Human rights 197 victims of human trafficking in Switzerland in 2023

197 victims of human trafficking were identified in Switzerland in 2023. That is eleven percent more than in the previous year. In total, organizations specializing in human trafficking advised and assisted 488 victims last year.

According to the four specialist organizations that make up the "Traite" platform, the increase shows that human trafficking is a reality in Switzerland, as they announced on International Anti-Trafficking Day on Tuesday.

The vast majority of 75.5 percent of identified victims are women. In recent years, however, it has also been confirmed that human trafficking involving men, which accounts for 23 percent of cases, is not a marginal phenomenon. In addition to raising awareness, the specialist agencies attribute this to increased checks outside of prostitution in "male jobs".

The 2023 victims identified came from 55 countries, as the report also shows. The most common countries of origin were Hungary, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and Somalia. The proportion from African countries was the highest at 56 percent, followed by Europe (17 percent), Latin America (14 percent) and Asia (12 percent).

The specialist agencies increasingly registered human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation. In 2021, this was the motive in 33% of cases, in 2023 already in 47%. This also includes victims who were forced to steal or smuggle drugs. However, the number of unreported cases is high, the platform noted.

There is a lack of prosecution for labor exploitation. The authorities also rarely prosecute the criminal offense of human trafficking. Instead, the victims are targeted by the justice system: they are expelled from the country for illegal residence and lack of a work permit.

SDA