Steps must be taken to protect refugees from exploitation and human trafficking

Steps to protect Ukrainian refugees from exploitation and human trafficking must be taken urgently, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has warned.

It is calling for the dissemination of information in Ukrainian on employment rights, how to report bogus offers of assistance, human trafficking, and for a stepping up of workplace inspections in key industries including hospitality and construction.

The warnings come as the commission, its role as independent rapporteur on trafficking, publishes its submission to the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator.

It says the trafficking of people, including children, for exploitation in the sex, fishing, construction, rubbish collection and car-washing industries, as well as in illegal activities, remains a “hidden but pervasive crime”.

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Key commitments to protect victims of trafficking remain unfulfilled; social workers have “gaps” in ability to identify children who many be trafficked; mechanisms to recover unpaid wages may be inadequate, and the failure to safely accommodate victims is a “chronic” problem.

"Ireland is both a destination and transition country for trafficking in persons. Overall more women than men are trafficked in Ireland, and almost all are migrants," it says.

“Certain sectors, such as hospitality, fishing, agriculture and construction may rely on the workforce of people [primarily migrant men] . . At the same time, victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are almost exclusively migrant women.”

Trafficking

Available data indicate “trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is the most encountered form of exploitation, yielding a steady stream of suspected trafficking cases over the years, which appear to have been resilient to the pandemic situation”.

Withe its publication coinciding with the exodus of millions of women and children from Ukraine and thousands arriving here, a commission spokesman said the State must "take specific actions to protect Ukrainian refugees. . .This includes through the dissemination of information on trafficking in Ukrainian, on reporting mechanisms about bogus or exploitative offers of assistance, information on employment rights, and greater workplace inspections."

Hubs

Meanwhile, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced the establishment of three new city centre hubs to support Ukrainian nationals who have fled the Russian invasion. The Ukraine Support Centres in Dublin, Cork and Limerick will assist Ukrainians in obtaining PPS numbers, availing of Social Welfare income supports, and receiving referrals to other State services.

The IHREC report finds the highest proportion of all victims are from Africa, followed by the EEA and South America.

"It appears men from Asia and Africa are targeted for the purposes of forced labour in the fishing industry . . [WHILE]EEA Nationals are primarily featured in. . .trafficking for exploitation in the sectors of construction, car washing and waste recycling". Asian men feature most in forced labour in criminal activities such as cannabis cultivation.

A commitment to establish specialised shelter for female trafficking victims “has been repeatedly delayed and remains unfulfilled” says the submission.

“Ihrec is particularly concerned that the accommodation of victims of trafficking continues to be provided within the system of direct provision…The lack of tangible steps of improvement regarding the accommodation of victims of trafficking remains a chronic problem in the overall response to human trafficking.”

It says: “Ireland is both a destination and source country for child victims of sex trafficking and forced labour”. Though no child victims were identified in 2020 and 2021 it notes a “gap in knowledge and expertise amongst social workers in how to identify and appropriately respond to evidence of child trafficking”.