Human trafficking, also referred to as modern-day slavery, is a serious crime involving the exploitation of individuals through coercion or compulsion to provide labor or services, including commercial sex acts. This exploitation is achieved through various means, including violence, threats, deception, or debt bondage. Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is considered human trafficking regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion was employed. Key aspects of human trafficking Coercion and Compulsion: Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals into exploitative situations. Forms of Exploitation: Human trafficking encompasses different forms of exploitation, such as forced labor, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, forced begging, organ removal, and others. Deceptive Practices: Traffickers often recruit individuals through false promises and deception regarding the nature and conditions of their work. Debt Bondage: Traffickers may use debt bondage, where individuals are forced to work to repay a debt, often impossible to overcome, leading to continuous enslavement. Isolation and Control: Traffickers isolate victims from their support networks (family, friends, and community), confiscate identification documents like passports, control their finances and movements, and employ other tactics to maintain control and prevent escape. Trafficking as Organized Crime: Human trafficking is a global threat driven by organized criminal networks who utilize vulnerabilities and exploit migration flows, supply chains, and digital platforms to facilitate cross-border trafficking. Prevalence: The International Labour Organization estimates that 27.6 million people are victims of human trafficking globally, with women and children making up the majority of victims. In essence, human trafficking represents a grave human rights violation where individuals are denied their freedom and subjected to various forms of exploitation for the profit or gain of others.