31/07/2026 03:30 - Sociales
Every July 30 marks the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, established by the UN in 2013. According to reports from El Once and Argentina's Prosecutor's Office for Trafficking and Exploitation of Persons (PROTEX) (source), the crime has evolved with technology, finding its main tools online.
Silvina Calveyra, coordinator of the Provincial Prevention Council in Entre Ríos, Argentina, distinguishes two main modalities: hard trafficking (kidnapping) and soft trafficking (deception through false job offers). The latter uses social media, online video games, streaming platforms, Telegram, and Snapchat to lure victims.
The 2025 report from Talitha Kum (an international network of religious sisters fighting trafficking) reveals a 38% increase in child trafficking. The network reached 1.21 million people — 30% more than the previous year. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) assisted over 3,500 victims between 2022 and 2025 in Southeast Asia, who were forced to carry out digital scams while held captive. Losses in Asia exceed 88.3 billion USD.
In Argentina, PROTEX (headed by Marcelo Colombo and Alejandra Mangano) coordinates the free, anonymous hotline 145. Additionally, provinces like Entre Ríos have enacted Law 10.852, which allows reporting any indicators compatible with trafficking.
Authorities recommend accompanying minors in their use of electronic devices, creating trustful spaces, and asking them about their day online to detect risky situations in the digital environment.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) emphasizes that technology is a double-edged sword: while it facilitates recruitment, it also offers new tools for detection and awareness. The key is to adapt prevention campaigns to the digital world and empower communities to recognize the signs of soft trafficking — often disguised as job offers, modeling contracts, or romantic relationships.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
