Trafficking - European Parliament Report - Protect Victims, Not Punish

Human Trafficking: Protect Not Punish Victims, say European Parliament Report

Human rights - 21-11-2006

A woman with her mouth sealed by adhesive tape

Many victims are afraid to speak out

Human trafficking is a trade in human misery that affects 100,000 people in the EU annually. The total worldwide is believed to be about 7 times that. After arms and drugs it is the 3rd most lucrative criminal activity. In Plenary last week MEPs backed a report that called for a "coherent EU strategy to fight human trafficking". Introducing her report - Slovak MEP Edit Bauer told members that "although most victims are women, it is alarming that children seem to make up 40-50% of victims".

Trafficking in human beings thrives in poverty, corruption, social breakdown and discrimination. Thousands are lured to an apparently "better life" in the EU with empty promises of work opportunities.

When they arrive their identity documents are taken by criminal gangs who then force them into a life of sweatshop labour or the sex trade. As the person may have entered the country illegally they are afraid, unwilling or unable to go to the police. Internationally, complications in cross-border police and judicial cooperation also make tackling the problems more difficult.

Health Care, Education Key

Edit Bauer's report emphasises the need to protect not punish the victims. It stresses the need to take into account all forms of human trafficking - such as illegal adoption and the selling of human organs.

It calls for more EU members to implement the 2004 directive on issuing residence permits to victims (only two states have adopted it). In addition, access to health care, education and legal advice should be made more readily available to victims. More international cooperation between Europol, the United Nations, NGO's in the field and the EU's border Agency "Frontex" is also needed.

MEPs also asked the European Commission to investigate the links between the legalisation of prostitution and human trafficking. In the debate Swedish Liberal Maria Carlshamre of the Women's Committee said "more than 90% of the girls in the sex industry in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, where prostitution is legal, are from abroad. How can you know that a girl is doing it of her own free will?"

British Green Jean Lambert, who gave an opinion on the subject for Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee said "we have seen evidence of workers who have no rights. They may be beaten and sometimes even left to die. Demand for low-cost workers contributes to human trafficking. Even if costs may be driven down, it happens at the expense of human dignity, labour standards, health and safety measures."