Human trafficking in Iceland on the rise

Over a dozen cases of human trafficking in Iceland have been investigated by Reykjavik Metropolitan Police since April this year.

These cases originate in every continent in the world and involve sexual slavery, forced labour and sham marriages, says Alda Hrönn Jó­hanns­dótt­ir, Deputy Chief of Police.

According to Jóhannsdóttir, young men and women have been brought to Iceland from Eastern Europe, China and Nigeria.

Jóhannsdóttir is currently in the United States on a fact-finding mission with representatives from 24 countries on the topic of human trafficking

Speaking to American media, she warns that Iceland is not isolated from what is going on the world.

“More tourism has led to more sex tourism and prostitution,” she says. “Iceland is a part of the world and whatever happens in the work is also happening in Iceland. That’s always the way.”

There are no exact statistics on the extent of human trafficking in Iceland, but Jóhannsdóttir says that it is on the up.

“We are getting reports of prostitution. For instance, prostitutes are working in hotels and airbnb flats,” she indicates. “There are also cases of foreign tourists coming to Iceland for the purposes of sex tourism.”