In 2008, Ukraine was a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked transnationally for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.
Ukrainian children were trafficked both internally and transnationally for commercial sexual exploitation, forced begging, and involuntary servitude in the agriculture industry.
An IOM survey released in December 2006 concluded that since 1991, approximately 117,000 Ukrainians had been forced into exploitative situations in Europe, the Middle East, and Russia.
Despite widespread reports of trafficking-related corruption, Ukraine failed to demonstrate any efforts to vigorously investigate, prosecute, convict, or sentence government officials complicit in trafficking this year.
Through donor-sponsored programs and some government services, foreign and domestic victims of trafficking in Ukraine receive shelter, medical, psychological, legal, and job placement assistance.
In 2007, the government broadcast a public service announcement on television entitled “Do not look at employment abroad through rose-colored glasses” throughout Ukraine and ran a parallel billboard campaign.
During the reporting period, the Ministry of Interior worked with Interpol to prevent known child sex tourism offenders from entering Ukraine.
Organizations like "Father's House" and "MANNA Worldwide" are working vigorously to provide loving family environments for these vulnerable kids.
During the 2022 refugee crisis stemming from the Russian invasion, numerous cases of human traffickers targeting women and children were reported.
Gillian Triggs, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection acknowledges that "National authorities are actively leading the response to counter human trafficking, but more needs to be done to tackle this problem and mitigate risks.