The information campaign "Spot the Threat of Trafficking in Human Beings!" organised by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the Office) is coming to an end. Within the framework of the campaign, various activities have been implemented to raise awareness among Ukrainian civilians living in Latvia about the possible risks of trafficking in human beings and preventive measures.
The campaign provides practical advice to help people protect themselves from trafficking in human beings, as well as information on where to seek help in such criminal cases. A social media and advertising campaign has been implemented providing explanatory infographics and videos to provide information on how to identify potential threats and what to do if you need help in case of trafficking in human beings. At the same time, the campaign involved ambassadors who shared on their social media accounts appeals to Ukrainian civilians living in Latvia to be cautious when looking for new job offers.
"The most common risks of labour exploitation are found in sectors where low-skilled labour is needed and there is a high share of the informal economy. In Latvia, the risks of trafficking in human beings are most frequent in sectors such as construction, agriculture, logging, food production and catering," says Maira Roze, Head of the Office, adding that in recent years there have been fewer cases of physical violence against victims, but blackmail, manipulation, threats or other methods of psychological control are used more frequently.
"At the beginning of 2024, 8.7 thousand Ukrainian nationals were registered as workers in Latvia. The materials developed in the framework of this campaign and collected in one location will continue to help Ukrainian civilians to easily find all recommendations on how to avoid trafficking in human beings," says Agnese Zīle, national coordinator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the prevention of human trafficking.
As shown by the data available at the Office, the most common forms of trafficking in human beings found in Latvia are labour exploitation, sexual exploitation and exploitative sham marriages. Sexual exploitation and exploitative sham marriages are predominantly imposed on women, while labour exploitation has a higher proportion of male victims, but women are also often subjected to this form of trafficking.
Current statistics on trafficking in human beings
In Latvia, a total of 111 victims of trafficking in human beings were identified in the period of 2021-2023, 16 of whom were third-country nationals. Although most of the victims of trafficking in human beings are Latvian nationals, the risks of exploitation of Ukrainian civilians are also increasing. Last year, 24 victims of trafficking in human beings were identified in Latvia, 15 of whom were subjected to labour exploitation, four to sexual exploitation, one to sham marriages and four to other forms of trafficking in human beings. Most of the identified victims were adults and one was a minor.
Assistance options
In cases of trafficking in human beings, you can turn to:
State Police (Phone: 112);
Society "Shelter "Safe House"" (+371 67898343, +371 28612120, drosa.maja@gmail.com);
Marta Centre (+371 67378539, centrs@marta.lv).
More information on the risks of trafficking in human beings is available on the websites of the Office and the Ministry of the Interior: www.pmlp.gov.lv and www.iem.gov.lv.
Communication campaign "Spot the Threat of Trafficking in Human Beings!" is created and funded within the framework of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2021 – 2027 Programme Project No PMLP/PMIF/2023/2 "Support measures for reception and accommodation of persons in need of international protection in Latvia (1st phase)".
Photo image from freepik.com.
