Dylan Bettencourt
The Salvation Army reports that 80% of the total calls they receive in South Africa are related to human trafficking, with the requests for help increasing over the last three months.
The organisation has stated that they are deeply concerned about the rise in human trafficking.
Captain of the Salvation Army Juanita Wright said economic problems put many at risk.
“We believe many of the calls involve people who have been tricked into human trafficking situations.”
The 2020 Traffic In Persons (TIP) report for South Africa stated that the South African government prosecuted 71 alleged traffickers and 44 of these were men. Of the prosecutions, only eight were convicted which is the same number as in 2019.
Wright went on to say that those who are vulnerable to human trafficking include children, teenagers, refugees, job seekers and those who live on the street.
“These people are usually desperate and it’s easy for them to be targeted by traffickers,” she said.
Wright urged South Africans to be extra vigilant and look out for signs of possible human trafficking by reporting any suspicious activity to any human trafficking organisation or the police.
Image source: @SowetanLIVE
