Council of Europe urges Hungary to examine domestic human trafficking, seen on the rise

BUDAPEST, Hungary – A report by the Council of Europe is urging Hungary to investigate the scale of human trafficking within the country, which it says is on the rise.

The report issued Friday by the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings said that "internal trafficking is a growing phenomenon," especially affecting Hungary's poor northeast region. Roma may represent 40 percent of the victims, who suffer sexual or labor exploitation or may be taken for forced marriages.

Based on visits to Hungary in 2014, the report also called on authorities to increase the detection of possible victims of human trafficking among the growing number of asylum seekers and migrants, to set up a support framework for child victims and designate prosecutors specifically trained to deal with human trafficking.