Human Trafficking for Criminal Purposes

This is when someone is forced to carry out criminal activity through coercion or deception.

Human Trafficking for Forced Begging

Forced begging is a form of human trafficking which may also involve forced criminal activity or organised crime. Persons who are forced to beg have been coerced, threatened, deceived, or forced and exploited to beg for the financial gain of another. Victims do not keep the money given to them: some or all of it must be given to the abuser.

Trafficking for crime and forced begging are increasingly significant issues, but they have been recognised as slavery only recently.

Be it on vacation or closer to home, many have experienced the discomfort deriving from being begged for money by small children. What is not always evident, however, is that many of these children have been coerced into their situation through intimidation, threats, and deception. They are, therefore, victims of child labour trafficking – a prevalent form of human trafficking.

Forced child begging is classified as one of the worst forms of Child Labour, and violates the basic human rights protection framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is also one of the most visible forms of human trafficking in existence: the exploited children are in plain sight, impossible to miss for any pedestrian walking by.

Human Trafficking for Criminal Purposes

Cannabis grow houses and drug dealing are now recognised as areas where victims of human trafficking may be exploited. Victims are often coerced or abused, and may have an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol making them vulnerable and susceptible to exploitation. Social welfare fraud is also another aspect of forced criminality where the exploiters may falsely apply for tax credits and other welfare benefits using the victim’s details.