Denmark has signed and ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime from the year 2000.

In the Additional Protocol (Palermo Protocol), which is intended to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Article 2 states three purposes of the Additional Protocol:

(a) Prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, with particular emphasis on trafficking in women and children.

(b) protect and assist victims of trafficking in human beings with full respect for human rights.

(c) strengthen cooperation between States to achieve these goals.

In applying this protocol, the following applies:

(a) “Trafficking in persons” means the recruitment, transportation or transfer of a person, the harbouring of a person or the receipt of a person, by means of force or the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud or the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. The term “exploitation” shall include at least the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or forms of slavery-like labour or the removal of organs;

(b) the fact that a victim of trafficking in human beings has consented to the exploitation referred to in point (a) shall be irrelevant where one of the means referred to in point (a) has been used;

(c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered “trafficking in persons”, even if none of the means referred to in subparagraph (a) are used;

(d) “child” means any person under the age of 18 years.

Denmark adopted legislation on human trafficking (§262a) in May 2002, which is based in part on the Palermo Protocol. Denmark is part of the international bodies – both political and investigative – that combat human traffickers and, as part of Denmark's international obligations, has launched a national action plan to combat trafficking in women since 2002.

Why does human trafficking exist?

Harsh conditions can make people vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking. These conditions include:

• Poverty and high unemployment
• Gender discrimination and ethnic discrimination
• The media's portrayal of the West as a place where opportunities are open and living standards are high
• Poor educational opportunities
• Poor standard of living and the dream of a better life
• Violation of human rights in the home country

In the modern world, there are specific factors that drive people to trade with people:

• The growing sex industry
• Demand for new girls and women
• An industry with high profit and low risk

Source: Nest International