Pimping, exploitation through work or even begging… The statistical services of the Ministries of the Interior and Justice published on Tuesday October 15 a report on the trafficking and exploitation of human beings recorded in France, revealing the main trends of this criminal phenomenon in recent years.
This is the third study on this theme, carried out using data on victims, suspects and perpetrators, the publication of which comes a few days before the European day against trafficking in human beings, on Friday. October 18.
► + 6% of victims between 2022 and 2023
In 2023, the police and gendarmerie services recorded 2,143 victims of human trafficking or exploitation, or around 3 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. The number of victims is up 6% compared to 2022, and 49% compared to 2016.
If the number of victims of labor exploitation fell by 4% over the period 2022-2023, the number of victims of pimping and other forms of human trafficking has increased (respectively + 5% and +12%).
A little less than half (43%) of the victims recorded in 2023 are of French nationality and 22% of an African country. The number of victims from these two groups is increasing, while the share of victims with nationality from a country in America, Asia and Europe is decreasing slightly.
► Two out of three victims are women
64%, this is the share of women among victims of trafficking or exploitation recorded by the security services. Depending on the forms of exploitation studied, the ministerial report notes that women are over-represented among registered victims of pimping (96%) and exploitation of begging (54%). Women are also significantly over-represented among victims aged 10 to 24.
Men are the majority among victims of labor exploitation (69%).
► One in five victims is a minor
Last year, some 400 minors were registered by authorities as victims of human trafficking or exploitation. They represent 18.6% of all victims recorded in 2023, a share down compared to previous years (27% in 2021, and 24% in 2022).
Three quarters of these minors were victims of pimping, 10% of labor exploitation and between 5 and 10% of begging exploitation. The number of minors victims of labor exploitation has fallen sharply, by 69%, between 2022 and 2023.
The ministerial report highlights that the age distribution of registered minor victims varies greatly depending on the form of exploitation studied. Thus, over the period from 2016 to 2023, minors aged 15 to 17 are mainly victims of human trafficking and pimping, while two thirds of minors victims of begging exploitation are under 10 years old.
► More than 1,900 accused in 2023
Last year, 1,933 people were indicted for human trafficking or exploitation by the security services. Their number remains almost stable compared to 2022, after having decreased (– 8%) between 2021 and 2022.
The characteristics of those involved remain unchanged: the vast majority of them are adults (92%) and three quarters are men. In addition, 80% of people implicated in 2023 are nationals of a European country and 69% of French nationality.
Finally, the report notes that 880 people were convicted in 2022 for at least one offense in the field of trafficking or exploitation of human beings, including 718 for pimping.
► Pimping, the main vector of exploitation
Among the types of exploitation studied, pimping remains the most dominant with nearly 49% of victims recorded in 2023. Around two out of three victims are under 25 years old.
Finally, the two services behind the ministerial report note that the most populated municipalities have the highest rates of number of victims of pimping, i.e. nearly 4 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. Victims of pimping are also over-represented among border departments and those of Île-de-France, particularly in Paris and the Alpes-Maritimes.
