Trafficking in human beings networks are making increasing use of digital technologies and operating across several countries, if not several continents. Meeting on Wednesday 3 June at a joint public hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), European officials, magistrates and agency representatives called for the future European strategy to combat trafficking to take account of these developments. They also referred to the protection of victims and the persistent difficulties involved in identifying victims.
“All stages of exploitation are now linked to digital technology”, explained Europol’s head of the team dealing with trafficking in human beings, Nenad Nača. Criminal networks now use digital tools at every stage of their activities, such as recruitment, transport, exploitation and money laundering. And according to Nenad Nača, criminal organisations are increasingly operating in the form of cells spread across several jurisdictions, which complicates the work of the authorities.
The Europol official also stressed that the violence used by traffickers has become less visible. Criminal groups seek to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement services and favour more discreet forms of control over victims.
According to the European Anti-Trafficking Coordinator at the European Commission, Diane Schmitt, the future strategy will have to respond to the emergence of new forms of exploitation facilitated by technology. She recalled that criminal networks use digital tools to recruit and control their victims and generate profits that sometimes contribute to corruption and seep into the legal economy.
Speakers also called for stronger protection for victims, among whom women and girls form the majority in cases of sexual exploitation. In that regard, Diane Schmitt said that all stakeholders consulted in preparing the future strategy agree on one priority: placing victims at the centre of European action.
The Spanish judge specialising in gender-based violence, María Auxiliadora Díaz, advocated ensuring effective protection for victims regardless of whether a complaint has been lodged or of the victim’s administrative status. She also called for better account to be taken of the children of trafficking victims.
The identification of victims was another recurring topic during the hearing. Thus Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, pointed to significant differences between European countries in detecting victims and access to support mechanisms.
For her part, María Auxiliadora Díaz supported the creation of a European observatory devoted to trafficking in human beings. According to her, the lack of data makes it more difficult to devise appropriate public policies.
The European Commission plans to present its new strategy to combat trafficking in human beings before EU Anti-Trafficking Day, on 18 October. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)