Human trafficking, sex slavery cases in Australia soar

Victoria police are launching an education program for officers aimed at tackling human trafficking.

(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Victoria police are looking to crack down on human trafficking amid soaring numbers of sex slavery, forced marriage and child bride cases in Australia.

Federal police are working on 60 cases of human trafficking - a record number, and twice as many as two years ago, according to Fairfax media.

But police say there are many unreported cases, and are trying to change that.

An education package developed by the Victorian force's Sex Industry Co-ordination Unit and their federal counterparts aims to encourage officers to look deeper into the issue.

Victoria Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said human trafficking was a global problem and the state was not immune.

"Australia is a destination location and modern transport allows traffickers to move people in, around and out of Australia easily," he said.

"Traffickers have a strong knowledge of visa requirements in Australia and know how to use them."

About 60 to 70 per cent of human trafficking in Australia occurs in the sex industry, Mr Ashton said, but people were also being trafficked for forced labour, domestic servitude and forced marriage.


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