Caught In the Crossfire: Displaced Colombians At Risk of Trafficking

More than 40 years of internal armed conflict have ravaged Colombia, leaving hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced and countless others who have suffered violations of their human rights, including human trafficking. The war has been a significant factor leading to the growth in this form of modern day slavery. While difficult to ascertain the scope of the problem, it is estimated 45,000 to 50,000 Colombians are trafficked each year, the majority of them women and children.

The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children conducted a fact-finding mission to Ecuador and Colombia to assess the protection and assistance challenges faced by Colombian refugees who have fled into neighboring Ecuador and internally displaced Colombians who have sought refuge inside Colombia. It found that a lack of adequate protection and assistance puts displaced Colombian women and children at grave risk of further human rights abuses, including trafficking. War and persecution create a lawless environment that provides fertile ground for criminal elements to exploit civilians caught in the crossfire.