concrete actions will lead to a more victim-centred and effective approach in combating human trafficking.

Why a Blue Heart?
The Blue Heart represents the sadness of those who are trafficked, while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell fellow human beings.

Did you know?

• In 2018 about 50,000 human trafficking victims were detected and reported by 148 countries.
• 50 per cent of detected victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation, 38 per cent were exploited for forced labour.
• Female victims continue to be the primary targets. Women make up 46% and girls 19% of all victims of trafficking.
• Globally, one in every three victims detected is a child.
• The share of children among detected trafficking victims has tripled, while the share of boys has increased five times over the past 15 years.

Source: UNODC Human Trafficking