Vietnam uncovers 400 human trafficking cases each year

Dinh Van Trinh, deputy head of the anti-human trafficking office under the Ministry of Public Security, announced the figures at a conference in Hanoi on July 30. The conference was co-organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam and the US Embassy in Hanoi to review the implementation of Vietnam’s national action plan on the prevention and control of human trafficking for the 2016-2018 period. Representatives of relevant local public agencies, the UN, and international organisations participated in the function.

Trinh highlighted that 90% of the victims are women and girls, aged between 15 and 30. 

According to the police officer, traffickers often use social networks and messaging apps like Facebook, Zalo, or Viber to approach and deceive their targets, mostly teen girls with disadvantaged backgrounds and low levels of education. The most common deceptions used involve telling targets that they will be helped to get high-income jobs or marriages to foreigners. Some of the deceived are then trafficked overseas to engage in prostitution or illegal marriages. Others, brought from rural or remote areas to cities, mines, or illegal workshops, are forced to work as prostitutes or perform intensive work. 

He said concerted efforts among public agencies, social organisations, and grassroots communities are needed to improve the effectiveness of anti-human trafficking work.  

At the function, Pham Mai Hien, a representative from the Ministry of Public Security, introduced the programme on the prevention and control o human trafficking for the 2016-2020 period (Programme 130/CP).

She said it includes five sub-projects on campaigns to raise public awareness, fight human trafficking crimes, support victims, completr legal framework, monitor the enforcement of related law and regulations, and maintain international cooperation.