Brussels, 10/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 March, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) set up a fund to help the victims of human trafficking. This will be used to help all those who have fallen victim to a form of sexual exploitation, forced labour or begging. The fund currently stands at €1 million and is aimed at supporting organisations that are in the front line in providing support to victims.
The UNODC considers that in Europe alone, the trafficking of human beings is worth more than $3 billion. Victims of this exploitation number 140,000. According to Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol, the figures are much higher and “around 270,000 people are currently being exploited in the human trafficking trade”. According to the UN, at a global level, almost 2.5 million people are affected, mainly women and children. The trafficking generates profits of around €23 billion. (S.P./transl.fl)