Human Trafficking in the U.S.

Trafficking, slavery and forced labor by their very nature are often hidden crimes. Nonetheless, U.S. and international organizations are working to quantify the practice by reporting cases and other means. In 2012, the International Labor organization estimated that there may be 20 million trafficking victims worldwide. The United States is considered a major destination for trafficked people with thousands of people being trafficked into the United States each year.

Although trafficking victims are too often silenced, Catholic nuns and their congregations are raising their voices loudly on victims’ behalf. The Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, two of LMU’s sponsoring religious organizations, are among many groups that provide education, offer services to survivors and advocate against trafficking and slavery in the U.S. Congress. The infographic below gives a glimpse of trafficking in the United States as seen through cases reported.

Read a conversation about trafficking with Kathleen Kim, professor at Loyola Law School and a member of the Los Angeles Police Commission.

CASES BY STATE 2014–2016

(10,917 of 12,240 cases reported in the U.S.)

KEY

• 2,000 or more incidents reported.
• 1,000 or more incidents reported.
• 500 or more incidents reported.
• 250 or more incidents reported.
• 50 or more incidents reported.

TOP AREAS OF ORIGIN (WORLDWIDE)

• 11.8 million** — SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA
• 11.7 million** — ASIA-PACIFIC
• 3.7 million** — AFRICA

OVERALL NUMBERS FOR 2015 (U.S.)

• 5,544 cases
• 78% were sex trafficking cases
• 16% were forced labor cases
• 84% were women
• 29% were children

Sources:
International Labor Organization, The Polaris Project, Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking