Human trafficking is a crime with many faces. People can be recruited, transported, transferred, harboured, or received through deception, coercion, fraud, abduction, and/or abuse of vulnerability or position. In the Caribbean, trafficking for the purpose of domestic servitude, forced labour, and sexual exploitation are the most common forms. The victims are men, women, and children; some of whom are from the Caribbean region and some of whom are from farther away like Asia and Europe.

Victims of trafficking are not criminals; they are victims of a crime and as such are entitled to assistance.

Since 2004, IOM has been combatting human trafficking in partnership with government agencies and civil society in Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Guyana, Jamaica, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. IOM’s partners are an essential part of success, as much of the counter-trafficking work they undertake is done “in-kind,” and outside the scope of their regular duties.

IOM Washington offers counter-trafficking expertise in the form of trainings, conferences, and task forces, information campaign materials and other technical tools, and direct assistance to identified victims of trafficking.

IOM’s technical expertise aims to enhance the national and regional capacity of stakeholders to build a better, sustainable response to human trafficking through prevention, protection, and prosecution.