Human Trafficking for Sexual Crimes

Abstract

Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or coercion for exploitative purposes. Sexual exploitation is one of the most prevalent forms of trafficking. Sex trafficking for sexual exploitation is a grave issue worldwide, including in Sri Lanka. Sex trafficking in Sri Lanka is a significant concern. The country serves as both an origin and transit point for victims. Victims are often coerced, deceived, or forced into prostitution, pornography, or other forms of sexual exploitation. Traffickers exploit vulnerabilities such as poverty, lack of education, and social isolation. Perpetrators and their network abduct men, women, and children from Sri Lanka to various destinations, including the West, South East, South Asian countries, and Europe. These victims are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Further, the domestic network also operates to lure women and girls for sexual crimes under the guise of commercial work opportunities, such as employment in garments and massage centers in the cities, many miles away from their hometowns. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized crime (Palermo Protocol) addresses human trafficking. It aims to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking offences. This research aims to explore the prevalence and pattern of human trafficking for sex workers in the country, its vulnerability, causes, effects, and preventive measures taken by the relevant government and non-government organizations. It adopts a qualitative method with published documents with the aim of future primary research