Identification, Repatriation and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings. The Role of Authorities and Diplomatic and Consular Personnel. 31 May, 2010 Stockholm, Sweden

Case study 1 TRAFFICKING OR NOT? Liliana is a 16-year-old Romanian girl from the rural area who is taken by a family friend to Goteborg to find work to help to support her family that lives in desperate poverty. The family friend takes her to the city streets where she is obliged to exercise begging under control and pressure of this family friend. Some of her earnings are sent to her family. The rest is kept by the family friend, as agreed with Lili’s parents…

Case Study 2 TRAFFICKING OR NOT? Petro is a 26 year old man from Ukraine who wanted to migrate to Italy for work in order to help his family. A friend provided him contacts of a Mr. X who arranged documents and travel to Italy. He gave Petru false passport and together with a group of other 6 men, he was transported illegally to Italy for which he owed to Mr. X 3000 Euro. Once in Italy, Petro and the other 6 men were sent to work at a shoe factory. Petro worked for about 12 hours per day and agreed not to receive salary for 3 month in order to pay back his debts. The owner paid Petro’s salary to Mr. X. The owner of the factory provided to the workers one meal per day and accommodation in a store room of the factory. In the end, Petro worked at the factory for 9 months and didn’t receive a penny, even when all the debts were paid off. Petro was afraid to protest since he had entered and stayed in Italy illegally…

Case study 3 TRAFFICKING OR NOT? Nicolai was stopped at the border while trying to take three minors (13-15 years old) out of the country using false notary’s documents. It was identified that the children were going through Bulgaria to their parents (not EU citizens) who are working illegally in Sweden. Upon investigations, it was identified that Serge and Alla were the main organizers of the scheme and were involved in such activities during the last 3 years. For their services, the couple charged Euros per client.

Case study 4 Maria (imagine she is a citizen of your country) is 43 and has physical challenges. She was kidnapped from the care home and was transported to Russia by car, then to Latvia by bus. She was forced to beg in both Russia and Latvia. In Latvia she was given a Latvian passport and told to remember her new name, date and place of birth. Then the traffickers brought her to Sweden by ferry. They forced Maria to beg in the streets in a wheelchair, everyday from 9 am to 10 pm. They confiscated her passport. She could not keep any money, was denied freedom of movement and was physically abused by the traffickers. During months of exploitation Maria was subject to malnutrition and did not have access to medical assistance. She was also told by the traffickers that she owes them money for visa and transportation and she has to pay the debt off. They threatened her that if she will ask for assistance she will be taken to jail, as she was illegal in the country. One day when the traffickers left Maria for a while without supervision she asked for assistance a Russian speaking woman. That woman took her to a police station. What actions will you take when the police refer the case to you? What kind of assistance is needed?

Case study 5 A young, jobless couple from an EU country (imagine it’s your country) were offered a strawberry picking job in Sweden for 1000 Euro/month. They needed money to provide for their sick parents, so they gladly accepted the offer. They travelled to Sweden with the man who promised them the job and 5 other men and women. Upon arrival they were taken to a remote farm. The man who brought them to Sweden asked for their passports in order to register them. Then they told them they would live in a caravan on the farm and work every day from 8 am to 10 pm. At the end of the month they were not paid and they did not receive their passports back, the owner said it would take some more time and he would pay them next month. He gave them 1500 SEK each and they asked him to send the money to their families. During the first month the men were poorly fed and were not allowed to call home. The hoped that the situation would get better, as they desperately needed the money for their families. However, the same situation continued for the following 5 months. They were supervised all the time, the guardian had a gun. At night he would lock the caravan. The people were fed up with this situation, however they could not escape as they did not have their passports, money and they did not speak Swedish or English; they were in the middle of a field and they did not know where to go, besides they were threatened that if they went to police they would be deported because of their illegal status. One day the men had a big fight with the supervisor and the owner, one man was shot in his leg, after he hit the owner. They were locked again in the caravan. At night when they fell asleep the caravan was set on fire. The men were luckily rescued by some people and brought to the police station in the nearby town. When the case is referred to you what actions can you take to help these men? What kind of assistance do they need?

Case Study 6 Fatima is 16 (imagine she is a citizen of your country). She had a fight with her parents because she did not want to marry the man they chose for her and escaped from home. She met a young man from who soon offered her to escape to Sweden and marry him there. He told her that she has a little restaurant there and that they would work together. Samira was given a Bulgarian passport on another citizenship, name and older age. She travelled with her future husband by plane and then by car. She did not understand where they travelled as she did not understand the language and besides she was dreaming of her new happy life. Fatima was brought to an Indian restaurant in Goteborg. Her boyfriend told her that first she would have to wash the dishes and help the cook. At night he raped her and then forced her to have sex with 2 other men. Since then everyday Fatima had to start work at 7 am, to clean the restaurant and the kitchen and then wash the dishes late in the evening, then she had to work with clients till 2-3 am in the rooms above the restaurant. Fatima was threatened every day, she was terrified by the trafficker as she was already cruelly beaten and raped several times for disobedience, and she did not know what to do. Four months later a permanent client felt pity for Fatima and helped her escape. He took her to a police station and left her there. When the case is referred to you what actions can you take to help this girl? What kind of assistance does she need?

Case study 7 George is 26 years old (Imagine he is the citizen of your country). He wanted to migrate to an EU country in order to work and help his family. A friend provided him the contacts of a couple that agreed to help him, with the condition that he would pay them back for the travel expenses once he started working. George had Romanian passport and the couple promised to take him to Sweden to a fish factory. At the factory George’s passport was taken by the owner, he has to work 12 hours per day, he lives in a big room with other men from different countries; the room is locked at night. When 4 months passed, George was given 3000 SEK only. He was told that he would be paid next month. However, the same happened for 5 more months. George was desperate, his family needed money and for 9 months he could not send them anything. He decided to escape and to ask for help. He promised the other people who were in the same situation to tell the police about them in order to help them go home, too. When the case is referred to you, what actions can you take to help this person (and the others who would be rescued)?

Case study 8 John was stopped at the Swedish border while trying to take three minors (13 – 16 years old, imagine they are citizens of your country) out of the country using false attorney documents. Later it was established that John was paid by the parents of these children who are working illegally in Finland. Further investigations showed that John has been involved in such activities for the last 3 years. He charged 4000 Euros / child. When the case is referred to you, what actions will you take?