Unpaid labor is still a practice in Haiti . As many as half a million children are unpaid domestic servants called restavek , who routinely suffer physical and sexual abuse . Additionally , human trafficking , including child trafficking is a significant problem in Haiti ; trafficked people are brought into , out of , and through Haiti for forced labor , including sex trafficking . The groups most at risk include the poor , women , children , the homeless , and people migrating across the border with the Dominican Republic . The devastating earthquake in 2010 displaced many , rendering them homeless , isolated , and supremely vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers . The chaos following the quake also distracted authorities and hindered efforts to stop trafficking . The government has taken steps to prevent and stop trafficking , ratifying human rights conventions and enacting laws to protect the vulnerable , but enforcement remains difficult . The U.S. State Department 's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons placed the country in " Tier 2 Watchlist " in 2017
devastating earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
Slavery in Haiti