New clients who were exploited in Finland

In 2022, the Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking accepted 367 new clients. Of all the new clients, 236 people, in other words more than 64%, may have fallen victim to human trafficking in Finland. This page contains statistical information on these 236 people.

Forced labour across several industries

Most of the new clients referred to the Assistance System (178 people) had been involved in circumstances indicating forced labour in Finland. These people typically worked in the cleaning industry, as berry pickers, in greenhouses, in the restaurant or beauty care industry, in warehousing or moving, in car repair shops and at car wash stations. Individual cases were also investigated in other sectors, such as the forestry and the construction industries.

The number of people victimised by human trafficking related to sexual exploitation who were referred to the Assistance System was slightly higher (24) compared to the previous year (21). Most commonly, the person was exploited for prostitution.

The number of new clients living in forced marriages in Finland was 25. The forced marriage was often discovered when the victim sought help from the authorities or an organisation due to domestic abuse.

Figure 11. New clients who have fallen victim to human trafficking in Finland, classified according to the form of human trafficking

The share of new clients who had been exploited in criminal activity or fallen victim to human trafficking for benefit fraud was very small. No people exploited in begging in Finland, child soldiers or victims of organ trafficking were referred to the Assistance System (n = 236).

Victims usually come from outside the EU

The people who had fallen victim to human trafficking in Finland and had been referred to the Assistance System mainly came from countries outside the European Union (EU), particularly from Asia and the Middle East. 21 people were originally from Finland or another EU country.

New clients were usually staying in Finland legally, either with a residence permit (54 people) or a visa (104 people). 28 people were staying in Finland as asylum seekers, and four people received temporary protection. 25 people had no legal right of residence.

The war in Ukraine did not affect the number of Ukrainian citizens referred to the Assistance System. Six Ukrainian citizens were admitted to the Assistance System in 2022, which is not unusual compared to the numbers of the previous years. However, the Assistance System received reports and inquiries related to Ukrainians concerning potential exploitation of workforce and issues in the payment of wages.

Figure 12. Those victimised in Finland (236), classified according to residence status(n = 236)

Of those fallen victim to human trafficking n Finland, 58% were men and 42% were women. There were two minors among those exploited.

Figure 13. Gender distribution of those fallen victim to human trafficking in Finland

(n=236)

In 2022, the police and Victim Support Finland were the most common operators referring people victimised in Finland to the Assistance System.

Figure 14. Operators referring the 263 clients exploited in Finland to the Assistance System

The diagram shows which organisations referred the 263 new clients exploited in Finland to the Assistance System.

Number of people victimised in Finland 2016–2022

Each year, more and more people who may have fallen victim to human trafficking in Finland are referred to the Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking. This is influenced by increased awareness of human trafficking, developments in action against trafficking in human beings and, in certain respects, migration.

Strong spikes in the statistics usually indicate that a larger group of clients connected to the same criminal activity have been admitted to the Assistance System at once. Such incidents are usually related to either forced labour or exploitation in prostitution and are not discovered every year.