One in four victims of human trafficking in Europe is a minor, according to the 'Small invisible slaves' report, shared on Wednesday (July 27) by Save the Children on the occasion of the International Day Against Human Trafficking.

The document denounces the increase of young victims from the Ivory Coast at high risk in Italy and the increase in indoor and online sexual exploitation.

It is believed that human trafficking in Europe creates a revenue around 29.4 million. One forth of the 14,000 identified cases concern minors, mostly trapped in prostitution rings (64%), according to the report.

The cases treated in Italy in 2021 by the anti-trafficking system were 1,911 (with 706 new cases last year), mostly female sex exploitation (75.6%), and 3.3% minors.

Nigerian-nationals are the most prevalent

In Italy the most common form of exploitation among the treated victims was found to be sexual (48.9%), followed by labor exploitation (18.8%), according to the report.

The prevailing age bracket (45.4%) is between 18 and 25 years old, but there are also those who aren't even 17 yet.

The highest number of exploited nationalities were Nigeria (65.6%), Pakistan (4.5%), Morocco (2.6%) and Gambia (2.5%) and the Ivory Coast (2.3%), the report found.

The figures Gambia and Ivory Coast in particular have increased over the last two years, says Save the Children. Some 130 women and young girls from the Ivory Coast with their minor children (161) are registered as treated by the Italian anti-trafficking system since June 8. These are young women who are considered double victims of exploitation for the abuses and extreme threats that leverage their condition of vulnerable mothers, the NGO warns.

E-trafficking figures show increase in trend

Research shows that criminal organizations active in human trafficking have adapted to transnational COVID-19 mobility restrictions, according to Save The Children.

What has emerged is the increase of indoor sex exploitation and through the internet, forcing young victims to accept even higher risks and underpaid, often illegal.

Online chats, social media, online 'placement agencies', online fake immigration assistance sites to recruit potential victims, dark web forums, payment of services linked to cryptocurrency exploitation: The e-trafficking problem is prevalent in various communication channels and can refer to other types of exploitation beyond the sexual and labor remits.

Italy in 2021 registered 5,316 cases of pedo-pornography -- an increase of 47% compared to 2020 -- and 531 minors who fell victim to online solicitation, with a high concentration for children between the ages 10 to 13.

"We must reinforce our monitoring tools and knowledge of e-trafficking and indoor exploitation, engaging independent national and international institutions active in the protection of minors," declared Raffaella Milano, Director of the Italy-Europe Programs for Save the Children.