WHAT YOU CAN DO
Everyone can support the fight against trafficking
DO NOT BUY!
As long as there's a demand for prostitution, there will be a supply of prostitutes and thereby included are the many female victims of trafficking and forced prostitution
SPEAK UP!
As long as there's a need for prostitution, there will be a political and public need for solving the issues connected to prostitution and the victims hereof
DONATE!
As long as there are victims of forced prostitution, there will be a need of help and support to these victims
What you can do
Notice the signs! Signs that women are victims of trafficking may include:
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They do not know what city they are in
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They are available 24/7
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They do not know the language of the country they are in
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They spend a lot of their time or live in a brothel or massage saloon
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They seem afraid, unhappy and perhaps talk about running away
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They are bruised or reveal other signs of violence
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They are watched or accompanied by foreign men
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They offer implausible and confusing explanations of their situation
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Group of men or cars gather around isolated buildings
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Several young foreign women are staying together in a flat and are later replaced by other women
The above are just some of the signs that women are victims of human trading. Of course, please remember that not all foreign prostitutes are victims of trafficking.
What else can you do?
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Help spread the message that human trafficking is unacceptable and must be eliminated
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Support the police in their work to fight the trade of women
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Help and support victims of trafficking
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Try to create political awareness with regards to increasing the founding for the support work for the victims
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If you are a client of prostitutes, be aware and look for the signs above
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Take the time to gather information about the actual facts of human trading. You can start on this site and visit the websites of other related organisations
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Read some of the real-life stories of the victims. On this site you will find books, films and online stories. Authentic stories help turn faceless statistics into real humans
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Share your knowledge on social media. We can make a difference to the many victims of human trading, but many people are still not aware of the problem. You can help raise awareness on Facebook and other outlets
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Arrange talks and debates at your work, school, and organisation or with your network
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Lobby your local politicians or write commentaries
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If you are the leader of a company, you can support an organisation by becoming a partner and sponsoring events and support work. Involving you staff in your company’s work to make a difference may as an extra benefit strengthen the company internally
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Create a short viral film linking people to sites like this
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Use your unique talents and skills to make a difference. Whether you are a musician, marketing expert, student, economist or advertising agent, you can use your skills to help create a breakthrough for the anti-trafficking campaign
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Print the posters you can find on this site and put them up in relevant locations in your environment (remember to get a permission for this first)
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Follow and attend events arranged by organisations and support groups
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Donate money to the organisation(s) which work in a way that you sympathise with. You can also donate clothes or furniture to the organisations that need it in their work or become an active member in the organisation that need active support
You can always contact an NGO to find out how you can support their work.
Remember, it is important that we all try to make a difference.
Special characteristics ofn a victim of trafficking
Women who are, or have been, trafficked often have some general characteristics.
Such characteristics are often that she:
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Feel trapped in a dangerous net and not be able to see a safe way out
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Work in an informal, hidden and often criminal world
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Be living illegally in a country having been imported as victims of trafficking
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Have had their passports and personal documents confiscated and worry about being deported
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Have only a limited knowledge on their own rights and civil liberties
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Have very limited personal freedom
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Be very mobile and often move from city to city
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Be traded from one criminal to another
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Be very likely to have experienced physical, sexual or psychological abuse and threats of violence towards themselves or their families
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Be subject to violence, threats and fines from their pimps or traffickers
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Lie about their age especially if they are underage
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Be trapped in debt bondage or other tough obligations involving structured criminal activity and corrupt officials
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Experience ethnic and explicit sexual discrimination
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Exhibit defensive reactions and display symptoms of trauma and stress, which are reflected in a diminished perception of time and space and memory loss regarding certain events
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Underestimate dangerous situations with for instance clients
It can be tempting to offer medical help, goods or presents to the victim but even women who have been subjected to the most miserable conditions may choose to reject such offers. Therefore it is important to get the woman’s approval before making any arrangements on her behalf.
Asking a woman to talk about experiences that have been terrifying, humiliating and painful to her can cause extreme anxiety. Many women are ashamed about what they have done or what has happened to them and for these women it can be very stressful and traumatic to have to conduct an interview about their experiences with, for instance, a social worker or a support worker from an NGO.
It is important to recognise that many women experience some stress or discomfort when certain questions are discussed, but it is just as important to know that for many women it can also be therapeutic to discuss these questions and for someone to listen to them. It is important that the questioner remembers that sensitive subjects must be discussed cautiously and professionally.