MODERN SLAVERY & HUMAN TRAFFICKING DURING COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with several constraints, welcoming new ways to carry out our day-to-day activities.
To reduce the
spread of the virus, several measures have been introduced including lockdowns, social distancing, travel restrictions and limitations on economic and public activities.
Although these enforcements have increased police visibility and possibly discouraged crimes, much of the criminal activity
can continue behind closed doors.
In trafficking in persons, criminals have adjusted their approach, by abusing modern technologies.
Given
the
restriction of movement, reduction of social and public services and diversion of law enforcement resources, victims of human trafficking have less chance of escape and receiving help.
As several countries begin to ease their lockdown, human trafficking is bound to remain a significant problem as traffickers take advantage of the high number of job losses, deaths in the family and limitations on resources and economic opportunities.
The
Salvation
Army
globally
will
slowly
resume activities through the corps, projects and programme; it is our commitment to continue responding to the issue through these activities in order to prevent and protect our communities from trafficking in persons and modern-day slavery.
WHO MAY BE VULNERABLE TO TRAFFICKING?
During the pandemic,
women are more likely to lose their jobs or unable to go to work .
For example,
women who work in garment factories, hospitality and farming have lost their jobs given the lack of demand and halt in trading.
For women who are self-employed, they are less likely to receive low interest loans and
small business grants to re-start their business. Africa claimed they could not pay their loans.
For instance, 24% of self-employed women in Sub-Saharan
Women are also more likely to be involved in unpaid work, such
as domestic chores and child care, which is expected to increase as a result of lockdowns and the need to WOMEN
Limited financial access and the struggle for survival can in fact lead women to accept risky job offers from human traffickers. stay at home – as such, women can be also be restricted from going to work.
With travel restrictions and countries closing their borders, migrant workers cannot go home. may
even
be
unregistered
access to public support.
which
makes
their
situation
much
more
complex
and
may
go
Some
unrecognised
for
In Thailand however, some undocumented migrants are entitled to benefits but are
afraid to claim this in fear that if they file a complaint against their employer, they will lose their jobs after the lockdown is eased. are
reluctant
to
make
Others are dependent on their employers but with the economy on standby, employers financial
expenses
and
investments.
In
countries
such
as
Dubai,
Hong
Kong
and
the
MIGRANT WORKERS
Philippines
for
instance,
seafarers
have
been
abandoned
by
their
employers
leaving
them
with
no
pay
or
The sheer desperation for survival and to provide for their families back home, migrant workers may resort to opportunities proposed by traffickers. benefits.
Domestic
workers
are
particularly
vulnerable
to
exploitation,
violence
and
abuse.
In
countries
where
the
Kafala system is employed, domestic workers are exposed to labour exploitation as they are bound to their employers who have the power to withhold or deny pay and work permits.
During the lockdown, domestic
workers are confined indoors and may be obliged to work longer hours
since entire families and children
are staying at home or may be forced to take care of sick family members without the appropriate protection, DOMESTIC WORKERS
putting themselves at risk of catching Covid-19. care)
is
also
limited
for
domestic
workers
Access to social security (i.e. no sick pay, access to health
meaning
that
some
may
never
be
entitled
to
any
health/medical
due to their status. A d d i t i o n a l l y , domestic workers may also find themselves at higher risk of further violence and abuse by their employers. related treatment
School closures have blocked access to education and a source of food and shelter for some.
This can
force children onto the streets in search for food and money, thus making them vulnerable for exploitation.
For traffickers lurking online, this is a prime opportunity to groom children and manipulate them to perform sexual activities. Classes
Such CHILDREN
have
now
attempts
involved
where
moved
have the
online
been
with
identified
trafficker
pays
children
as
them
spending
“delivery” to
or
perform
more
time
“drive-thru”
sexual
acts
on
the
services.
on
the
internet.
In
child
some –
this
cases, is
parents
known
as
are
online
also child
sexual exploitation.
Those
with
disabilities
and
learning
difficulties
are
already
vulnerable
to
trafficking
and
the
Covid-19
Lockdown has increased isolation and dependence for people with disabilities meaning that victims already in exploitation are likely to face further violence and abuse. pandemic only enhances their risks.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITES
Furthermore,
messaging
of
trafficking
often
overlooks
people
rescue operations and support provisions available to them.
with
disabilities,
and
this
can
influence
the
SPOTTING THE SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND/OR EXPLOITATION
If you are aware or anyone in your community and/or stakeholders have expressed the following, it may be an indication of human trafficking and/or exploitation:
SPOTTING THE
SIGNS
OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND/OR EXPLOITATION IN ADULTS
• New or unknown persons entering a property at a single time, with no sign of exit after a few hours • New or unknown persons working on fields, farms and factories, despite the lockdown • Controlled movement of an individual or groups of people • Allow others to speak for them when being addressed (for example when law enforcers stop and ask questions during lockdown) • Forced begging on the streets • Cuts, bruises, wounds and injuries as a result of physical and/domestic violence
SPOTTING THE
VULNERABILITIES
OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING &/OR EXPLOITATION IN ADULTS
• Acceptance of a job that requires travelling to the city or abroad
SPOTTING THE
SIGNS
OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND/OR EXPLOITATION IN CHILDREN
• Talking about new friends met online • Receiving several calls or messages from their new friend • Becoming withdrawn and secretive • Children appearing guarded around a particular individual • Children appearing withdrawn, anxious or frightened • Children looking unkempt and not changing their clothes • Becoming worried for being away from an electronic device for long periods of time • Talking about any gifts or money they have received online
SPOTTING THE
VULNERABILITIES
OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING &/OR EXPLOITATION IN CHILDREN
• A child with an abusive parent(s) • A child who has had their education to be paid for
• Someone looking to borrow money • Someone who is looking for reference to create a passport or travel documents
• A child who cannot go to school as they are the main carer in their family • A child whose parent(s) has health needs
• Someone who is finding it difficult to purchase food for the family • Someone with family members in the city or abroad that are looking for hired help • Migrant workers who have returned to their home country and are in search of a job
SPOTTING THE
METHODS
OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING &/OR EXPLOITATION IN ADULTS
• Someone who offers a job in the city or abroad • Someone who offers to pay for having any travel documents made • Someone who offers romantic gifts and promises of a better lifestyle • Someone who uses persuasive language/emotional blackmail • Someone who offers a loan at a very high repayment rates or no agreed repayment status at all
• A child who may have a disintegrated family • A girl child/teenager who is the eldest sibling in the family • A child whose parent or guardian leaves home to migrate and search for work
SPOTTING THE
METHODS
OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING &/OR EXPLOITATION IN CHILDREN
• Someone who encourages parents to send their child to the city or abroad and offers to pay for a child’s education • Someone who requests for a girl child/teenage daughter’s hand in marriage • Someone who encourages a child to keep to themselves through persuasive language/emotional blackmail
HOW ARE OTHER ORGANISATIONS RESPONDING TO THE ISSUE?
monitoring t h e s i t u a t i o n t h r o u g h t h e i r g l o b a l p a r t n e r s a n d f i e l d o f f i c e . u n i t s t o g e t supportive e q u i p m e n t a n d a s s i s t i n g c o u n t r i e s i n evaluating
The UNODC are constantly helping anti-trafficking
It has escalated their support such as the
impact
of
the
crisis
in
regards
to
resources available for trafficked victims, law enforcement and justice systems.
IOM Thailand are working closely with migrants by food
and
supplies
understand
the
at
needs
border and
points
and
challenges
to
distributing
vulnerable
faced
by
IEC materials on Covid-19 at Immigration Detention Centres, distributing
migrant
migrant
families,
workers
and
conducting
supporting
the
surveys Thai
and
assessments
government
with
stakeholders
to
information
on
providing
with
medical requirements to travel in and out of the country.
Hope
For
Justice
are
switching
from
conducting
larger
community
prevention
and
in-person
training
sessions
to
Self-groups
and
online
trainings . support
The Walk Free Foundation have launched 246 cash transfer programmes in 124 countries to risk
of
human
trafficking
and
modern
slavery
during
the
Covid-19
crisis.
Phone
surveys
are
vulnerable populations and those at
being
conducted
with
beneficiaries
to
understand the effectiveness of this approach.
identifying
Love Justice International are
potential victims who are looking for jobs, through contact tracing on Facebook job sites.
The
Facebook job ads and pages are scoured by Love Justice International, looking for people who have publicly posted their phone numbers to express their availability for employment.
These
individuals
are
then
contacted
by
Love
Justice
International
where
they
are
taught
about how human traffickers use online forums to post fake employment opportunities and recruit their victims for exploitation.
In
Sudan,
community
health
workers
trained
by
Relief
International
conducting
are
door
to
door
visits
and
distributing
information
on
Covid-19 to refugees and displaced families.
EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE SALVATION ARMY INTERNATIONALLY ARE DOING
In
Kenya ,
anti-trafficking
prevention
work
has
moved
to
spaces
that
hopes
to
reach
many
people
at
once
such
as
using
social
media and billboards.
At our shelter for trafficked survivors in
Tanzania ,
they have moved from group therapy to more intensive one-on-one art therapy
with the children. The projects team are in daily phone contact with children who have been repatriated back with their families. The
projects
team
are
also
working
with
partners
to
distribute
emergency
income
generation
activity
packs
where
a
family
is
in
crisis.
In
Bangladesh ,
we work with women in brothels.
The brothels have now closed due to the pandemic and we know that some of
these women returned to their communities due to lack of work and activity. they are out of the brothel and to help them to stay out of the brothel.
We are thinking about how to engage them now that
Staff have been given extra phone credit to communicate
with the women on a regular basis.
In Mizoram ( societies,
India East ) ,
community
The Salvation Army anti-trafficking projects team have been involved in local taskforces consisting of civil
groups,
local
government
and
NGOs,
to
respond
to
Covid-19
and
share
the
message
of
human
trafficking
during times of crisis.
At our life-skills centre for orphans in social
distancing,
the
programme
has
Ukraine , had
to
beneficiaries would be able to come and go as and when but given guidelines for
restrict
the
number
of
beneficiaries
entering
the
centre
and
implement
safety
and
protection measures.
In Lesotho,
South Africa ,
we are in conversation with some girls in the town about getting food parcels distributed to them so that
they do not have to prostitute themselves.
We are also doing alot more social media statements.
THE SALVATION ARMY MINIMUM RESPONSE
Maintain communication with community members and engage in conversation about human trafficking and modern slavery
In your conversations with community members, listen out for the signs of human trafficking, vulnerabilities and methods used by traffickers
Ensure community members have necessary details to report any cases of trafficking
Utilise online platforms to share awareness messages
Ensure there is regular contact with people who we are supporting that are survivors of human trafficking and/or exploitation
FURTHER GUIDANCE ON HOW TO RESPOND
Before
acting,
consider
the
safety
and
risks
involved
to
the
trafficked
victim
and
their
family,
the
community. Be aware as traffickers have many profiles and can be lurking around in the community.
response
organisation
and
also
the
wider
They can be men, women, young, old and even
minors.
PREVENTION
PROSECUTION •
Ensure
law
enforcers,
such
as
the
police
and
border
•
Maintain
communication
controls are trained on human trafficking and are aware
leaders
and
of the indicators of trafficking.
conversation
other
with
community
stakeholders
about
human
and
trafficking
members,
engage and
in
modern
slavery • In your conversations, listen out for the signs of human trafficking,
vulnerabilities
and
methods
used
by
traffickers •
Raise
awareness
of
human
trafficking
utilising
online
platforms to share awareness messages during this time
POLICY
PARTNERSHIP •
Coordinate
with
organisations
who
are
responding
to
incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) to ensure they aware
of
the
risks
of
exploitation
and
trafficking
• Advocate for equal access for government incentives during this time.
that
women and girls may face.
PROOF •
PRAYER
Conduct
assessments
context to
identify
specific, any
new
or
gender-sensitive increased,
shared
•
This
is
an
modern
essential
practice
slavery and human
in
the
fight
against
trafficking.
and differentiated vulnerability for men and women.
PROTECTION
PARTICIPATION
• Arrange distribution of hygiene and sanitisation kits to
•
counter
already
the
and
other
may
live
risk
infections
accommodation
.
adequate
of
Ensure basic
these
needs
in
safe
where
houses,
trafficked
accommodations
including
food
shelters survivors
also
and
have
washing
facilities.
Maintain in
mediums
Whatsapp.
the If
a
survivors phone visit
is
who
and
are
other
mandatory,
• Introduce community responsive risks to prevent human
such
etc.)
there
that
may
may
be
reduce
trafficked
risks
to
specific
persons,
e.g.
areas
brothels,
factories, farms. Review
as
trafficked
through
local or national government.
trafficking
how
with
care,
respect any social distancing instructions set out by the
sanitizer,
•
our
such
• Increase distributions of equipment (e.g. clean water,
where
contact
can
and
exploitation
provision
of
referral
continue
mechanisms
considering
and
anticipate
social
distancing
measures and possible scale-down of activities. • Where outreach activities cannot be carried out due to restriction of movement or lockdown, replace these with other means of identification of victims and reporting of trafficking cases i.e. a helpline.
i.e.
targeted
food/food
interventions
vouchers
and
strengthening groups to be able to adapt and continue (women’s self-help groups).
existing
these
as
FIND OUT MORE
The information contained within this document have been extracted from the following references:
Clare Wenham, Julia Smith, & Rosemary Morgan: ‘COVID-19: The Gendered Impacts Of The Outbreak,’ The Lancet, March 2020, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30526-2/fulltext
Gender Based Violence Area of Responsibility – Global Protection Cluster, Anti-Trafficking Task Team: ‘Trafficking in Persons (TIP) considerations in internal displacement contexts’, March 2020 https://gbvaor.net/sites/default/files/2020-04/GPC-Task-Team-on-Anti-Trafficking_COVIDguidance_final_SM.pdf
Giammarinaro, M. G. (8 June 2020) ‘Covid-19 Position Paper: The impact and consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on trafficked and exploited persons’ UN Human Rights Special Procedures https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Trafficking/COVID-19-Impact-trafficking.pdf
Guidance by The Children’s Society: ‘Online Exploitation’ https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/tackling-criminal-exploitationand-county-lines/staying-safe-online
Guidance by The Children’s Society: ‘Being the eyes and ears: spotting signs of abuse and neglect during Covid-19 lockdown’ https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/news-and-blogs/our-blog/being-the-eyes-and-ears-spotting-signs-of-abuse-while-schools-are-closed
Hope for Justice: ‘Covid-19 and potential implications on human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery internationally’ http://hopeforjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Hope-for-Justice-2020.-Covid-19-and-potential-implications-on-human-trafficking-andother-forms-of-modern-slavery-internationally.pdf
Hope for Justice: ‘Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Update: How Hope for Justice is responding’ https://hopeforjustice.org/news/2020/03/covid-19coronavirus-update-how-hope-for-justice-is-responding/
ILO: (16 June 2020)
‘Livelihoods of more than 55 million domestic workers at risk due to Covid-19’ https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-
ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_748093/lang--en/index.htm
IOM Thailand Covid -19 response https://thailand.iom.int/iom-thailand-covid-19-response
Love Justice International: ‘Innovative Strategies to Stop Human Trafficking in the Midst of COVID-19’ https://www.lovejustice.ngo/blog/innovativestrategies-to-stop-human-trafficking-in-the-midst-of-covid-19
Online meeting by the Gender and Development Network: VAWG, Humanitarian, Disability and Programmes Working groups.
Date of meeting: 4 June
2020
Relief International: ‘Live Updates: Go Inside Relief International’s Response to COVID-19 Pandemic’ https://www.ri.org/coronavirus/
UN Development Group (UNDG) Western and Central Africa: ‘Socio-Economic Impact of Ebola Virus Disease In West African Countries,’
UNDG,
February 2015, https://www.undp.org/content/dam/rba/docs/Reports/ebola-west-africa.pdf
United Nations University: ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Modern Slavery’ April 2020 https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-modernslavery
UN News: ‘COVID-19 crisis putting human trafficking victims at risk of further exploitation, experts warn’ https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1063342
UNODC: ‘COVID-19 crisis putting human trafficking victims at risk of further exploitation, experts warn’ https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1063342
Walk Free Foundation: ‘Exploring Cash Transfers in the time of Covid-19’ https://www.minderoo.org/promising-practices/news/cash-transfers-inthe-time-of-covid-19/
Webinar by USAID Asia CTIP project and Freedom Collaborative ‘COVID-19 Rapid Response: Updates from Thailand’. Date of Webinar: 12 May 2020
Webinar by Liberty Shared and USAID on ‘Impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable migrant workers in Malaysia’.
Date of Webinar: 29 April 2020