Am I a victim of human trafficking?

It can be difficult to identify victims of human trafficking. Even the victims themselves do not al-ways realise what is happening to them. Answer these questions and think if they sound like you. If you answered “Yes” to one or more questions, your situation may show signs of human trafficking.

• Is someone pressuring you to do something you would not like to do?
• If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, is someone using your addiction to make you do things you would not like to do?
• Is someone using your illegal stay in the country to make you do things you would not like to do?
• Is someone using your homelessness, lack of funds or other problems to make you do things you would not like to do?
• Is someone threatening to give you away to the authorities if you do not do as you are told?
• Is someone threatening to shame you in front of your friends, family or other people if you do not do as you are told?
• Do you owe money to someone who is pressuring you to act against your will?
• Has someone made threats against you or your loved ones?
• Do you fear for your safety or the safety of your loved ones?
• Have you not been paid enough or not at all but you cannot do anything about it?
• Has someone told you not to talk about your life or told you not to get help?
• Has your freedom of movement been limited or are you allowed to move around only when someone guards you?
• Do you feel like there is no way out?

Human traffickers do not allow their victims to make decisions about their lives

Human trafficking is a serious crime. It means that someone is taking advantage of another person to make money or get some other benefit out of them. Abusers can use many ways to force others to act against their will, for example to sell sex, beg, steal or work on poor conditions.

To make a victim do as they are told, the abuser may cheat or mislead the victim. The abuser may use pressure, threats or blackmail, or exploit the victim’s vulnerable or insecure situation. Finally the victim must do as the abuser says, even when they do not want to.

The victim has very little chance of leaving the situation or going against the abuser.

A human trafficking crime is often not just a single incident, but a chain of events that can continue for a long time, sometimes for years. The lines between different forms of human trafficking are not clear, and one person may become a victim of several forms of human trafficking during their abuse. To find out more about the many forms of human trafficking, go to the Human Trafficking section at ihmiskauppa.fi.