A victim of human trafficking in Finland has in most cases fallen victim to work-related exploitation

The assistance system for victims of human trafficking, which is coordinated by the Joutseno Reception Centre, accepted 21 persons into the system in the first half of the year 2014.

The number was slightly lower than in the same period last year, when 24 persons were accepted into the system.

In June 2014, the assistance system had 77 customers from 29 different states, most of whom came from Sub-Saharan Africa or Asia. The number of EU citizens within the system was four.

In spring 2014 and 2013, the number of victims of sexual exploitation proposed for acceptance into the system was particularly high. Most of the victims of human trafficking in Finland are, however, victims of work-related trafficking, which is exceptional in international terms.

Victims of sexual exploitation have become victims before arriving in Finland

In spring 2014, more than half of the persons proposed to be accepted into the system (54%) had an African background and are suspected of having been subjected to sexual exploitation before arriving in Finland.

The victims of human trafficking within the system who come from Sub-Saharan Africa are usually victims of sexual exploitation, whereas the victims coming from North Africa, Asia and the Middle East are in most cases presumed victims of work-related exploitation.

At the beginning of 2014, there were no cases where a victim of sexual exploitation identified in Finland would have been exploited in Finland. Instead, the victims had been exploited before arriving in Finland.

The persons proposed to be included in the assistance system form only a part of the human trafficking phenomenon in Finland. It is likely that many victims of human trafficking are not identified.

The information line launched in 2013 helps authorities with identification of victims

The majority of the proposals (20) received by the assistance system for victims of human trafficking are made by authorities. The police and the reception centres are active in identifying victims of human trafficking.

At the end of 2013, the assistance system launched a 24-hour information line, which has been particularly utilised by municipal social workers. The information line offers support for both victims of trafficking and everyone who needs more information and advice on matters relating to trafficking in human beings.

A person can be proposed for acceptance into the assistance system by an authority or a private or a public service provider, such as a non-governmental organisation, which is suspecting human trafficking, or by victims themselves.

More detailed statistics available online

A more detailed report on the work of the assistance system between January and June 2014 can be found in Finnish on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service www.migri.fi under For the media > Statistics > Statistics on reception.

Further information for the media

Terhi Naumanen, Adviser, and Inkeri Mellanen, Adviser, Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking, Joutseno Reception Centre, tel. 0295 463 177, e-mail: ihmiskauppa.auttamisjarjestelma@intermin.fi

Press release of the Finnish immigration Service and the Joutseno Reception Centre 8.7.2014