Brussels:The European Commission has announced a new strategy aimed at combating human trafficking across the EU. Over 20,000 victims were registered in 2023 and 2024, marking a 16.1% increase, yet many cases remain unreported. Trafficking manifests in various forms, including sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, forced criminality, begging, and forced marriage. The new strategy targets six key areas leveraging technology for prevention and detection, collaborating with businesses and labour inspectors, intensifying actions against organized crime, mitigating migration-related risks, improving crisis preparedness, and enhancing victim support and protection.

According to Cyprus News Agency, women and girls account for 63% of registered victims, predominantly for sexual exploitation, while children represent 15%. Men are mostly trafficked for labour exploitation, making up 74% of those cases. As the EU prepares for Anti-Trafficking Day on October 18, the strategy emphasizes a coordinated approach, outlining six strategic pillars for a modern response technology use, private sector engagement, disrupting transnational trafficking, migration-related exploitation prevention, crisis response improvement, and protection of vulnerable individuals.

The strategy highlights the need for the EU to adapt its responses to effectively combat the rise in trafficking, ensuring a comprehensive and future-proof approach to this pressing issue.