85% of human trafficking victims in Mexico women, girls

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission says 85% of the country’s human trafficking victims between 2012 and 2017 were women and girls.

The commission’s definition covers a range of 26 crimes from sexual and labour exploitation to organ trafficking. It found more than 5,200 victims in documented cases during the five-year period. The review does not include migrant smuggling.

The report released Tuesday dated to 2012, when Mexico passed a federal law meant to prevent, eradicate and punish human trafficking. It said more than half of the cases occurred in five areas of the country: Mexico City, Mexico State, Baja California, Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Commission president Luis Raúl González condemned a lack of prevention policy and support for victims. Children made up 27% of the victims.