Sector of labour exploitation: Construction

Victims exploited in the construction sector represent around 19 per cent of victims trafficked for forced labour.

90 per cent of victims exploited in construction are males, and 79 per cent of these victims are aged 30 or older. Around four per cent of victims exploited in construction are children. Most victims exploited in the construction sector originate in Eastern Europe (70%), and some others come from Central and Southern Asia (15% and 4%, respectively), and Central America (6%).

Victims exploited in the construction sector are mostly trafficked in Eastern Europe (63%), North America (24%), and Central Asia (7%). Most of these victims are exploited within their region of origin (80%). These victims are primarily controlled with debt bondage and withheld wages, as well as threats and restrictions on finance, movements, medical care, and necessities, accounting in each case for about 70 per cent.^[1]

In most cases (95%), victims exploited in construction are recruited by ‘others’.^[2] 48 per cent of these victims are trafficked for less than a year, and another 38 per cent are trafficked for between one and two years.

^[1] It is important to note that trafficked persons can be subjected to multiple types of exploitation and means of control, so percentages may not add up to 100.

^[2] Indicates a notable relationship with the recruiter that does not fit other categories like family or friends. This may include brokers, contractors, employers, or smugglers. See the Global Synthetic Dataset Codebook for a detailed explanation.