ELECT THB 2023
GLOBAL EVENTS:
COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine SINCE 2014 UNTIL the full-scale invasion
the exploitation has moved to less visible and
started in 2022, Ukrainian men, women and
less safe locations, making it more difficult to
children have been exploited and trafficked
detect.
within Ukraine and across borders for sexual exploitation as well as for labour ex-
F E W E R L A B OU R I NSP ECT I O N visits took
ploitation in, e.g. construction, manufactur-
place during the lockdown periods. Ma-
ing and agriculture.
ny companies suffered financially and had to furlough employees. Some workers had
A S O F 1 8 April 2023, over five million
to find sources of income elsewhere while
Ukrainian refugees have been registered for
others risked their health by interacting with
temporary protection or similar protection
others during a pandemic.
schemes in Europe. The EU Temporary Protection Directive and anti-trafficking measures in destination countries have potentially reduced the risk of exploitation of the refugees. E X P L O I T A T I O N O R T R A F F I C K I N G of
Ukrainian refugees has not been detected to a larger degree at this point, but the risk of exploitation remains high. IN REL ATION TO the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, travel restrictions slowed down the cross-border movement of people, potentially affecting the exploitation of locals/ migrants already residing in the country. GLOBALLY, THERE HAS been a downturn in
the number of victims of sex trafficking who have been detected. This may suggest a decrease in sexual exploitation, but more likely
82