Human Trafficking is an international, regional, and national challenge with Zimbabwe as a source, transit point and destination, an evil common in mines, communities, farms and household, Dr Nyoni of Centre for Combating Human Trafficking (CCHT) has said during a national conference of Salvation Army youths held in Gweru.
” We are in a bad situation because some of the traffickers re people known to us, relatives, boyfriends, girlfriends, church leaders, community leaders and friends. This can be done knowingly where there is deliberate reaching out and targeting victims. Unknowingly, trafficking can be done through job opportunities posting that traffickers can take advantage of.
“Let me demystify some of the myths and misconception that this can not happen in Zimbabwe, only poor people are affected, only uneducated are affected, my friend, boyfriend or girlfriend can not be my trafficker. Take care, trafficking is real,” said Dr Nyoni.
He emphasised that now is the time to stop human trafficking at any cost and make declarations.
“It must be in our interest that human trafficking must stop, no person is for sale, and together we can stop trafficking of persons. Our action must make a difference, be your brother ‘s keeper and spread the word,” said Dr Nyoni.
Human trafficking in Zimbabwe are on the rise and in most cases are fake job opportunity cases and technological scams. A number of Zimbabweans have fallen to fake lucrative jobs in Russia and the victims found themselves in exploitative situations and even in the Russian -Ukraine war front. Victims are deceived and are subjected to forced labour, and sexual exploitation.
