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THREAD:
1. This #EndHumanTraffickingInSA hashtag is stirring up a lot of emotion and fear. So let's have a look at some statistics and evidence:
1. This #EndHumanTraffickingInSA hashtag is stirring up a lot of emotion and fear. So let's have a look at some statistics and evidence:
2. In 2018 the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation reported that it investigated 36 potential trafficking cases, including both sex and labour trafficking cases compared to 82 potential cases in 2017. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-Trafficking-in-Persons-Report.pdf (page 425)
3. This report also notes that there were 260 victims of trafficking in 2018, and 399 in 2017. Of these THE MAJORITY WERE MEN - 260 were men, 21 were women, 34 were boys, 3 were girls and one person’s gender was unknown
4. In terms of the nature of these crimes, 238 were cases of forced labour, 20 were sex trafficking, and the nature of trafficking was unknown in two cases #StopHumanTrafficking #EndHumanTraffickinginSA
5. There is thus little evidence of trafficking for body parts, eggs, or other things that you see on TV. At least not in the last two years of reporting. #EndHumanTraffickinginSA Before you retweet things like that, please look for research that supports your tweet.
6. As of 2018, the South African government had 14 accredited NGO-run shelters, and 17 NGO-run safe houses for trafficking victims #EndHumanTraffickingInSouthAfrica
7. The issue of shelter for those who have been trafficked in SA is a REAL issue that we should be worried about, because if those shelters get full, the DSD & law enforcement 'dump' trafficking victims on other shelters without the necessary financial or human resources
8. What exacerbates & makes trafficking possible in SA is XENOPHOBIA according to this report https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-Trafficking-in-Persons-Report.pdf because "disregard toward foreign nationals from other parts of Africa may have impacted police willingness to investigate potential trafficking cases" (p426)
9. This #EndHumanTraffickingInSouthAfrica is linked to deliberate efforts to spread fear and terror (largely led by crazies like QAnon), it aims to promote xenophobia, and is not linked to evidence of the problem. Think before you RT!
10. More information on Trafficking in SADC from the UNODC here https://www.unodc.org/documents/southernafrica//Stories/EN_-_TIP_Statistical_Report.pdf
11. We do have a Trafficking hotline if you believe that you have information related to trafficking - 0800 222 777
12. More statistics - Just 46 cases of trafficking reached the courts since the law came into force https://pmg.org.za/committee-question/8175/
13. More statistics
10 people trafficked out of the country (2012 - 2017)
340 brought into SA (2012 - 2017)
https://pmg.org.za/committee-question/7589/
10 people trafficked out of the country (2012 - 2017)
340 brought into SA (2012 - 2017)
https://pmg.org.za/committee-question/7589/
14. More statistics: KIDNAPPING did increase in the previous financial year (2019/20), mostly related to robbery and sexual offences. 16 out of 3024 (0.5%) kidnapping cases related to human trafficking https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/421424/south-africa-crime-stats-2020-everything-you-need-to-know/
