Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking - even in Germany!?
Many associate human trafficking with past centuries and distant lands. At the same time, Germany is a major target country for international human trafficking. In the Nationwide Situational Report on “Human Trafficking and Exploitation”, Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reports around 300 cases each year. Every year, SOLWODI also receives reports from several hundred women who have been trafficked or who show signs of being trafficked. According to experts in the field, however, the number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher, running into the tens of thousands. The Nationwide Situational Report thus only considers criminal investigations that have been completed in the reporting year. In many cases, however, human trafficking remains undetected, or the victims are unwilling to testify.
There are many reasons for this: intimidation by the network of offenders, fear of reprisals against the family in the country of origin, but also the desire to avoid re-traumatisation and to leave awful experiences in the past. Victims of human trafficking are all too aware that it is mainly only the “small fish” that are punished during proceedings, whilst those responsible behind the scenes remain in the dark. Many therefore hardly see the point in legal proceedings, during which they are subjected to enormous psychological distress by telling their own history of suffering, by being confronted with the perpetrators and by the often-aggressive questioning by the opposing lawyers.
What is human trafficking?
Article 4 of the European Council’s Convention against Human Trafficking of 2005 defines human trafficking as:
The recruitment, transport, transfer, accommodation or hosting of people
by threatening to or using violence or other forms of coercion, through abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or exploitation of vulnerability or by receiving special payments or other benefits
to obtain the consent of someone who has control over another person for the purpose of exploitation.
Types of Human Trafficking
According to the federal situation report by the BKA, human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation takes up the majority of all investigations. There were 346 cases with 476 victims, 90% of which were female, in the year 2022 alone (+18,3% compared to the year prior).
It is concerning that one in three victims was reported to be below the age of 21.
Minors were the subject of 156 cases involving commercialized sexual exploitation.
In contrast there were only 34 cases of human trafficking for the purpose of work-related exploitation. However, these cases counted a total of 1019 victims. The estimated number of unreported cases could be especially large in this sector., as the criminal offense is particullarly difficult to prove here. Even more so, because the affected parties often do not see themselves as victims.
Human trafficking for the purpose of begging or the commiting of other felonies do not feature as prominently, counting only six and ten cases respectively.
Human trafficking is a control offense. More ressources are necessary in order to, at the same time, broaden the scope of investigations in this sector as well as to make them more targeted.
Nigerian Trafficking
Many of those affected by human trafficking, who are counseled and guided by SOLWODI, are either from Nigeria or other westafrican nations. They are brought to Europe to be sexually exploited. The traffickers can rely on well-established networks, that enable them to smuggle the women across borders. In many cases so-called madames are at the heart of these networks. These are often women who fell victim to human trafficking themselves. However, nowadays more and more nigerian secret societies, e.g. Black Axe or Supreme Eye, push onto the market. These associations tend to be characterized by a remarkably high willingness to resort to violence. This type of organized crime has reportedly already found its way to Germany.
No / a right of residence?
Given the violence and exploitation that women have experienced in Germany it is even more incomprehensible and shameful that those who manage to escape are abandoned by the German legal system. The often highly traumatized women need a secure residence status to stabilise and develop prospects for themselves. However, the social workers from SOLWODI must realise that hardly any Nigerian woman is banned from being deported or is given a refugee status.
Identification of those affected by human trafficking
Experts agree that there is no “typical” victim of human trafficking. Therefore, identifying those affected is difficult. However, there are signs indicating human trafficking. Within the EU project Assist, in which SOLWODI was involved, a list was created. According to this list human trafficking can be assumed if people:
were recruited through false promises (e.g. with the prospect of a job);
do not have access to their own personal documents;
are threatened to report their illegal stay to the police or relevant authorities;
live at the place of work;
are threatened or experience physical violence;
are forced to work in prostitution;
The situation of those affected and their rights
For those affected by human trafficking it is often very difficult to draw attention to their situation and seek support. The lack of knowledge of the language and local structures makes it difficult for them to find support services. In addition, they are often only allowed to stay in the area where they work and are being watched. The SOLWODI social workers report that it is often a big obstacle for women in prostitution to go to a nearby counselling service because they cannot find their way around the city and are afraid to leave the brothel. As those affected usually cannot access their income a lack of financial resources is a further obstacle to get out of a predicament.
Human Trafficking 2.0
Special counselling centres, the police, and other authorities are observing an increasing digitalization of human trafficking, which makes it even more difficult to track down criminal networks and apprehend the masterminds. In a recently published report, Human Trafficking 2.0 – The Digitalization of Human Trafficking in Germany, the Federal Coordination Group against Human Trafficking e.V. (hereafter KOK) has comprehensively outlined the structures and processes of digitalized human trafficking. Modern information and communication technologies play an important role in the recruitment of potential victims (which increasingly occurs via social media), in the smuggling into Europe, and in the control of the victims while they are exploited in Germany and other Western European countries. COVID-19 has further accelerated this development.
Sources
Many of the statements made come from the experiences and observations that SOLWODI social workers make when consolidating and supporting clients.
The following sources are important for certain sections of the text:
Federal Criminal Police Office, human trafficking and exploitation. Federal Situation Report 2022, Wiesbaden 2023
European Council, Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, 2005
KOK
https://www.kok-gegen-menschenhandel.de/startseite
In particular:
https://www.kok-gegen-menschenhandel.de/menschenhandel/was-ist-menschenhandel/opferrechte
KOK, Human Trafficking 2.0 - Digitalization of Human Trafficking in Germany, 2022
Resources
The resources section is constantly being updated. We would be very happy to receive any suggestions or additions. Email us at .
Books
Current reading recommendation
Local answers to precarious residence rights, Centre for Society and Sustainability (CeSSt) at Fulda University of Applied Sciences, 2023
Discover more books
Films, documentaries, radio reports, podcasts
Current recommendation
DW, How social media helps smugglers and human traffickers, Jan. 2024
Discover more media reports
Studies, reports and other materials
Current reading recommendation
BKA, Federal Situation Report on Human Trafficking 2022
Discover more studies and reports
Press reports
Current reading recommendation
July 30, 2023 Weltkirche.de: Working group calls for residence rights for those affected by human trafficking
Read more press reports
Web links
You can find interesting websites to browse here
Partner organisations
In the field of human trafficking SOLWODI works together with the following organizations, among others:
Arbeitsgruppe Menschenhandel der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz
Bund-Länder-AG Menschenhandel
ECPAT Deutschland e.V., https://ecpat.de/
Gemeinsam gegen Menschenhandel, https://www.ggmh.de/
KOK - Bundesweiter Koordinierungskreis gegen Menschenhandel e.V., https://www.kok-gegen-menschenhandel.de/startseite
RENATE - Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation, https://www.renate-europe.net/
Talitha Kum - End Human Trafficking, https://www.talithakum.info/
