Law enforcement Agencies have called for assistance to help stop human trafficking following the reopening of the international border to vaccinated tourists and visa holders earlier this week.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) urged travellers and workers to learn the signs of suspicious activity at airports and know how to report them to authorities.
Commander of Human Exploitation with the AFP, Hilda Sirec said investigators expected reports of all forms of human trafficking, also called modern slavery, to increase from last week (It began 21 February).
“Human trafficking is happening here in Australia and it is up to all of us to work together to protect people who are vulnerable to these exploitative crime types,” CDR Sirec said.
“People may be taken overseas for a forced marriage, tricked into coming to Australia and forced into servitude or be promised to have their visa sponsored through the offer of a good job, but in reality forced to work in squalid conditions for low wages,” she said.
“This is a reminder that forcing someone to leave or enter Australia using coercion, threats or deception is an offence under our laws, and Commonwealth human trafficking offences and penalties apply.”
CDR Sirec said that while the AFP and ABF were on the frontline against this type of crime, they wanted to remind the public that everyone had a role to play in stopping it.
She said some of the signs of human trafficking may include a person who appeared reluctant to travel; their movements appeared to be controlled by another person; they did not have access to or control of their own passport or identification; were subject to poor living conditions; rarely left home for non-work reasons; or were always in the presence of their ‘employer’ or another person.
“People who have been trafficked are often victims of the most heinous of crimes, including physical and sexual assaults; deprivation of food or a breach of their basic human rights because their freedom is controlled by others,” she said.
“According to a February 2019 report from the Australian Institute of Criminology, there are approximately four undetected victims for every victim detected.”
CDR Sirec said forced marriage was the most common form of human trafficking and slavery offence reported to the AFP, making up 47 of the 189 reports in the current financial year.
She said nearly two thirds of reports of forced marriages had historically involved victims younger than 18 and 70 per cent related to offshore marriages.
CDR Sirec encouraged anyone who was a victim, or knew a victim of human trafficking, to report it by calling 131 AFP (237).
“The Australian Federal Police have specialist trained investigators positioned around the country, who will compassionately and sensitively help you,” she said.
Further information on the signs of human trafficking can be accessed at this PS News link.
