[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

EL SALVADOR (Tier 2 Watch List) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of El Salvador does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. These efforts included hiring more police and prosecutors in specialized anti-trafficking units and providing pre-departure orientation sessions for Salvadorans participating in temporary work programs abroad. However, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, even considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity. The government investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers. Fewer than half of all identified victims received government services or referral to outside care providers, and services provided to victims were inadequate. The government arrested and detained thousands of suspected gang members on charges of illicit association, disabling criminal networks that fueled the demand for sex and labor trafficking. However, authorities arrested and detained children affiliated with gangs without screening for trafficking indicators. Interagency coordination remained weak, and the government’s data was unreliable; the national anti-trafficking council did not fulfill its role to reconcile this data or publish a report on the government’s 2022 efforts. Therefore El Salvador remained on Tier 2 Watch List.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase funding for and availability of specialized, trauma-informed services for all identified trafficking victims, including adults, boys, and LGBTQI+ victims.

Develop and implement a national referral mechanism for victim protection, independent of criminal justice proceedings and with an option for authorities and the public to refer potential victims directly to government or NGO service providers, without first referring to police or prosecutors.

Develop and implement procedures to proactively identify trafficking victims from at-risk groups, particularly among children apprehended for gang-related activities, and refer victims to service providers.

Increase and institutionalize anti-trafficking training for police, immigration officials, municipal security personnel, prosecutors, and judges, with a focus on applying trauma-informed, victim-centered procedures and investigating and prosecuting forced labor.

Establish and fund a legally required victim compensation fund and develop a mechanism to enforce payment of court-ordered restitution to victims.

Develop a multi-year NAP to combat trafficking and allocate resources toward its implementation.

Improve interagency coordination and data collection to document, share, and analyze information on anti-trafficking efforts.

Amend the 2014 anti-trafficking law to include a definition of human trafficking consistent with international law.

Provide reintegration and livelihood support services for victims’ long-term wellbeing and extend victim-witness protection services beyond the duration of a trial, particularly for victims who testify against members of organized criminal groups.

Expand targeted prevention measures, including through raising awareness of fraudulent recruitment for employment in El Salvador and abroad and by holding accountable employers or recruiters who commit fraudulent practices that facilitate trafficking.