How to Enhance Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region
Repatriation and reintegration of victims of trafficking. How to best
assess risks and prevent re-victimization?
19 March 2014
Jaana Sipilä, Project Coordinator
IOM Helsinki, Finland
IOM Counter-Trafficking
www.iom.int www.iom.fi
Recommendations
REINTEGRATION
ASSISTANCE
Building trust
Tailoring
Flexibility
Long-term
Recommendation I
“More detailed information on
local context, family, social and
economic situation plus the up-todate wider information on all
forms of support, either
governmental or NGOs, available
to returning VoTs will help to
decrease risk of re-victimization
and make more efficient use of our
reintegration funds.”
IOM Warsaw
“…thoroughly conducting predeparture risk-assessment
together with the returnee
and the social worker”
IOM Helsinki
“In terms of repatriation and
reintegration VoTs, it is important
to understand who is a VoT.”
IOM Tallinn
IDENTIFICATION
Victims
“There is a need for clear,
factual and realistic counselling
on available services as well as
requirements and procedures
for getting the support.”
IOM Copenhagen
Needs
Risks
“It is important to give potential
VoT-returnees as realistic a
picture as possible of what may
expect them upon return.”
IOM Oslo
“Given their particular
vulnerability, unaccompanied
children exposed to trafficking
require special attention and
support, regardless of their
nationality or background. The
best interest of the child will be
the key consideration.”
IOM Helsinki (Sweden)
Recommendation II
“Due to the traumatic experiences of
exploitation, some victims do not fully
acknowledge their problems and
needs at the identification stage and
revert later for assistance.”
“Trying to avoid re-victimization
of returning VoTs is often a hard
and long journey.”
IOM Bratislava
IOM Chisinau
REINTEGRATION
ASSISTANCE
“… (there is) a need to apply
some measure of support to
dependents as well as this can
have a direct effect on the
reintegration of the actual
victim.”
Building trust
Tailoring
Flexibility
Long-term
“…we have noted that
victims keep coming back to
their IOM focal points
months or years after they
have returned.”
IOM Copenhagen
IOM Copenhagen
“…it is important to keep the individually tailored assistance
programme open for VoTs and their family members, taking into
consideration all of their needs, regardless of time period that has
passed since they entered assistance programme.”
IOM Chisinau
Recommendation III
“Re-victimization can only truly
be prevented by improving the
victim’s socio-economic status
and by providing an alternative
for emigration (providing
support for education, finding a
job, etc.)”
IOM Helsinki
FAMILY & SOCIETY
Social reintegration
“…pay maximum attention to
both aspects: psycho-social
inclusion into the family (group
counselling, etc.) and ensure
secure environment (society,
recruiters, etc.)”
IOM Chisinau
Economic
empowerment
“..avoid unnecessary
stigmatization or raising of
unnecessary curiosity from
family/community members.”
Networks & partners
IOM Chisinau
“Another important factor is a very
good network of helping
organizations and institutions
providing particular kinds of help.”
IOM Bratislava
“…being economically
empowered will provide a
status to younger women &
girls and ultimately help them
reintegrate back to their family
& society.”
IOM Kathmandu
Thank you
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Helsinki, Finland
Jaana Sipilä, Project Coordinator
jsipila@iom.int/ +358 50 4140803