Support structures for victims of human trafficking, including psychological help, will be strengthened and a campaign launched to raise awareness about the subject, according to a national action plan.
The Action Plan On Combating Trafficking In Persons was unveiled earlier this week and lays out a road map of action to be taken over the next two years. Its aim is to prevent trafficking, prosecute offenders and protect victims.
Human trafficking refers to transporting and manipulating people for a variety of abusive reasons that could include slavery, sexual exploitation and organ removal.
Between 2002 and 2010, 14 people were convicted for human trafficking by the Maltese courts. All cases involved sexual exploitation. A person found guilty of human trafficking is liable to imprisonment ranging from two to nine years. The punishment increases to 12 years for trafficking for organ removal.
The national plan identifies a series of actions to be taken until December 2012 and lists a timeline.
The first action includes regular meetings of the Human Trafficking Monitoring Committee, which drew up the action plan, to ensure the plan is being implemented and stakeholders are involved.
By the end of the year, a stakeholder task force on trafficking in human beings will be established. Next year, there will be an awareness campaign to equip vulnerable groups, such as irregular migrants and asylum seekers, with information.
The plan includes enhancing the administrative capacity of the authorities to fight human trafficking by, for example, recruiting more people and speeding up court cases.
All stakeholders involved, such as police, the judiciary, and social and migrant organisations, will be trained.
A manual of procedures will be drawn up and include guidelines for the identification of victims of trafficking. This will be useful for health care providers, social services organisations and law enforcement officers.
Towards mid-2012, a study will be carried out to understand the needs of victims and anti-trafficking laws will be reviewed.
Human rights’ organisation Aditus welcomed the report, particularly the activities targeting public awareness and education. It strongly recommended the active participation of agencies with expertise in the provision of social, physical and psychological support of the victims.
Aditus chairman Neil Falzon said there was need to understand the nexus between human smuggling and human trafficking, particularly in the context of arrivals by boat.
“Our experience tells us that human traffickers often exploit the routes used by refugees to send their victims to their intended destination, where they will be exploited as sex labourers or other forms of undignified treatment,” he said.
The full report can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Justice at www.mjha.gov.mt.