A Brief History of Refugee Trafficking

Human trafficking (including the refugees) began in the 16th century, with the Portugal government purchasing, capturing, and enslaving the locals of Africa. European nations, whoever saw the incidents, attempted to follow Portugal’s policy. Over the next 350 years, during the period known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, 12.5 million slaves were shipped from Africa. Throughout history, individuals and communities have been forcibly displaced, coerced, or deceived into servitude, representing early forms of human trafficking. However, the stamp of WWII caused a massive displacement of people in Europe, with millions of refugees and displaced persons in need of assistance and resettlement. The situation marked a critical turning point in international efforts to address the needs of displaced populations. Farsighting the needings, the 1951 Refugee Convention was established in order to define refugee’s status and the responsibilities of host countries. The convention aimed to ensure that refugees were not returned to countries where they faced persecution, laying the foundation for modern refugee protection.

The late 20th century and early 21st were full of political and economic instability, along with armed conflicts where also traffickers were taking advantage of displaced populations, subjecting them to labor, sexual exploitation, and other forms of abuse. Over the years, with the development of technology, Trafficking Networks have become way more organized and elusive. Using the same methods in different places has let the networks survive until today.