Victims exploited in Africa

Victims exploited in Africa represented about 6 per cent of all registered victims. Around 64 per cent of these victims are registered between 2018 and 2022. Most trafficked persons whose cases are registered in Africa (72%) also originated in Africa, particularly in West and East Africa. However, some other victims who are exploited in Africa originated in South-Eastern Asia and Eastern Europe.  

Most victims (68%) of trafficking registered in Africa are female. 52 per cent of victims exploited in Africa are adults between 18 and 29 years of age, and another 25 per cent are children.

The main types of exploitation are forced labour (46%) and sexual exploitation (40%). Victims of forced labour are mainly exploited in domestic work (63%) and agriculture (15%). Around 84 per cent of sexually exploited victims are forced into prostitution.

Victims exploited in Africa are controlled with psychological, physical and sexual abuse (53%), restrictions on finance, movements, medical care and necessities (47%), and threats (40%).^[1] ‘Others’^[2] (63%) predominate as the recruiters of victims exploited in Africa, followed by the victims’ families (24%). The most common duration of trafficking is two years or more (41%).

^[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.