Trafficking and Big Events

It’s World Cup Season! For many people, it’s a time to come together and enjoy the excitement of the tournament. Alongside these global celebrations, there has been increased attention on human trafficking awareness and prevention efforts — initiatives that serve an important public safety function. 

These awareness campaigns often coincide with enhanced law enforcement operations, which result in increased arrest numbers. This naturally raises the question: do major sporting events actually cause a spike in human trafficking activity?

The relationship between major events and human trafficking is more nuanced than it may initially appear. 

While major events like the World Cup generate valuable awareness about trafficking risks and prevention strategies, current evidence suggests they do not necessarily create new trafficking activity. Rather, research indicates that what often occurs is a geographic redistribution of existing criminal activity, with operations potentially concentrating around event locations rather than representing a net increase in trafficking incidents.

Regardless, events like the World Cup remind us that human trafficking is all around us and it’s our responsibility to do our share to prevent it. By being aware of the risks, you are leading the charge towards preventing human trafficking at the World Cup and beyond.

Check out our ACT Portal to access the latest resources to fight child trafficking.