Unfortunately, Italy is both a destination and a transit country for women, children, and men trafficked transnationally for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Women and children are trafficked mainly from Nigeria, Romania, China, and Uzbekistan. Chinese men and women are specifically trafficked to Italy for the purpose of forced labor. Additionally, Romani children continue to be trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced begging.Traffickers reportedly are moving victims more frequently within Italy, often keeping victims in major cities for only a few months at a time, in an attempt to evade police detection. The Italian government has been making efforts to solve this issue, including making the punishment for human traffickers more strict, and creating article 18 of the anti-trafficking law, which allows authorities to grant residence permits and provide protection and job training services to victims of trafficking. Recently, the Italian government expanded article 18 to include labour trafficking victims, adding things such as a constant helpline available via phone.
Italy is currently enforcing a anti-trafficking campaign across the country, and taking action to solve this issue by enforcing trafficking laws. A possible solution for this issue could involve better border security for people entering the country to sift out human traffickers.
- Ian Lucas
