Disability and trafficking intersect in two critical ways:
- Persons with disabilities may become victims of trafficking. Disability can compound poverty and marginalisation, or lead to social isolation, disempowerment, and dependence on caregivers – factors that heighten vulnerability to exploitation or risky opportunities.
- People may acquire disabilities as a result of trafficking. Survivors often endure physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, injuries, or illness, which can lead to long-term disabilities – especially when medical and social support is lacking.
Although persons with disabilities are recognised as at risk, there is limited knowledge about their specific vulnerabilities, the forms of trafficking they experience, and how well current prevention and support services meet their needs.
To deepen understanding of this intersection in Southeast Asia, the ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program commissioned country briefs for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam. These build on a 2023 study conducted with La Trobe University, which examined disability and trafficking in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
The briefs draw on national consultation workshops and discussions with government agencies, NGOs, and organisations of persons with disabilities. Each report features recommendations co-developed with stakeholders to strengthen prevention, protection, and prosecution of trafficking involving persons with disabilities.