Trafficking in persons, especially women and children, is a global phenomenon. It involves the movement of individuals by means of force, threats, deception, fraud, or the payment of money for the purpose of exploitation.

In March 2008, The University of Queensland TC Beirne School of Law, started a research project to provide the first comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and of the exploitation of foreign workers in the sex industry and other forms of forced labour in Australia. Click here for more about the project.

This project identifies and analyses reported and suspected cases of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of foreign workers in Australia. Based on these findings, the response by federal, state, and territory governments are critically evaluated. Global initiatives and best practices to confront trafficking in persons, especially those developed by the United Nations, are drawn upon to propose recommendations for policy change and law reform.

This project is carried out by Dr Andreas Schloenhardt, Associate Professor at the TC Beirne School of law, and the Human Trafficking Working Group – a team of 12-16 students at The University of Queensland. For more about the working group members click here.

This website contains links to publications and presentations produced by the working group and case reports on relevant prosecutions and immigration cases in Australia. There is also information and analyses of relevant legislation, including trafficking offences, visa regulations, and prostitution laws, and useful links to other organisations and websites.