Ten thousand human trafficking victims in EU in 2022, more than six out of ten are women

Brussels – According to European Commission figures, 10,093 victims of human trafficking have been identified in the EU in 2022. Up 41 per cent from 7,155 the previous year and the highest number since 2013. Of these, more than six in ten (65 per cent) are women and girls who are victims of sexual exploitation.

The EU executive published yesterday (Jan. 20) the fifth report on progress made in the EU in combating human trafficking. The report is published every two years, so the fifth edition provided an analysis of statistics for the period 2021–2022. In the two-year reporting period, there were 12,248 trafficking victims registered in the EU, 20.5 per cent more than in 2019–20. An increase that Brussels “probably” traces back to increased efforts by various agencies in member states, ultimately allowing more victims to be identified. But the real number could be “far higher” because many people who end up in the trafficking network are no longer detected.

Most victims were non-EU citizens (54 per cent), compared to 46 per cent who were EU citizens. As for European citizens, the top five nationalities in terms of number of victims were Romanian, French, Italian, Bulgarian, and Polish. Among those who were dragged to Europe to be exploited or fell into the net after their arrival were mainly Nigerian, Ukrainian, Moroccan, Colombian, and Chinese citizens.

The European Commission’s snapshot confirms another dimension, that of gender. In 2021–22, 65 per cent of all victims in the EU were women and girls. Trafficking for sexual exploitation continues to be the most prevalent form of exploitation in the EU, with 49 per cent of victims, of which more than nine out of ten (92 per cent) are female. The number of victims of labour exploitation, predominantly men (70 per cent of the total), has increased dramatically—by 51 per cent over 2019–20.

Although the number of victims has decreased by 3 per cent, child trafficking still accounts for 19 per cent of all trafficking victims in the EU. Other forms of exploitation, such as forced crime and forced begging, account for 14 per cent of all victims.

According to the European Commission’s analysis, “despite progress in the legal, policy and operational framework, several challenges persist, including low numbers of prosecutions and convictions, difficulties in collecting evidence, and the growing online presence of victims and traffickers.” On the other hand, “new challenges” are emerging, including “new forms of exploitation and links to high-level criminal organizations.” The EU recently adopted, in July 2024, a revision of the Anti-trafficking directive, which dates back to 2011. Changes to the law introduced stricter standards, more tools for public authorities to investigate and prosecute crimes, and better support for victims.