Edi Mujaj
Senior Adviser
Council of the Baltic Sea States, Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (CBSS, TF-THB)
The current Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, resulting directly from the unprovoked aggression and war waged by Putin against Ukraine, has increased the human trafficking risks in our region. The need for both immediate action and a long-term strategy to assist and protect displaced Ukrainians, and prevent them from being exploited in human trafficking, is urgent and should be a political priority for all states in the region. There is however important to also address the role of ‘demand’ as the driving factor behind this serious crime.
Human trafficking, being one of the most serious crimes and violations of the human rights and dignity of a person, is first and foremost a threat to those victimized by it but it also poses a great threat for our states and institutions. The ongoing war against Ukraine has devastating consequences to the Ukrainian people and has increased the human trafficking risks in the Baltic Sea Region. Being the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, with millions of Ukrainians currently displaced and registered across the continent, the Baltic Sea Region is faced with a situation that has required immediate action and the activation of all services available by both the institutions and civil society.
The displacement of several million Ukrainians in the region has required a unified response from the member states of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and its Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings to prevent the exploitation of arriving refugees and to assist those who have been victimized in the conflict zone, during transit or upon arrival to a new country. To address the needs of the refugees, and in particular the most vulnerable such as women and children, increased attention needs to be paid to their long-term protection, including aspects of labour and social integration.
Although the swift activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive likely managed to mitigate some of the foreseen risks related to the exploitation of refugees, we must keep in mind that the traffickers work tirelessly to exploit the immediate vulnerabilities of newly arrived migrants as well as taking advantage of challenges faced by migrants in the longer run. While paying attention to the criminal networks and the modus applied, we need to also keep in mind the role of demand.
Indications and reports from the Baltic Sea Region states, institutions, and NGOs since the start of the Russian aggression, provide numerous examples of organized crime groups and networks in Europe taking advantage of the current vulnerabilities of displaced Ukrainians and attempting to supply the sex industry with vulnerable women. Ranging from direct recruitment attempts targeting displaced Ukrainian women and their children arriving at both border crossings and train stations, to various offers to Ukrainian women for jobs at brothels posing as “night clubs”, it is evident that there is a clear demand in our states to take advantage of and exploit vulnerable women and children and that there are criminals ready to ensure the supply.
A likely increase in the prevalence of trafficked women from Ukraine can also be noted since the start of the war. During an anti-trafficking operation carried out by the Swedish Police Authority in March 2022 – only weeks after the start of the war and displacement of millions of Ukrainians – 30 of 38 the individuals arrested for purchasing sexual services, had purchased sex from Ukrainian women. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reports that the online exploitation risks have increased as well, noting that global search traffic only months after the start of the war showed that searches for “Ukrainian escorts”, “Ukrainian porn” and even “Ukrainian refugee porn” increased with between 200-600%.
Although broad segments of our societies demonstrate solidarity and compassion towards the Ukrainian displaced persons in our region, far too many view the current circumstances as an opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities of other individuals.
Preventing and fighting human trafficking requires a gender-sensitive approach, a strong victim-perspective, as well as a strong law-enforcement perspective. The victims should be guaranteed long-term support and protection, regardless of exploitation form, origin, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. Simultaneously, the perpetrators must be prosecuted and convicted for the gross violations of human rights they are guilty of.
However, we need to acknowledge first and foremost that without the demand to sexually exploit women and children against payment of various forms, human trafficking as we know it would not exist. The existing demand in our region, and in Europe as such, for exploiting women requires that organized crime networks regularly and effectively supply the human trafficking businesses and schemes with women and children. Partly going hand in hand with push-factors such as poverty, war and armed conflicts and migration flows occurring due to crises and climate change, demand is the main pull-factor explaining the prevalence of human trafficking and exploitation in our region. This reality requires a response from the states and institutions.
When we successfully manage to counter demand, the financial models and businesses that fuels human trafficking are disrupted and the options for those considering to engage in this criminal activity are limited. This also means that addressing demand must not be limited solely to legislative measures holding exploiters accountable. We also need to address related social and cultural factors that can explain why and to which degree demand exists.
This requires a community-based discussion and awareness on the importance of fighting demand, also including stakeholders with the power of raising public awareness, such as media and journalists. How do we discuss these issues from an early age? What effects does the commodification of women’s bodies in social media and in our information-flows have? What role does media have in shaping the understanding of human trafficking and related exploitation? These are questions we need to engage in jointly.
The Council of the Baltic Sea States have since 2018 worked intensely to raise the awareness among students of journalism in the Baltic Sea Region and Ukraine on human trafficking and demand. To date, over 800 students have participated in our national trainings and seminars on human trafficking. Our work to inform the journalists of tomorrow about the threat that organized crime and human trafficking poses to our states and the destructive, yet powerful, role demand has behind this phenomenon, continues.
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the displacement of millions of Ukrainians has resulted in both unified and amplified measures from the Council of the Baltic Sea States and its member states to exchange information on trafficking developments, produce awareness raising efforts and campaigns as well as develop hands-on tools for frontline workers in the region who might encounter presumed victims of human trafficking.
Although some improvements can be noted in the anti-trafficking work regionally and globally, the current challenges are grave. It is more important than ever for real political will and leadership to once and for all eradicate human trafficking in the Baltic Seas Region, as well as a joint discussion on innovative measures addressing the demand as a driver behind this serious crime.
Human trafficking, being one of the most serious crimes and violations of the human rights and dignity of a person, is first and foremost a threat to those victimized by it but it also poses a great threat for our states and institutions. The ongoing war against Ukraine has devastating consequences to the Ukrainian people and has increased the human trafficking risks in the Baltic Sea Region. Being the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, with millions of Ukrainians currently displaced and registered across the continent, the Baltic Sea Region is faced with a situation that has required immediate action and the activation of all services available by both the institutions and civil society.
The displacement of several million Ukrainians in the region has required a unified response from the member states of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and its Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings to prevent the exploitation of arriving refugees and to assist those who have been victimized in the conflict zone, during transit or upon arrival to a new country. To address the needs of the refugees, and in particular the most vulnerable such as women and children, increased attention needs to be paid to their long-term protection, including aspects of labour and social integration.
Although the swift activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive likely managed to mitigate some of the foreseen risks related to the exploitation of refugees, we must keep in mind that the traffickers work tirelessly to exploit the immediate vulnerabilities of newly arrived migrants as well as taking advantage of challenges faced by migrants in the longer run. While paying attention to the criminal networks and the modus applied, we need to also keep in mind the role of demand.
Indications and reports from the Baltic Sea Region states, institutions, and NGOs since the start of the Russian aggression, provide numerous examples of organized crime groups and networks in Europe taking advantage of the current vulnerabilities of displaced Ukrainians and attempting to supply the sex industry with vulnerable women. Ranging from direct recruitment attempts targeting displaced Ukrainian women and their children arriving at both border crossings and train stations, to various offers to Ukrainian women for jobs at brothels posing as “night clubs”, it is evident that there is a clear demand in our states to take advantage of and exploit vulnerable women and children and that there are criminals ready to ensure the supply.
A likely increase in the prevalence of trafficked women from Ukraine can also be noted since the start of the war. During an anti-trafficking operation carried out by the Swedish Police Authority in March 2022 – only weeks after the start of the war and displacement of millions of Ukrainians – 30 of 38 the individuals arrested for purchasing sexual services, had purchased sex from Ukrainian women. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reports that the online exploitation risks have increased as well, noting that global search traffic only months after the start of the war showed that searches for “Ukrainian escorts”, “Ukrainian porn” and even “Ukrainian refugee porn” increased with between 200-600%.
Although broad segments of our societies demonstrate solidarity and compassion towards the Ukrainian displaced persons in our region, far too many view the current circumstances as an opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities of other individuals.
Preventing and fighting human trafficking requires a gender-sensitive approach, a strong victim-perspective, as well as a strong law-enforcement perspective. The victims should be guaranteed long-term support and protection, regardless of exploitation form, origin, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. Simultaneously, the perpetrators must be prosecuted and convicted for the gross violations of human rights they are guilty of.
However, we need to acknowledge first and foremost that without the demand to sexually exploit women and children against payment of various forms, human trafficking as we know it would not exist. The existing demand in our region, and in Europe as such, for exploiting women requires that organized crime networks regularly and effectively supply the human trafficking businesses and schemes with women and children. Partly going hand in hand with push-factors such as poverty, war and armed conflicts and migration flows occurring due to crises and climate change, demand is the main pull-factor explaining the prevalence of human trafficking and exploitation in our region. This reality requires a response from the states and institutions.
When we successfully manage to counter demand, the financial models and businesses that fuels human trafficking are disrupted and the options for those considering to engage in this criminal activity are limited. This also means that addressing demand must not be limited solely to legislative measures holding exploiters accountable. We also need to address related social and cultural factors that can explain why and to which degree demand exists.
This requires a community-based discussion and awareness on the importance of fighting demand, also including stakeholders with the power of raising public awareness, such as media and journalists. How do we discuss these issues from an early age? What effects does the commodification of women’s bodies in social media and in our information-flows have? What role does media have in shaping the understanding of human trafficking and related exploitation? These are questions we need to engage in jointly.
The Council of the Baltic Sea States have since 2018 worked intensely to raise the awareness among students of journalism in the Baltic Sea Region and Ukraine on human trafficking and demand. To date, over 800 students have participated in our national trainings and seminars on human trafficking. Our work to inform the journalists of tomorrow about the threat that organized crime and human trafficking poses to our states and the destructive, yet powerful, role demand has behind this phenomenon, continues.
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the displacement of millions of Ukrainians has resulted in both unified and amplified measures from the Council of the Baltic Sea States and its member states to exchange information on trafficking developments, produce awareness raising efforts and campaigns as well as develop hands-on tools for frontline workers in the region who might encounter presumed victims of human trafficking.
Although some improvements can be noted in the anti-trafficking work regionally and globally, the current challenges are grave. It is more important than ever for real political will and leadership to once and for all eradicate human trafficking in the Baltic Seas Region, as well as a joint discussion on innovative measures addressing the demand as a driver behind this serious crime.