40.3million
The number of people living in some form of modern slavery across the world. More than half of the victims are in forced labour. Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery that involves the use of coercion, abduction, fraud or force to profit from someone’s sexual exploitation.
99%
of the estimated 4.8 million sex trafficking victims across the world working in the sex industry are women and girls.
13,000
people are estimated by the UK government to be the victims of modern slavery in Britain today.
70%
of the world’s 4.8 million sex trafficking victims are in the Asia and Pacific region.
$150bn
The amount generated by the modern slave trade every year, according to UN estimates. Sex traffickers can earn up to £29,000 per victim.
Prostitution was legalised in Bangladesh in 2000. While prostitution is legal, trafficking and forced labour are not. But poor enforcement of legislation in a country where women are easy prey means traffickers act with impunity.
The Bangladesh government estimates that 100,000 women and girls are working in the country’s sex industry and one study reports that less than 10% of those had entered prostitution voluntarily. This investigation found hundreds of girls who spoke of being sold by strangers, family members or husbands without their consent.
In April the Dhaka Tribune reported that the conviction rate for people arrested in connection with trafficking is less than half a percent. While more than 6,000 people have been arrested in connection with human trafficking since 2013, only 25 were convicted. Last year only eight traffickers were convicted in Bangladesh.
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