After the start of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, a sharp increase in cases of human trafficking was recorded. This was announced by the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Helga Maria Schmid, writes Die Welt.
She said victims are lured online with false promises, then become victims of violence in private homes in host countries or are intercepted by traffickers at the border.
"Organized crime is often involved in this case. These unceremonious criminals meet people who need help, who have to earn money, who do not speak the language of the new country and most often have psychological trauma as a result of the war," Schmid said.
She also added that after February 24, there was a 600% increase in requests for sexual services and pornography on the Internet.
In addition, according to the OSCE Secretary General, the number of cases of trafficking in pregnant women has increased.
According to the OSCE, 25-27 million people worldwide became victims of the slave trade. At the same time, only about 10,000 cases came to the attention of law enforcement officers, and no more than 1% of the victims could be identified. This shows that most cases of human trafficking go unpunished.
Meanwhile, the profit from such a "business" has increased fivefold over the past 15 years — up to 150 billion dollars.