U.S. Warns of Worsening International Human Trafficking Crisis
The international fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery is losing ground, the U.S. State Department said in a new report out Monday.
The total number of countries that are not meeting international standards to stop human trafficking nearly doubled to 23, according to the department’s annual report. The worst offenders were the Republic of Congo, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Another 41 countries were placed on the State Department’s “watch list,” which could lead to sanctions unless their records improve, the Associated Press reports.