30 July: World Anti-Trafficking Day
World Day against Trafficking in Human Beings is today, as it is established to be 30 July, each year, with this year's World Day against Trafficking in Human Beings, dedicated to the officers and agencies who are first called upon to provide assistance to victims of trafficking in persons and to tackle the phenomenon. These are people working in various fields, on the front line, identifying, supporting, guiding victims, providing justice to victims and arresting and prosecuting traffickers and traffickers.
What is trafficking in persons?
Trafficking in persons is the modern form of slavery
Trafficking in persons shall include the recruitment, transport and/or harboring of persons for the purpose of their exploitation, in particular sexual, forced labour or economic exploitation.
Traffickers control their victims through threats, violence, deception, deceit or threats of use of force against relatives and friends of victims
More often, traffickers control their victims by creating virtual debt to them
The hidden nature of the offence of trafficking in persons and the involvement of organised crime networks make it very difficult to assess its true dimensions.
The majority of victims of trafficking in human beings are women and children
Where does it come from?
Don't turn a blind eye to human trafficking
Human trafficking can happen anywhere when there is a demand for services. It can happen both in the cities and in the most remote areas and villages of Cyprus. It's probably happening in your closed society. So don't turn a blind eye to human trafficking.
If it comes to your attention or you know anything that makes you think it's probably human trafficking, contact the police, even if you want to remain anonymous.
Deeper causes
The root causes of the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings in our country include the increased demand for cheap labour, the poverty of the victims, their low educational level, the lack of employment opportunities in their countries, inequality and discrimination on grounds of sex and nationality as well as our own tolerance and ignorance
Trafficking in persons - Identifying victims
How to identify a victim
The victim appears unable to communicate in the local language, even in English
He doesn't have any money or access to money.
Shows bruises on his body or other signs of violence
He has no freedom of movement and is not free to leave his workplace
It shows signs of control, intimidation and unnatural psychological fear.
He doesn't know where his travel documents are.
It almost never moves alone, but with the escort of other people who may be the traffickers.
How a victim reacts
She doesn't realize she's a victim of human trafficking.
He probably doesn't present himself as a person who needs the help of government agencies and in particular welfare services because he has a place to live, food, health care and a job to earn money, as he understands it.
Reacts with fear, suspicion, skepticism, mistrust, hesitation and hostility
He's learned to treat the authorities with disbelief.
A victim from different social and ethnic backgrounds may feel fear and not trust the authorities and the police (e.g. fear of deportation)
He is completely unaware of his rights or is intentionally misinformed about his rights in Cyprus
He doesn't see the police with positivity.
Victims can be identified
Working in restaurants
Working in cabarets, pubs, bars, etc.
Working as caregivers
Working as domestic workers
Working in factories
Working on farms
Working in the agricultural sector
Working on construction sites
Begging in the streets
Selling items at traffic lights
Open your eyes
Trafficking in persons can also happen in our own community, in our own space, without us realizing it. The reason we do not understand its existence is because we have not yet understood what this crime is and what its nature is.
We must first understand what human trafficking is and then help our family members as well as our friends understand it. Through knowledge and awareness of this issue we will all contribute together in preventing and addressing it.
That's what we have to do. We must first help the victims in our own environment, thereby helping to prevent the exploitation of more victims.
Myths and misunderstandings
The victim knew what he was going to do.
The victim committed illegal acts.
The victim was paid for services
The victim had freedom of movement.
There were opportunities for him to escape, but he didn't.
Cypriots cannot be victims and cannot be trafficked
The actions of traffickers are legal
It's not trafficking when the victim and the trafficker are having an affair or are married.
Let's remember
Trafficking in persons is a serious crime of violation of the human rights of the victim
Only with our contribution will these individuals be able to help themselves, who cannot help themselves.
Together we can stop the trafficking and exploitation of persons!
Together we can put an end to this.
Let's not hesitate.
Let's inform the police.
1460 Citizen's Line
22-808063 Office for combating trafficking in persons
22-802222 Nicosia Crime Detection Department
25-805057 Limassol Crime Detection Department
24-804060 Larnaca Crime Detection Department
23-803040 Famagusta Crime Detection Department
26-806021 Paphos Crime Detection Department
