We share insights from our partners on how digital technology is used in trafficking
A surge in the use of social media increases trafficking vulnerability in Southeast Asia, a new series of issue briefs presents evidence of forced labour in the Uyghur Region, and a code of practice for ensuring the rights of trafficking survivors is now available.
An increasing number of human trafficking victims in Southeast Asia are initially recruited through websites or social media posts, according to a new research brief published today by Freedom Collaborative with support from USAID Asia CTIP and Winrock International. Frontline organizations working with trafficking victims in the region report that an increase in online activity brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded opportunities for traffickers, allowing them to reach a greater number and diversity of victims.
A lack of data on this issue meant that our research was limited to interviews with NGOs working with victims on the ground, including The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), A21, Transient Workers Count 2 (TWC2) and International Justice Mission (IJM), along with desk research, to help us understand the role technology plays in recruitment and what this looks like in the region.
Southeast Asia is increasingly embracing the online world, with more than 460 million internet users in 2022, many of whom became first-time digital consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase in online activity has offered new avenues to traffickers, allowing them to reach a larger and more diverse group of people, including those who might not have been susceptible in offline situations; social, economic and educational status, as well as age, has become far less relevant as a determinant of who is vulnerable and likely to be targeted.
From the experience of our partners, there appears to be two stages to victim recruitment using technology. First, jobs are advertised on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter; second, contact is made with interested individuals on secondary platforms – often instant messaging systems such as Line, Telegram and WhatsApp. This one-to-one contact enables a relationship of trust to be created, making the person more likely to agree to work. Text messaging is still largely used for recruitment in the Philippines, say practitioners in the area, but during the pandemic Telegram was also used. According to a report published last year by GRETA, traffickers target its job search groups which are private and unregulated, while child protection agencies point out that its disappearing messages feature engenders a false sense of confidence in young people – who may then be more likely to share personal details – while also making it harder to capture evidence of exploitation or abuse.
In order to combat this rise in recruitment, greater outreach efforts to keep adults informed on how to spot malicious scams and report them to the right authorities are vital, say frontline groups. Furthermore, social media platforms and the state should have a duty of care to ensure the implementation of more effective mechanisms to protect victims from false advertisements. However, the current rate of innovation is so rapid that collective counter-trafficking efforts are in danger of being outpaced by the effects and consequences of technological advances, and are further hampered by a lack of data on the role that social media and digital technology play in trafficking. Without evidence to illustrate the nature of the problem, its scale, and the many ways in which it manifests online, stakeholder engagement and collaboration remain challenging.
For civil society, a concrete practical step would be to prioritize the collection of relevant information alongside other case data which is already being recorded as standard practice, along with detailed research into specific trends. Beyond more effective advocacy, an increase in available evidence would also help to make the case for greater awareness about technology-facilitated trafficking among all stakeholders, and for investment to develop the technical skills needed to respond appropriately to practical challenges in relation to IT security, the digital modus operandi of traffickers, and obtaining digital evidence.
Despite the current lack of available information, we hope this study helps put a spotlight on these issues, encourages stakeholders to consider the need for an expansion of data collection efforts in this area, and sparks discussions around a potential response to any trends and patterns identified.
Here’s a round-up of other noteworthy news and initiatives:
The Helena Kennedy Centre at Sheffield Hallam University has released the first in a series of issue briefs on forced labour in the Uyghur Region and corporate participation in state-sponsored labour transfers. It presents evidence that the coercion of Uyghurs and other minoritized citizens constitutes forced labour under ILO standards, explores how forced labour affects a wide range of industries, and discusses why standard due diligence is insufficient in this repressive environment.
In response to the lack of survivor inclusion to date, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in consultation with the International Survivors of Trafficking Council (ISTAC) and other relevant anti-trafficking stakeholders, has developed a Code of Practice for Ensuring the Rights of Victims and Survivors of Human Trafficking under international, regional and national laws. It seeks to provide guidance for participating states on ways to ensure not only the inclusion of victims’ and survivors’ voices but also their full engagement in all anti-trafficking responses.
This scoping review aims to advance the understanding of current empirical evidence on the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) in the Philippines, and to identify its characteristics, key drivers and the leading intervention and prevention approaches, in order to develop improved policy and practice responses. Key risk factors include vulnerabilities arising from poverty and weak social protection, limited understanding of the harms of OSEC, and facilitative technology, social media and financial transaction systems.
This news article discusses the ways in which the Biden administration has failed to enforce child labour laws, leaving migrant children vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in industries such as agriculture and fishing. Advocates are calling for stronger protections for these children and for the government to hold employers accountable for their mistreatment.
ASEAN-ACT has supported the Supreme Court of Indonesia in using a set of victim sensitive court indicators to analyze trafficking in persons decisions made between 2019 and 2021, with the aim of improving court experiences and outcomes for trafficking victims. The analysis provides an overview of the way trafficking in persons cases are prosecuted, the evidence relied upon in trials, case outcomes and judicial decision-making, and will inform the development of future policies and procedures.
Ikea stores in Malaysia have severed ties with a labour provider after an internal investigation found that many security guards in Ikea’s Malaysian stores had paid fees to secure jobs, in breach of the furniture retailer’s labour policy.
GIZ Kenya is inviting Middle Eastern civil society organizations to participate in a call for the regional CSO Network on safeguarding vulnerable migrants. During the call, organizations can introduce themselves and their migrant-related work and discuss potential collaborations with other CSOs in the network. Please get in touch if interested!
The 2023 Canadian Sexual Exploitation Summit takes place online from 3 to 5 May. CSES brings together more than 50 expert speakers who will present the latest research, innovative strategies, and lessons helpful to leaders from every sector in the fight against sexual exploitation.
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