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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.

The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.
2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.

In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.
Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
 Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
 deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.

For investigator and manager

The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.
For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.
It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.
What should a THB investigation contain?
In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
 The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.

Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.
Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.

Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.
THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.

Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.
The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.

The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.
Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.

In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.
Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.

For investigator and manager

The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

 In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.
Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
 The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.

Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.

Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.
The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.

Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.
THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.
Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.
The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.

The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.

In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment
The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.
During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.

For investigator and manager

The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.
In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).
1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).
Ten hints for a successful full story
The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
 The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.

Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.
The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.

Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
 Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.
Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.
Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.

Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.

The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.

In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
 Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.
c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation
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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.

For investigator and manager

The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.
The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story
The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
 Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
 The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.

Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.
Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.

Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
 sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.
Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.
The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.
In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
 The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.
For investigator and manager
The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
 Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

 The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.
Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.
Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
 sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.
Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.
The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.
In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
 The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.
For investigator and manager
The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
 Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

 The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.
Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.
Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
 sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.
Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.
The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.
In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
 The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.
For investigator and manager
The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
 Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

 The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.
Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.
Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
 sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.
Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.

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1. Who are the traffickers?

While the degree to which traffickers are organised differs from one case to the next, trafficking operations can
fall on a continuum ranging from 1) soloists, or individual traffickers; 2) to loose networks of organised
criminals; to 3) highly structured international trafficking networks.

The very nature of trafficking, especially where a border crossing is required, demands that the criminals
involved will require contacts in other countries and other areas of crime. The very existence of these contacts
and associations goes a long way towards defining these individuals as international criminals.

It is generally accepted that the mafia style hierarchical trafficking network is not something that is seen on a
regular basis. This does not ignore the fact that hierarchical organisations are involved in trafficking human
beings but underlines the fact that more and more trafficking groups are being identified where the persons
involved are more likely to have close family ties or a previous criminal relationship and operate as equals
with a specific role to play.

The traffickers often operate in loose networks of associates having a national identity and exploring the
market to reap the highest profit. The flexible and decentralised structure of the group involved in the criminal
activities allows them to act less as competitors and more as collaborators. They usually have widespread
contacts in Europe and the victims are exploited in more then one country.

The traffickers involved in the recruitment phase are often of the same nationality or ethnic origin as the
victims. However, the tendency for homogeneous groups to engage or work together with crime groups of
other nationalities in order to realise their goals is increasing. All groups show some similarities: the ability to
adapt easily to new environments, conditions and markets and to respond quickly to counter-trafficking
initiatives.

Some trafficking groups are family- or clan-based with strong codes of conduct and allegiances, and provide
significant challenges for law enforcement to penetrate, e.g. Albanian-speaking organised crime groups and
ethnic Roma crime groups. Many Nigerian trafficking groups rely on voodoo or juju ritual to secure contracts
with their victims. The ritual process is both a controlling element for the traffickers, pimps and madams, and
one which acts as a significant obstacle in dealing with victims who have been subjected to this process.

Criminal groups involved in human trafficking are extremely sensitive to emerging or changing demand,
swiftly providing human resources to be exploited in a range of environments. The routes used by traffickers to
bring victims into the EU are not as clearly defined, and arguably not as important, as those used by illegal
immigrants.
The victims of trafficking are exploited in the countries of destination (and sometimes while in transit), where
there is a possible market, i.e. where the demand for purchased sex or the demand for cheap and/or illegal
labour is greatest, and obviously where the profits to be gained by the traffickers are greatest as well.

The proportion of female offenders involved in trafficking for sexual exploitation is significant and increasing.
There are more and more examples of women controlling victims and organising the business operation,
although these are normally involved in the recruitment process.

2. What victims do the traffickers target?

The victims of trafficking usually have a problematic financial or social situation. Mostly they accept the
traffickers offer to find jobs abroad because they desire higher incomes and an improvement of their living
conditions. Victims often come from broken families, and their level of education is typically low. At the same
time, victims often do not have a broad life experience and they readily trust in the traffickers promises. They
hear about the experiences of acquaintances who have worked or are working abroad and are willing to take
the risks implied by any decision of going abroad. They also have a strong desire for independence,
particularly financial independence.

Teenagers and young persons under 25 years are preferred when the traffickers aim is to engage them in
prostitution. People with physical disabilities, regardless of age, are preferred when the aim is to exploit them
through begging. Because they have a greater capacity to work, young victims are often preferred if the aim is
labour exploitation.

Mobility is a significant characteristic of trafficking for sexual exploitation with many victims being exploited
in different cities and sometimes countries. Crime groups adopt this modus operandi to avoid victims
establishing relationships with clients, outreach workers, social services, etc. that could provide a platform for
their identification as victims of trafficking and consequently, an opportunity for law enforcement intervention.
Additionally, the provision of better working conditions and allowing the victims to retain a larger percentage
of earnings, is designed to encourage victims not to report their traffickers or circumstances.

3. What methods do the traffickers use?

The Three Stages of THB

The cycle of human trafficking usually consists of three stages. In the first stage, the victims are recruited; in
the second, they are transported and in the third, they are exploited. These stages may overlap or follow a
different order.

In the recruitment stage, criminals use many methods to force or trick people into being trafficked. In some
cases, the people are abducted and assaulted. In majority of cases, however, the people are offered good jobs
and attractive opportunities that do not actually exist or that in reality force them into exploitative labour and
living conditions.

In the transit (transport and transfer) stage victims may be moved by land, sea and/or air, openly or covertly, in
groups or alone, using public or private means of transportation. People can be trafficked across the border
legally or illegally, or, in cases in which persons are trafficked within a country no borders are crossed at all.
During the transport phase victims are often still not aware that they are in hands of traffickers and that they
will be exploited and abused in the destination place or country.
In the exploitation stage, victims may be forced to do any of the following (non-exhaustive list):

prostitution and/or sexual and gender-based exploitation;

work in places such as factories, restaurants, farms, plantations, mines or homes (as domestic helpers);
have an organ removed;
beg, sell illegal drugs;
being forced into marriage.

Some trafficking cases may have several transit and destination phases. This means that the trafficked persons
are transferred from country to country. In other cases there may be no transit phase at all and the victims are
transferred or transported directly to their place of destination after recruitment. Trafficking can occur trans-
nationally or internally. The latter means that victims are recruited and exploited within their country of origin
or within the same country.

As a general trend, there has been a decrease in the use of violence towards victims of trafficking, but this
should not be seen categorically: there are still groups which use violence to establish their primacy and to
discourage victims from reporting their condition to the authorities.

Where violence is reduced, often to avoid providing evidence to the authorities which could use the signs of
physical damage as a proof of the trafficking process, it is often replaced by threat of the use of violence
towards close friends and family members of the victims. Some particular ethnic groups such as Nigerians,
make use of juju (voodoo-like) rites to subjugate the victims. In some cases forms of extreme violence have
been used to re-establish the supremacy of a brothel owner over a victim or to define a certain territorial
division between different organised crime groups.

Other than the control of the victim in the workplace by the pimp, brothel keeper, bar owner, customer etc., a
victim being taken to the place of destination may be subject to violence en route.

Stage 1: Recruitment

The process by which an individual becomes a trafficked person differs from case to case and depends on the
modus operandi and the level of organisation of the traffickers. The methods employed can range from:

Coercion - which results in a person being physically taken against her/his will, or which means that
compliance is gained through violent means, e.g. through abduction, threat or use of force, sale;
Fully deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is given false information as to what s/he will be doing once
at the destination;
Partially deceptive recruitment - i.e. a person is made aware of the fact that s/he will have to work in
illegal conditions, but not about the highly exploitative or slavery-like conditions that are planned.

In cases of trafficking in organs, the person is deprived of her/his organs without having been correctly
informed or having been deliberately misinformed about possible health consequences, risks and costs.

Recruitment can be carried out in different ways and by different persons:

It can be conducted by individual recruiters working door to door, through informal networks which
may include relatives, partners and friends, even persons in positions of trust (e.g. a person pretending
to be a priest), through media advertisement or legal or semi-legal intermediaries, including
recruitment agencies offering work, studying, marriage or travel abroad.
 The potential victim could be recruited at every stage of the migration process, either in the country of
origin, transit or destination.
Individuals are often recruited by traffickers in their country of origin and thereafter trafficked to one
or more other countries where they are subjected to one of the forms of exploitation identified in the
UN Trafficking Protocol.
Individuals are recruited within their country and moved to another destination within the same
country where they subsequently are exploited (internal trafficking).
Migrants leave their own country freely and enter another country, either legally, or more usually
illegally, (if entering illegally they may pay a smuggler to facilitate their entry); thereafter,
traffickers get control of them. They are then trafficked either within the country they have already
reached or into another country.
Migrants reach another country and find a job for themselves and it is only after entering this
employment that they are subjected to forced labour whether this should be subsumed under
trafficking is contested.

All three scenarios (coercion, fully or partially deceptive recruitment) involve human rights and labour rights
violations to different degrees. The concept of forced labour requires investigators to focus on the coercion that
employers use to subdue a person

The degrees of coercion vary a great deal from case to case, with some victims being subjected to physical
injury, while others are virtually unaware that they are subjected to forced labour until they find that their
employer is taking advantage of their migrant status to avoid paying them as agreed.

Some particular recruitment methods are detailed below:

a) Method of False Job offers. In most cases, recruitment is done through the promise of better-paid jobs
abroad. The contact between the traffickers and the victims takes place mostly as a result of announcements
made in advertisements or negotiations conducted by common acquaintances. There are situations in which
traffickers and victims know each other for quite some time. Typically they involve jobs for which the victims
do not need prior qualifications. They are persuaded by traffickers that they will work in agriculture,
construction, as waiters or waitresses in restaurants, as household personnel, as babysitters or dancers in night
clubs, etc. Often traffickers give them examples of others who have been helped to go abroad and have
returned with large sums of money after a relatively short period of time.

b) Lover-boy Method. Another method used by traffickers is to acquire control over their victims through
seduction. Children and young girls coming from broken families are preferred. These traffickers are almost of
the same age as the victims. They are very dashing, always wearing expensive clothes and having cash on
them. Sometimes, traffickers try to win the trust of the victims relatives by making small gifts. After the
victims fall in love with the traffickers and have full confidence in them, they are asked to go abroad to seek a
better job or meet the lover-boys parents, who are said to be abroad. When these girls reach the destination,
they are exploited.

c) The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in sexual exploitation, both in the recruitment of victims and for
advertising their services. Meetings between victims and clients are organised through dedicated websites.
Victims are frequently moved on, remaining in the same city for no more than one or two days. The perceived
anonymity and mass audience of online services increases both the discretion and profitability of these
services, making it very hard to identify criminals using traditional police techniques.

d) Marriage Method. There are times when traffickers marry their victims to gain control over them. Even
matrimonial agencies can be used for such purposes. After the marriage, dealers take their victims abroad,
under various pretexts, where they are exploited. If victims marry foreign traffickers, the control is even
greater since the wife cannot exert all the rights her dealer husband has, because she does not always acquire
the husbands nationality.

e) Mediating prostitution method. In this method, the trafficker promises the victim that he/she will provide the
necessary conditions in order to prostitute abroad. The victim knows from the beginning that sex with
customers will be their job, as well as the conditions in which they will operate, the daily programme, and the
payments collected. Once they have arrived at the destination, the dealer does not respect the agreed conditions
and forces the victim into prostitution under other conditions, taking all or almost all the money earned.

f) Kidnapping Method. Kidnapping is a relatively rare method. It involves taking the victim from the location
where they live and carrying them to another place, and depriving them of liberty. The trafficker may kidnap
the victim through, for example, physical violence or the use of drugs. Kidnapping is used primarily for
recruiting children.

Stage 2: Transit (transport and transfer)

The second stage of trafficking in human beings, after recruitment, involves the transportation and transfer of
victims. Trafficked persons are transferred or transported away from their place of origin, internally or across
borders, in order to remove them from their community, family and friends. Much more than the distance
itself, the objective is that victims become socially isolated and therefore are more easily kept under control. In
this phase, traffickers can make use of control mechanisms like passport confiscation, drugs, threats, violence,
etc. During the transit, victims may be sold from one trafficker to another, often without knowing it, and be
transferred or transported for long journeys. During the journey victims are either not aware about what awaits
them at their place of destination or in some cases start being exploited by the trafficker while they are being
moved from place to place.

To attract victims, who, in most cases cannot afford to support the expenses of travel and transport documents,
traffickers undertake to pay these at first, although the amount spent will be later reimbursed to them by the
victims.

During the journey victims are usually treated fairly: accommodation is provided, they can contact their family
etc. The border into the country of destination might be crossed legally through border crossing points, or
fraudulently by using illegal routes and guides. Border guards can encounter already exploited victims who are
allowed to travel or forcibly moved to another country. It is one of the challenges for border guards to
identify either potential victims in order to prevent the future crime or to discover an ongoing crime.
Transportation might be by land, air or sea.

After reaching the destination, the travel documents and identity documents of the trafficked persons are taken
off them by the traffickers, either peacefully under various pretexts, such as the need to fulfil certain
formalities or for preserving them safely, or violently. Victims begin to realise that they have been deceived,
and the fact that their employment and promised jobs are not the goal of the traffickers. At this point there are
two possibilities. The victims are either housed or hosted and exploited directly by the traffickers who have
recruited them or they are transferred to other traffickers in exchange for money, to be exploited by them.

Stage 3: Exploitation

When victims reach their destination they become active assets for the criminal organisation as they begin to
generate profit for their exploiters. It is at this stage that the objective of the traffickers is fully realised. It is
vital for the criminals to be able to exercise continuous control over their victims until they are able to generate
profits, deterring all possible attempts to escape, rebel or seek help. Methods employed to prevent escape
include debt-bondage (see below), but also harsher methods, such as:

threats or use of violence against the victims family;

imprisonment at unknown locations;
the confiscation of the victims passport or other identification papers;
enforced drug addiction;
prevention from developing contacts, finding help, obtaining information on personal rights in
destination countries (e.g. the right to request a residence permit, to obtain work permits, etc.);
continuous change of locations to prevent personal contact to develop among victims;
physical violence;
deprivation of food or warmth or sleep;
blackmail; the risk of being ostracised or condemned by their families;
threats of violence used together with the promises of future payment.

Traffickers also use softer control measures with their victims, based more on psychological dependence than
on fear. In these cases, no visible signs of violence can be easily detected. The condition of vulnerability vis-a-
vis the law is also in many cases a key element used by traffickers to keep the victims under control,
generating a fear of the countrys authorities and intimidating them so that they will not report the crime,
whatever the exploitative situation is.

One of the most widely used means of control of victims is debt bondage. The legal definition of this sort of
practice is as follows: The status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his personal services or of
those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is
not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively
limited and defined. (Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, made at Geneva on 7 September 1956).

Victims are generally required to repay exaggerated costs allegedly occurred for transporting and transferring
them to the place of destination. Exaggerated interest rates are also attached to the debt, together with the
reimbursement of costs for food, accommodation and clothes. Very often amounts and interest costs are not
transparent. Trafficked persons usually do not realise that this kind of scheme is abusive and illegal.

Trafficking in human beings generates massive profits for international criminal organisations. Profits may be
invested in the country of exploitation, or sent back to the country of origin through formal and informal
banking systems. Much of the cash is taken back physically as hard currency by those involved in the crime on
their return journey.

7. Investigation

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For first responder, investigator and manager

The first 4 sections The investigative THB response, The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full
story, 10 hints for a successful full story and What should a THB investigation contain? target at the first
responder, investigator and manager.
For investigator and manager
The last two sections When an investigation has been started and Risk Assessment is more relevant for
investigators and managers.

The investigative THB response

In this crucial phase of the police response to THB cases, we will discuss only the reactive police THB
investigation or the victim-centred police investigation. Because of the scope of this module, we will not go
into the pure proactive (or intelligence-led) police THB investigation or the THB disruptive police approach.

For a variety of reasons, reactive THB investigations are the least favoured option because they do not always
lead to successful prosecution and conviction of traffickers. The need for immediate police intervention to
protect the victims hinders police officers from conducting a proactive investigation to obtain substantial
evidence in a THB case. But even when police officers identify a victim who is reluctant to give information,
investigating THB specialised police officers could use police techniques of a proactive THB investigation.

The option to focus on the reactive investigation is based on three observations:

In the EU, the EU police action plan (the EMPACT Operational Action Plan of THB (2012-2013)
based on the COSI priorities ) asks for a larger number of detections of THB situations and a better
identification of THB victims.
An increasing number of detections and identifications leads to a larger number of victims who could
cooperate with the judiciary and police;
A large number of THB victims will probably be having their first, but also their last, encounter with
police officers. As a result, the police should start a reactive investigation to arrest traffickers who
were exploiting people.

In this context, a specialist police officer should collect as much information as possible in different detailed
interviews of the THB victim. To optimise the results of these interviews, they should keep some specific
guidelines in mind to protect the victim, such as to minimise the number of interviews. The reason to minimise
the number of interviews, especially with children is based on the fact that people find it upsetting to talk about
traumatic events. Young children particularly may relive their victimisation and feel the associated emotions
again, thereby intensifying their trauma. Thus, minimise the number of times that victims must be interviewed
is essential. Although the interrogation of traffickers is not so different from those of offenders of other crimes,
THB specialised police officers should aim to obtain substantial objective evidence in a THB case.

The ultimate goal of the investigation is to clarify three basic elements of THB: the act (what is done), the
means (how it is done) and the exploitative purpose (why it is done) in order to guarantee a successful
prosecution and court procedure in the case.

The detailed interview of a THB victim: the full story

The specialised investigator should take on the detailed interview of THB victims. In order to prevent the
witnesss credibility being challenged, it is essential to obtain complementary and sufficient evidence to
corroborate the victims full story. Bearing in mind that THB is not a momentary act but rather a process of
exploitation where the offender using different means of subjugation strives to benefit financially, it will be
necessary to explore the events in as fine detail as possible. This will include detailed descriptions on: venues;
itineraries; persons; documents; (the interior of) locations; (the interior of) vehicles; premises; coercion and
assault; controlling mechanisms; the victims factual freedom to decide on her/his actions, etc. The detailed
interview will encounter various difficulties because THB is always a process of exploitation where offender
use different means of subjugation striving to benefit financially

Checklist templates are contained in different handbooks and manuals, including: the Interpol manual for THB
investigators, the UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2008) (see External Links), UNICRI
Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings to and with Peace Support Operation Areas (2003), and ICMPD (2010) (see
External Links) and FRONTEX Handbook on Risk Profiles on Trafficking in Human Beings (2012). Some of
these handbooks and manuals focus exclusively on sexual exploitation. The checklist templates can easily be
generalised to other forms of THB.

It will almost never be feasible to achieve at the first attempt and quickly the full story of a THB victim. A
close contact with the shelter centre where the victim stays and is supported, or with the NGO involved in
identifying or supporting the victim should give you feedback on the possible next meeting with the victim in
order to continue the detailed interviews.

Special attention has to be drawn when interviewing a child victim. If it is not unusual that an adult victim of
THB does not identify themselves as being trafficked, it is very unlikely that a child does so. The child should
be questioned in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Doing otherwise could discourage them from
seeking help or making a disclosure. It is worth considering (and in some Member States is a legal
requirement) to use the help of special trained child investigators and a close cooperation with the workers
from the victim shelter and/or possible specialised NGOs is essential.

Because victims often have difficulties to recall, the chronology of the crime in the interview is very important.
The fact that the victim may not realise being a victim in the first place makes this even more demanding.
Based on the UNs THB definition, questions should focus on activity, means, the exploitative purpose and the
victims age. In the end, a specialised THB investigator should have a detailed view how the victims rights
were violated throughout the process of the victims trafficking and different abuses. (See also Modus
Operandi).

1. The recruitment
Questions should focus on: advertisements, contacts with advertisers; offers, contacts with agencies and the
locations of these agencies; the promised work and working conditions (signed contracts and payments
included); the financial arrangements; middlemen and the locations of contacts with these middlemen; on
social networks, etc.
The recruitment includes the grooming of the traffickers or middlemen; possible restrictions of contacts and
obligation to stay at a specific address; coercion; kidnapping, etc.

2. The travel or departure

In this part questions should focus not only on preparations such as visits to embassy visa sections or to
agencies to deliver travel documents, to hospitals, language schools, etc. but also on: the way the victim
travelled; the documents used; payments made for the travel and possible reimbursement; the people who
travelled with the victim; when the victim was told they should leave; who checked in; the itinerary; the means
of transport used; payments made along the way; possible border controls, etc.

3. The reception
Questions on the reception should clarify: who the victim met at the entry point; if the victims documents
were taken and if so by whom; if other victims were present; how and who took the victim to a place to
stay; how long this journey lasted, etc.

4. The harbouring
In this part, questions should focus on: the restrictions of liberty of freedom; when the victim realised the real
purpose of their arrival; the consequences if the victim did not respect the rules imposed; the controlling
mechanisms used; surveillance, etc. but also the description of the persons and locations involved, etc.

5. The exploitation and controlling mechanisms

In this major part of the interview, questions should clarify the victims detention: if the victim was sexually,
physically or psychologically abused or assaulted; the form of exploitation the victim experienced and at what
point this exploitation began; the controlling mechanisms such as supervision, cultural ritual such as juju or
voodoo, restriction of movement or contacts with family at home, violence, frequent movements, language
barriers, prevention of any contact with the outside world, threats to family or other loved ones, the payment of
debts, threatened reporting to the immigration services, drug addiction, unilateral infringed fines, etc.; living
and working conditions: denial of medical or health care; the working hours and working days; in case of sex-
related exploitation the price list, the number of clients seen daily and what happened with the earnings; the
middlemen of the traffickers involved; a full description of venues of exploitation and eventually sexual,
physical or psychological abuse or assault; the different health complaints of the victim; previous contacts with
(line-level) police officers; possible witnesses from the outside world, etc.
The exploitation and control mechanisms are seen as the key elements that defines THB. A victim may have
voluntarily gone into prostitution or seek working opportunities being victimised at a later stage, where the
stages of recruitment may be difficult to determined. Furthermore, what started as human smuggling may later
turn into THB.
Additional questions should produce useful information to identify different key figures in the victims
trafficking process. The questions should reveal the communication of the traffickers such as the (mobile and
smart) phones used, Internet connections (providers), laptops, the financial transactions such as used banks,
personal and business accounts, credit cards, etc.

6. The purpose of exploitation

The third constituent element that should be clarified is the purpose of the THB. It should be clarified whether
the purpose is to exploit the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar
practices and the removal of organs. (See also Types of THB).

Ten hints for a successful full story

The dos and do nots list of the detection of potential THB victims is also applicable.

Discuss honestly and openly the whole co-operation process with the victim, the range of protection
measures available, when personal data will be disclosed, whether the interview will preserve the
victims anonymity, that protective measures are always limited, and that no system exists that could
guarantee complete security, etc.
Look for an independent counsellor possibly belonging to a shelter centre to assist the (child)
victim. Avoid questions touching the victims privacy. Shelter counsellors should provide an outline
of the requirements and a meeting with the specialised THB investigator.
Interview the (child) victim in an unbiased and non-judgmental manner. Do to so, use the help of
special trained (child) police investigators.
Bear in mind the fact the THB often involves a long process of victimisation where the victim has
become deeply traumatised and do not necessary realise being a victim in the first place. Parts of the
interviews may have to be postponed to a later stage, after a time to reflect that gives to victim time to
recover.
Remember the victims right to information. Victims should be provided with accessible and
comprehensive information about their situations, their entitlements, legal proceedings, services
available.
Explain why you will ask detailed questions on what happened to the victim.
 Explain to the victim the need to tell the whole truth at all times from the very beginning in order to
help the victim to back up the victims story with additional evidence.
Point out that if the victim does not remember what happened to answer a question, you will return on
that question at a later stage.
The victims consent for divulging his/her details and situation should never be assumed. Give the
victim some control on the situation.
To determine dates or periods, focus on dates that are significant to the victim: birthdays of the victim
or of members of their family, a significant anniversary, a religious or cultural holiday such as
Christmas or Ramadan, etc.
Ask always if the victim has retained any receipts or copies of advertisements, or kept a diary or
records of the events that happened.

What should a THB investigation contain?

In order to improve the content of a THB investigation and enhance international police cooperation in THB
cases, police investigations should always contain information on at least a number of key elements. This
information should be useful for deeper financial investigation, seizures and confiscation.

Investigations of sexual exploitation should contain detailed information on:

The country of origin of victim, the victims family relations and all other circumstances prior to
THB.
How the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions (who, where, what, when,
why, etc.).
The recruitment and transport of THB victims (using W-questions).
The harbouring and reception of THB victims (using W-questions).
The housing of the victims (using W-questions and detailing the circumstances, the number of
victims, etc.).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The locations of the sexual exploitation: opening days and hours (shifts), number of victims on each
shift, services and rates, the tips of clients, consumptions of clients, etc.
The number of victims of the THB-offender group.
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

Investigations of labour exploitation should contain detailed information on:

 The country of origin of victims and how the victims came to police attention.
The controlling mechanisms of the traffickers: the means (violence, threats, deception, abuse of
vulnerability, etc.) and answers on these mechanisms using W-questions..
The recruitment of THB victims (using W-questions).
The work promised, labour modalities, salary, working times, comprehensive labour contract, etc.
The transport arrangements (using W-questions).
The housing arrangements: were they free to choose or determined or mandatory, circumstances,
living standards, etc.
The labour arrangements once on the job with modifications of salary, working time, working
conditions, productivity, health risks, payment of board and lodging, etc. (using W-questions).
The key middlemen, accomplices, etc. of the trafficker (using W-questions).
The payments (by the victims) to the trafficker: amounts, rates, etc.
The period of activity of the traffickers in relation to the number of THB victims
The (trans-border) phone (mobile, smart-) and Internet communications between members of the
THB-offender group, with victims, etc.
The use of IT in recruitment of victims, publicity for sex services, contact with clients, contacts of the
THB-offender group and middlemen, etc.
The cars used (licence plates, rented cars, leasing) of the THB-offender group, the middlemen, etc.
The use of weapons by the THB-offender group.
The Sharing out the plunder with middlemen, accomplices, etc.
The use of the money:
Transactions to the country of origin (of main suspects, accomplices, middleman), bank accounts used
(using W-questions)
The purchases of real estate (in the county and abroad), of consumer goods (cars, etc.)

When an investigation has been started

The covert investigation methods applied in THB cases are not so different from those which are used in
investigating organised crime: use of pole cameras, monitoring of telephone calls, tracking devices,
surveillance, undercover operations, etc.

Use covert methods and exhaust them before making a raid or arresting traffickers. Some police officers, upon
finding a credible trafficking victim, seek to immediately raid locations the victim identifies and arrest the
traffickers. Where there are indications of immediate and on-going physical harm of victims, immediate raids
and arrests may be the only acceptable path, since the protections of the victims is on highest priority.
However, police officers should look to gather as much evidence as possible before raiding a trafficking
enterprise and closing down its operation.

Once one victim has been discovered, additional and historical victims should be looked for. Sexual
trafficking activities tend to involve multiple victims because traffickers seek to supply their clients with new
women. Even in cases where the trafficker is exploiting only one woman at any particular time, a history of
exploiting victims is likely. Identifying additional and historical victims is often the key to developing a
successful case for prosecution.

There are several sources for intelligence gathering in the context of a THB case apart from a victims
statement. These include: the monitoring of (prostitution) advertisements (including open sources such as the
Internet); foreign affairs ministries and embassies; customs agencies; public services; social services agencies;
ministries of public health and labour (food administration included); private services providers (electricity,
gas, telephone companies); electricians and repairmen (CCTV installation, television, etc.); suppliers,
contractors and businesses; postmen; cleaners; neighbours; airlines and other carriers; taxi drivers; etc.
Only a few offenders keep detailed documentary evidence on their exploitive experiences. Clients may see
parts of the exploitation for a brief moment, as might a driver or a hotel operator. Even if one victims
testimony seems convincing, cumulative testimony of several women, each describing the traffickers practices
use of coercion, fraud, etc. can be persuasive.

The trafficker or someone else may have taken photographs of the trafficker in different places. Many
traffickers are proud and like to parade their wealth in exotic or exploitation locations, their new properties,
their (new) controlled women as trophies. They often have a collection of their historical victims. Using
these photos, it may be possible to reconstruct the traffickers movements and especially to discover still
unidentified victims.

Search warrants should be obtained and searches executed, and discoveries made on them will enable further
searches to be initiated. Interpreters, cameramen and still photographers, forensic examination teams and IT-
specialist should assist and support the evidence gathering.

The forensic teams should focus on evidence gathering in the location where people were exploited, but also to
back up the accounts of the victims or convince hesitating victims that police have concrete evidence of their
exploitation. Investigators should make arrangements on possible forensic evidence with shelter centres where
victims are staying. A doctor linked to these centres should be involved in safeguarding forensic evidence. An
addiction to medication or drugs as result of the exploitation could be proved by a scientific examine of a lock
of hair. The doctor linked to a centre should inform the victim about the possible elements of proof they could
be confronted with and the consent of the victim needed to use it in the police investigation.

Within the limits of the available resources and based on (additional) warrants, all vehicles and premises
involved should be video-recorded or photographed before being fully searched and everything that may
constitute evidence could be seized: the exterior and interior of locations, the approach to the rooms, the entry
through small doors, filthy and crowded conditions inside, etc. Officers should also photograph locks and
restraints, any posted rules or notices, etc.

The most significant corroborating physical evidence in trafficking cases is typically found in locations where
victims lived and worked. This evidence may be documents and other items kept by the trafficker, such as debt
and income ledgers, advertisement copies, appointment books, letters to foreign schools, credentials to
consulate visa sections, documentation relating to identification and travel (tickets, boarding cards, luggage
tabs, etc.), tally sheets, lists of telephone numbers, (mobile or smart) phone billings, invoices of credit card
purchases, bank accounts, all kind of digital evidence in cell phones, smart phones, iPods and laptops, any
valuable item illustrating expenditure in excess in possession of the traffickers (jewellery, furnishing or
technical gadgets), etc. Equally important, this evidence may be items kept by victims, including diaries, work
clothing, etc.

Victims often have contact with people other than traffickers, clients, club doormen, etc. Victims might be
taken to a store to buy provocative clothing. Inquire about such activities when interviewing witnesses who
might have observed them.

Trafficking generates substantial cash. It should be determined from victims and other witnesses whether bank
accounts, wire transfers deposit boxes, international money transfer services, deposit boxes international
money transfer services, credit cards and pawn shops were used and seek to obtain relevant records.

Financial investigations should be a part of any counter-THB response to prevent traffickers from achieving
their main purpose to make money. In this regard, it is recommended that the THB investigators promptly
establish a liaison with units responsible for carrying out financial investigations in order to detect the financial
schemes that a THB offender group is using.
Financial investigation will produce additional information often useful as evidence in relation to criminal
activities. Primarily, it is essential to ensure that THB investigators have identified the criminal proceeds
generated by the investigated criminal group, in order to seize such proceeds of crime with the view of their
confiscation within the criminal proceeding. Evidence that a convicted person received a large profit from
their criminal activities may also strengthen claims for a strong penalty on conviction. Financial investigators
will trace and identify assets such as real estate, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, in each country (see the EU
DEFI Manual in External Links). On the other hand, the specialised financial investigator could corroborate
with financial data the findings of the specialised THB investigators. The synergy should result in tracing and
seizing profits with a view to confiscation.

All contact with the victim, both personal or by telephone, should be recorded from the outset of the case and
also any contact with any other agency relevant to the victim. The specialised THB officer should use the
contact book to record any specific instructions given to the victim such as security measures, prohibition on
discussing evidence, etc. All details in these areas should be recorded because they could be challenged in
judicial proceedings.

Risk Assessment
During the whole investigation, police officers have to make an evaluation of the risks to cooperating with
potential victims. This assessment is important for a successful investigation and for the sake of the victims
security.

In the risk assessment, the following questions should be constantly reviewed:

What is the level of risk run by the current victim(s)?

Are there other potential victims in immediate danger? Is an immediate intervention necessary?
Could the level of risk be managed while a proactive investigation is conducted in order to rescue
victims and prosecute the traffickers?
Are the (immediate) needs of the victim addressed?
Does the intelligence provided contain details that could only be known by the victims or could it have
been discovered by other means or through other sources? Can the evidence they give be
corroborated?

4. Victims

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Trafficking in human beings and the related exploitation of persons are more common than we tend to think:
victims of trafficking remain unidentified, however, and even when actually dealing with victims of human
trafficking, actors often fail to respond to the victims need for help. It appears that the valid legislation and
operating practices of the authorities do not yet adequately support the identification of human trafficking and
a way of referring its victims to the system for victim assistance. Many authorities still do not have adequately
clear instructions at their disposal on how to act in possible situations pertaining to identifying victims of
trafficking. As a result, potential victims of trafficking or related exploitation may be removed from the
country, exposing them to continued exploitation and re-victimisation.

THB takes place within EU Member States, between Member States and from and to third countries. The
Member States which are sources of THB victims typically have partly problematic social structures and
economically weak regions.

Because of the different characteristics of THB, there are various groups of targeted victims. They can differ in
sex, age, nationality, social status, legal status, financial situation, skills and educational level. So although the
different target groups can be very different, there can be a relatively homogenous groups of victims for each
type of THB modus operandi.

The expansion of the Schengen Area makes it easy for the traffickers and victims to cross borders without any
control. There is no need for fake papers, the travel costs are low and transport can be arranged easily with no
need for special arrangements.

Although there are endeavours and international conventions in law enforcement standards, there are in the
EU and elsewhere laws and policies which are insufficient. This leads to difficulties in establishing
transnational cooperation to fight this international crime. As the result, in many countries the risk of getting
caught is small compared to the profit the traffickers and exploiters are able to gain.

Risk Factors

Risk factors have been identified which make it more likely that someone will become a victim. Two of the
main reasons are first the desire to move for better work conditions and the hope for a better life, and second
because they are in a relationship with the trafficker. Trafficking victims are left to believe that they will live in
a rich country, and will earn a lot of money, which they can use for themselves and their families.

In its report Trafficking in Human Beings in the European Union, Europol has identified several push factors
which relate to the circumstances in the victims home country or background:

high unemployment
labour market not open to women and gender discrimination
lack of opportunity to improve quality of life
 sexual or ethnic discrimination
poverty
escaping persecution, violence or abuse
escaping human rights violations
collapse of social infrastructure
other environmental conditions including conflict and war

In addition, the following pull factors are identified which work complementarily with the push factors and
influence the decision-making process of the potential victims:

improved standard and quality of life

better access to higher education
less discrimination or abuse
enforcement of minimum standards and individual rights
better employment opportunities
demand for cheap labour
demand for commercial sexual services
higher salaries and better working conditions
demand for workers within the sex industry and higher earnings
established migrant communities/ diasporas

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that worldwide there are 2.4 million victims of THB
(see External Links). For the EU the estimates are around several hundred thousand people annually.

In 2009, although using different definitions and having different data collection systems, Member States
reported to Frontex a total of 6991 detections of victims for all types of THB(see External Links). 43% were
nationals of Member States and 57% were from third countries, most notably China, Brazil and Nigeria. The
highest numbers of reported victims were in Germany and the Netherlands. 25% of the identified victims were
men, about 70% of whom were brought for forced labour and 11% for sexual exploitation. 15% of the victims
were minors, 90% of whom were from Member States, and who were trafficked mostly for sexual exploitation
and also for labour exploitation.

Once they reach their destination country, victims come to realise the reality of their situation. They are often
asked to give excessive amounts of money to the traffickers, under the pretext that bringing them into the
country was very expensive. These amounts are inflated by interest, overpriced rents for housing and work,
costs for advertising sexual services, transport, etc. The victims often have no information about the amount
that they need to pay those costs, and as the amount is constantly increased its payment is impossible.

Furthermore, victims are often not used to the norms and rules in the destination country regarding social
systems and police work. They are told that the police will send them back or harm them, and this keeps them
from running away from their traffickers or giving statements to the authorities even when they have the
chance to do so.

THB for sexual exploitation

In the field of sexual exploitation the victims are mostly women. There are various reasons for this. However,
there are organisations which claim that THB with male victims has long existed, but has not been detected
due to lower awareness. Recent international reports show that the number of male victims, especially boys for
sexual exploitation, is constantly increasing to countries where demand for sexual services is high has long
been recognised as a serious problem.
Women are often in situations where they are more likely to become a victim. The predominant tendency is
trafficking young women from poor countries of origin to rich countries of destination. However, since the
source and destination countries change economically over time, some countries of origin or transit which have
grown economically have now become destination countries. Ethnicity also plays an increasingly important
role in the criminal demographics, since many customers seek women in a different ethnic group to their own.

One major concern is that, in many regions, the average age of victims is falling steadily. In this case the
supply is determined by demand from customers, based on perceptions and their specific requests. This is the
reason the predominant second category is represented by young girls.

Sexual exploitation can occur in different ways. Women may have entered prostitution voluntarily with an
understanding of what was involved, but later it turned into a situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation
relation or an obviously forced situation. The procuring of foreign prostitutes is often rather heavy-handed, and
the conditions of the prostitutes are frequently poor. The procurers may use a variety of means for restricting
the self-determination of the victims of procuring. Controlling prostitutes by threats of physical and sexual
violence appears to be relatively common. The prostitutes family members may also be threatened. Many
victims do not appear to have a practical option of leaving prostitution or exiting the country, should they wish
to do so.

The identification of human trafficking seems to be limited to easily observable aspects only, for example
using direct physical violence, deceiving a victim as to the nature of the work or exploiting a person who is
clearly defenceless. Identifying more subtle psychological means of control in the exploitation is more
challenging.

Victims from third countries often live in even more miserable conditions. The most frequent modus operandi
by Nigerian traffickers is bringing the victims into the EU, applying for asylum to provide them with
documents to stay. As a result, the victim is even more dependent on the trafficker and their network. Threats
are also made against their family, as well as cultural coercive techniques such as voodoo and juju.

THB for Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking and the related labour exploitation typically occur in labour-intensive and not-regulated
sectors that widely rely on foreign labour associated with underpayment of wages and working extra hours
without extra pay. The workers may also be forced to live in inhuman conditions and isolated from other
people. Several workers may be housed in the same, relatively cramped and basic rooms, and considerable
sums of money may be collected from them for this accommodation. The workers may also be prohibited from
communicating with other persons outside the workplace. In some cases, the traffickers take possession of the
workers travel documents or other personal property, including their cash cards and PIN codes. The
underlying factor of the exploitation is often a debt.

Classified as a hidden crime, labour exploitation is increasingly common within the EU. The old Member
States are known as the Golden West, and have economic stability and higher life standards, and employers
who are seeking cheap labour who will work in poor conditions without complaint.

The high-risk victim group is young and middle-aged men and women. Low education level gives high
potential, as well as the factors of being a migrant, unemployment and homelessness. Children are also at risk,
especially when they come from families in crisis or live without parental supervision. People are put at greater
risk by poverty, marginalisation, economic exclusion, armed conflicts, social and gender inequality,
discrimination against ethnic minorities and infringements of children's rights. Women are particularly
vulnerable due to their often lower economic and social position and the gendered character of the labour
market. Also, women are often affected differently to men with respect to the form of harm and the
consequences of trafficking. They are more often trafficked into work in informal and unprotected sectors
(domestic labour, entertainment and sex industry) while men are trafficked more often into agriculture and the
construction industry.

Many victims do not see themselves as victims of labour exploitation. Unsteady legal status or difficulty in
finding a job may force them into circumstances where they are willing to agree into working conditions which
are generally considered unacceptable in their country of employment. They have often been deceived about
the nature of their work or the conditions of their employment, they work under threat, are subjected to
violence, confined to their workplace or do not receive the wage that was promised to them. They are victims
of forced labour, and they have been trafficked into a situation from which they find it difficult to escape.

They might view their current employment as temporary and hope to soon be able to find better conditions,
and this may also contribute to keeping them in their existing situation. Moreover, despite their exploitative
working conditions, they might paradoxically still be better paid than in their home country. As a result, they
fail to realise that they are indeed victims, and this makes it much harder to detect and investigate labour
exploitation and to bring the responsible traffickers and profiteers to court and to justice.

Talking about demand situates trafficking as a problem at the point of destination. Using the language of
demand is an important way of holding destination countries accountable for their role in trafficking rather
than allowing them to lay the blame for the situation with the countries of origin.

Labour exploitation can occur in different ways. There can be a mutual agreement about the job from the
beginning, an afterwards-created situation of exploitation, a veiled exploitation relation or an obviously forced
situation. In the context of labour exploitation, demand can include employers requirements for cheap and
vulnerable labour, requirements for household and subsistence labour or consumer demand for cheap goods
and/or services - or any combination of these factors.

One type of forced labour trafficking is for the purpose of begging. The victims are mainly from the Roma
community in south-eastern Europe. Children, adults and disabled people are targeted by the traffickers. They
take them to the old Member States where they may be relatively well paid, but have to give the vast majority
to the traffickers.

Children

Children, mainly from the Roma minority of south-eastern Europe, can be also trafficked for the purpose of
criminal activities, e.g. pick-pocketing, shoplifting, burglary and other similar activities. Reasons for the
traffickers to exploit children in this field of crime are that if they get detected by police, they are under age of
responsibility. This means that the children cannot be arrested or convicted. Sometimes this fact is used by
traffickers victims state that they are minor (when in fact they are adults), enabling them to be immediately
exploited again by the traffickers. Even if children are placed in youth shelters, they often quickly escape.

Children at most risk are from families in crisis and those without parental supervision, or they are homeless.

The rights of the victims

A particularly concern is the fact that the rights of human trafficking victims do not always seem to be
implemented as required by international obligations that are binding to the Member States. It is of high
importance that the victims are helped and protected whenever they need or request help and protection.
Consequently, assistance must at least be offered to all potential victims of human trafficking. The Council of
Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (see External Links) reinforces the
protection of their rights. This Convention highlights the duty to identify and help victims of trafficking in
human beings, and it prohibits parties from removing from their territory a person when there are reasonable
grounds to believe that he or she has been a victim of trafficking in human beings before the identification
process has been completed. See also the topic on protection.