VIENNA, 15 June 2021 – As a result of years of research involving the analysis of legal and statistical data from over 50 national governments, international and civil society organizations, the OSCE released today the paper on “Discouraging the Demand that Fosters Trafficking for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation”.

The research details the centrality of the issue of demand to the problem of trafficking for sexual exploitation, outlines current criminal justice responses and prevention measures, and offers recommendations for national action.

“Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the most prevalent form of human trafficking identified globally and within the OSCE region,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. “It is the most lucrative form of trafficking, generating annual profits of nearly 100 billion USD globally.”

Demand is a core driver in all forms of human trafficking, but nowhere is it more pronounced and direct than in the case of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, given the lack of separation between the exploited victim and end user.

At the virtual launch event of the paper, Sandra Norak, survivor of sex trafficking and member of ODIHR’s International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council, commended the OSCE’s research and approach on the topic, and stressed the need to tackle demand to meaningfully combat trafficking. “Demand does not mean the demand for trafficking, its broader, it’s the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons,” said Novak.

United Kingdom member of Parliament Dame Diana Johnson, Romanian National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator Maximilian Nicolae and other speakers highlighted the urgent need to comprehensively address demand as the missing link to ending sex trafficking.

Richey opened the meeting and presented the paper’s findings and conclusions. “Tackling demand is an international obligation and an effective anti-trafficking strategy, but it is first and foremost an answer to what victims tell us – demand is a direct source of profound harm. Buyers not only incentivize trafficking by paying billions in revenues to traffickers, they directly exploit and abuse victims. Effectively combating sexual exploitation must include confronting buyers and tackling demand.”

The paper is available here.