People are being trafficked all around us — it's time to act
Victims of trafficking who are coerced into crime and slavery can be prosecuted for crimes they were made commit as result of their trafficking. And this stops victims coming forward to report human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a uniquely brutal crime, requiring a specific State response. It happens all around us, in our big cities, and our small towns, with victims often in plain sight. Agriculture, hospitality, and fishing industries, domestic work, and nail, hair and beauty salons are high-risk work settings for labour exploitation.
It’s a profitable crime, funding and fuelling broader criminal, and sometimes terrorist, activity. And it’s unfortunately an area where criminals can often expect to evade prosecution. If we can build a picture of how and where human trafficking is happening in Ireland, and then fix gaps in the national laws and practices that identify and support victims, as well as prosecute traffickers, we will spare future victims and send a clear signal to those who traffick people that they cannot act with impunity in our country.
Today, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the organisation that I lead, publishes our second report into Human Trafficking in Ireland. As Ireland’s National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, we’re responsible for providing effective, independent and meaningful oversight of the State’s actions to combat human trafficking.
Part of our role is to call out the positive work that’s being done. There is good momentum behind the State response, with crucial legislation in development and greater understanding of the complexity of the crimes involved and the experience of victims and survivors.
One of our key recommendations to Government today is that victims of trafficking must be granted statutory protection from prosecution. Victims of trafficking who are coerced into crime and slavery can be prosecuted for crimes they were made commit as result of their trafficking. And this stops victims coming forward to report human trafficking.
In a context where reporting is already complex, this shortcoming must be addressed. I’ve heard directly from survivors of trafficking how hard the process is to get to a point of trust that enables them to report the crime that has been committed against them. Fear of prosecution cannot continue to play into this dynamic.
A separate set of our recommendations today deals with the way in which here in Ireland, there is a problematic overlap with trafficking and international protection. This includes the housing of victims in the wholly unsuitable setting of Direct Provision when what is needed is a trauma-informed gender-specific accommodations solution for those exiting trafficking situations.
Victims’ immigration status should also not be a deterrent to them coming forward. Indeed, the hearing of asylum claims must be a part of the wrap-around service that we provide for those who come forward.
The official data available to us indicates that trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is the most prevalent form of exploitation in Ireland.
One of the most insidious trends we’ve observed is the rise of technology usage by sex- traffickers. Increasingly, they’re using the internet to recruit and control victims, advertise services, communicate with clients, and coordinate their operations.
Multiple actors are implicated in the criminal distribution chain of trafficking for sexual exploitation, including recruiters, pimps, prostitution agencies, websites and social media platforms advertising the ‘products’ to the consumers. All of these actors boost their profits from the sexual exploitation of others. Just think about that for a minute. Not only are people’s lives destroyed by trafficking, but individuals and organisations line their pockets as a result of that hurt and destruction.
So what can we do in the face of runaway technology and people who have the expertise and money to exploit it?
The Government needs to urgently raise public awareness of these crimes, with the development of national campaigns targeted at demand. This includes addressing the risk of young women being groomed on social networks, as well as dissuading young men from becoming potential buyers. Online platforms also need to be held to account by establishing civil and criminal liability for facilitating or allowing criminal acts.
Despite these challenges, the use of technology also provides opportunities to support the investigation and ultimately the successful prosecution of sex trafficking cases.
Our report today makes multiple recommendations on how we can do this, including targeting demand, using technological investigation tools, law reform, and increased prevention and detection methods. The UN 2030 Agenda calls for us globally to “take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking”.
Ireland can grow to be a leader in this space, but only if we face up to the reality of human trafficking in our society and what we as a State need to do to combat it.
A robust identification system, reliable collection of data, service providers who understand the lived experience of victims and survivors — these are all crucial components in that State response.
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