UN Report: Forced Labor Profits Hit $236 Billion, Driven by Sexual Exploitation

A significant increase in forced labor profits over the past decade has been reported, with sexual exploitation being the major contributor.

Global forced labor profits soar to $236 billion annually, with sexual exploitation accounting for three-fourths of earnings.
The International Labor Organization reports a 37% increase in forced labor profits over the past decade.
Forced labor undermines human dignity, fosters corruption, and strengthens criminal networks.
An estimated 27.6 million people were in forced labor in 2021, a 10% rise from five years earlier.
Efforts to combat forced labor are underway, but the world remains far from eradicating it by the U.N.'s 2030 goal.