Human trafficking is slavery. It's the commodification and objectification of human beings. At it's essence, it is the exploitation of vulnerability. The Global Slavery Index estimates 40 million slaves are in the world today. The two most common forms of human trafficking are commercial sex trade and forced labor. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 98% of sex trafficking victims across the globe are women and children. It is a highly-organized and lucrative business, with the traffickers making $150 billion a year (globally) buying and selling people for their profit and pleasure; about $99 billion of that is from the forced commercial sex trade, according to an ILO report, and the other $51 billion is from forced work, including construction, mining, agriculture and domestic servitude. The profits are huge and the risk of being prosecuted is slim - the United Nations says 99% of victims are never rescued.