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Peru Reports 1,503 Human Trafficking Victims in Jan–Jul 2025, With Piura’s Protection Gaps Exposed

New figures highlight regional clusters, with Piura’s lack of a specialized shelter leaving victims exposed to revictimization.

Overview

  • Specialized prosecutor offices counted 1,503 trafficking victims from January 1 to July 31, concentrated in Lima Metropolitana, Puno, Arequipa and Piura.
  • Women account for 1,100 of the identified victims, with 846 Peruvians and 154 Venezuelans, and sexual exploitation was cited in 1,033 cases.
  • Prosecutors registered 1,081 formal complaints and charged 1,399 people for trafficking and related crimes, resulting in 152 sentences, including 122 convictions.
  • Piura ranks as the second hotspot, with 218 active investigations reported in 2024, no specialized residential shelter for survivors, and limited dedicated prosecutors and police.
  • Official analyses describe recruitment through acquaintances, job offers, social networks and ‘coyotes’, with roughly 70% of victims transported by land, often using falsified documents.