Human trafficking: Surge in reports as disturbing crime reaches new high in Australia

Human trafficking reports in Australia are now at an all-time high.

Exit trafficking reports doubled, alongside an increase in reports of domestic trafficking, forced marriage, sexual servitude, forced labour, child trafficking, domestic servitude, and slavery, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

There were 420 reports of human trafficking in the last financial year, up from the 382 reports made in the year before.

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It signals a 10 per cent surge in reports, amid increasing community awareness of the exploitative crimes.

Reports of exit trafficking alone spiked from 35 to 75, according to the latest AFP data released on Sunday.

Exit trafficking is when coercion, threats or deception are used to exit or attempt to exit a person from a country.

A 29-year-old Sydney man became the first person to be convicted of the crime in 2021, after he bought a one-way ticket from Sydney to India in 2017, and threatened a woman with murder if she did not board the plane.

The victim was seen in CCTV footage clutching her infant child, and appearing distressed as she argued with a man in the departures area of Sydney International Airport.

“The Lidcombe man contacted Australian immigration authorities, and gave false information and adopted the identity of the woman in a bid to revoke her legal visa status to try and prevent her from returning to Australia,” AFP said at the time.

The victim did return to Australia two months later, and reported the man, who was served with a court attendance notice and arrested at the airport as he attempted to flee to Thailand.

The maximum sentence for the crime is 12 years in jail, but he was sentenced to 21 months.

Another Sydney man was charged last year with abandoning his wife in Pakistan.

“More than 90 per cent of exit trafficking victims are female,” AFP Commander Helen Schneider said. “Women are more vulnerable to this type of exploitation.”

CCTV at Sydney International Airport captured a distressed woman, who was the victim of Australia’s first convicted exit trafficker. Credit: AFP‘Just the tip of the iceberg’

There are various types of human trafficking, with Australian reports of the wider phenomenon doubling in the past five years, according to the AFP.

Forced marriage reports alone surged from 91 to 118 in the last financial year.

“The increase in forced marriage reports may indicate our engagement and presentations to at-risk community groups are working, and people feel more comfortable reporting this activity,” Schneider said.

Other notable rises in trafficking reports included an increase in sexual servitude slavery (from 59 to 84) and modern slavery (from fewer than five to 12).

Other categories such as forced labour, trafficking in persons, debt bondage and deceptive recruiting recorded fewer reports, and there were none that related to organ trafficking or harbouring.

The overall increase in reports was “just the tip of the iceberg”, with Australians becoming more attuned to recognising human trafficking indicators, Schneider said.

While women are the most affected, Schneider suggested human trafficking did not discriminate and victims could come from any age, gender, culture, religion or socio-economic group.

“Some people may be at a higher risk of becoming a victim due to vulnerabilities such as poor socioeconomic background, language barriers, unregulated visa status, and a lack of awareness or understanding of Australian legislation,” she said.

“The indicators of human trafficking vary for each crime type.

“But general themes include individuals being subjected to violence or threats of violence, not having access to, or control of earnings or identity documents, being unable to communicate freely with others, and showing signs of fear or anxiety.

“This is a societal problem and any piece of information, however big or small, may help protect a person who is at risk of being exploited.”

An AFP program delivered more than 900 presentations and engagements last financial year with the community, government, and non-government groups to educate people on the indicators of human trafficking and where to seek help.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Advice and counselling for men concerned about their use of family violence: Men’s Referral Service, 1300 766 491.