Transcarpathians were told how to avoid becoming a victim of human trafficking

Every year, on July 30, the world community celebrates the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. It was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2013 to increase public awareness of this global problem, to draw attention to the plight of millions of women, men and children from all over the world who are victims of trafficking, and to encourage people to actively help and resist this crime.

As told at the briefing in the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration by the head of the Transcarpathian women’s NGO "Vesta" Inna Szabados, human trafficking is a highly profitable and global criminal industry in the world. In terms of profitability, it is behind only drug trafficking and trade of weapons.  "During the period from 1991 until now, according to the International Organization for Migration, more than 160,000 Ukrainians have become victims of trafficking in persons. Ukraine has been mostly the trafficked persons supply or transit country, but today Ukraine is also a destination country with a high risk of domestic exploitation. The military conflict, as in similar situations in other countries, promotes trafficking in its various forms. The difficult financial situation of citizens encourages them to seek employment outside Ukraine, where due to their ignorance, they can also become victims of human trafficking – Inna Szabados says. – Women, men and children can become victims of this crime in its various forms, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, forced begging, organ harvesting, etc.".

  According to Inna Szabados, during the 2015, the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine revealed 740 victims of trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation in 16 countries, particularly in Ukraine, and provided them with assistance.

During the nationwide campaign "Together against human trafficking in Ukraine", Transcarpathians were told how to avoid becoming victims of human trafficking. Representatives of the women’s NGO "Vesta" together with specialists from the Department of Social Welfare of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration were distributing at the railway station and the bus station materials on safe migration and protection of victims of trafficking. In particular, they informed about the first and only nationwide toll-free anti-trafficking number 527. The calls to this number are directed to the free national information service of the International Organization for Migration.

Professional operators of the hotline provide advice and warnings about finding work abroad, and can help people suffering exploitation abroad