The U.S. Department of State places each country in the Trafficking in Persons Report onto one of four tiers, as mandated by the TVPA. This placement is based not on the size of the country’s problem but on the extent of governments’ efforts to meet the TVPA’s minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.
The Government of Italy does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. These efforts included increasing funding for victim assistance and international cooperation on prosecutions. However, despite government commitments and efforts to crack down on trafficking rings in Italy, there was a decline in the number of trafficking arrests and investigations compared to the previous reporting period.
While NGOs and international organizations referred many victims for government assistance, the government did not consistently assess risks to potential victims prior to forced returns or expulsions to countries where victims would face retribution or hardship. The government did not have legal protections from penalties against victims for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit. Therefore Italy was downgraded to Tier 2.
Adapted from TIP 2019 by the U.S. Department of State
