21st Century Trafficking: Emerging Hotspots for Forced Labor

"According to the International Labor Organization, 28 million people around the world are trapped in forced labor. Some are compelled to work in dangerous conditions. Many are isolated, held in debt bondage, threatened, or have their passports and documents confiscated, making it nearly impossible to seek help or flee. Many become victims of trafficking because they are in desperate need of economic opportunities or trying to escape difficult life circumstances.

Where is this happening?

In nearly every country and in the supply chains of products and services you encounter daily. Here are three places where you should know that trafficking is occurring.

Palm oil plantations

If you have shopped at a grocery store, chances are you have bought something containing palm oil. Palm oil is an ingredient in countless products we use daily, from makeup and shampoo to baked goods and cooking oils. Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree, 85% of which is harvested in Malaysia and Indonesia. Workers on palm plantations, many of whom are migrant workers lured by the false promises of good jobs, are often vulnerable to child labor and forced labor. Children and adults are subjected to dangerous working conditions, sexual violence and excessive work hours to meet steep work quotas. Palm oil from this part of the world – along with the myriad of products made with palm oil – is shipped globally to destinations including China, India and the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Labor is raising awareness about the risk of child labor and forced labor in the supply chains of products containing palm oil. Our latest List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor warns of multiple palm oil products that contain ingredients tainted by labor exploitation, and we’ve made recommendations to both governments and the private sector on how to address these abuses.

Southeast Asia scam call centers

Nearly everyone with a cell phone has received a scam call or text. A friendly voice on the line asks you about your day and begins to pitch you a false investing opportunity, a bogus extended car warranty or a fake trial of a new computer virus protection service. You might not know that these calls and texts are increasingly coming from people in forced labor in Southeast Asia.

There are growing reports of workers from Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia, among others, who are promised good jobs by unscrupulous recruiters, only to find themselves trapped in forced labor in makeshift call centers that are heavily guarded. Their passports are confiscated, and they are forced to work long hours and meet daily targets for successful scams. There are even reports of workers being moved or traded among other illegal call centers in the region.

The U.S. Department of Labor is continuing to monitor these situations in order to more effectively engage with the governments of countries in which such fraud is escalating.."
Trafficking