Singapore is a popular transit point and destination hub for trafficking activities, where women and girls are trafficked into the country for sexual or labour exploitation. Exploiting Singapore’s attractive economic conditions, criminal syndicates deceive vulnerable victims with false job offers, promising them a better life for their families. Today, there are approximately 1.37 million foreign workers in Singapore supplementing the country’s manpower needs, out of which, close to 1 million low-wage migrant workers are amongst the most vulnerable.

In search of better economic opportunities, these migrant workers willingly emigrate from Asia, typically Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Vietnam and Philippines to work in hospitality, construction, domestic service, performing arts, manufacturing and service industries in Singapore.

Because their work visas are employer-controlled, when they are coerced into providing sexual services or job conditions are changed beyond reasonable limits, workers have little recourse but to either return home or live with the unfair terms. It is not uncommon for these vulnerabilities to be exacerbated by personal circumstances, such as debt that they may have taken on in order to work in Singapore. Their lack of literacy and language further isolates them as they are often unable to access help easily when exploited.