How to interpret NAS statistics

Statistics never reveal the identity of a client

The NAS gathers statistical information about the persons referred and admitted to the NAS. The statistics are gathered and published anonymised, so that the identity of an individual client or group of clients cannot be inferred.  The NAS publishes statistical information in a similar manner as, for example, the police publishes crime statistics or patients treated by a hospital – always protecting the privacy of the client.

What do the statistics of the Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking tell us?

The NAS statistics help form an overall picture of the types of human trafficking identified in Finland. However, they do not describe the amount of human trafficking that has in reality taken place in Finland or the world at large. 

The admittance to NAS has a low threshold without any proof required that the client has fallen victim to human trafficking specifically. When interpreting the statistics, it should be taken into consideration that a client may later be found not to be a victim of trafficking. This is perfectly normal. 

It is also important to take into account when reading the statistics that the statistics only include cases of which the NAS is aware of. If a victim of human trafficking is unwilling to seek assistance from the NAS or is not in need of assistance, the information of such a case is naturally not shown in the figures. The same applies to cases in which human trafficking has not been identified and consequently the victim is not referred to the NAS. 

The NAS does not gather information about suspects and persons guilty of trafficking offences. The NAS clients are not required to share any details about their possible exploiter with the NAS. The only information that the NAS usually needs to know is whether the exploiter presents a safety risk to the client or someone assisting the client.