Leaving the past behind: Assisted and solitary strategies for coping after trafficking

Well-designed reintegration and assistance programmes may assist women who have been trafficked with the challenging task of re-establishing themselves and their lives after trafficking. Such programmes may help some victims by reducing their vulnerability and widening the life choices available to them. There have, however, been recent reports of some trafficking victims declining the specialized assistance offered to them. This may be because of their individual or family circumstances, because they are not interested in the available services, because of their fear of their traffickers and/or because they wish to remain anonymous. It can also depend on how these services are designed, and whether the victim trusts the person who first offers the services.

In this project, Fafo, in cooperation with Nexus Institute in Vienna, examine circumstances that lead to victims accepting or declining assistance, through fieldwork in Serbia, Albania and Moldova. We aim to identify gaps in the knowledge of human trafficking, particularly with respect to the victims' vulnerability, experiences, needs and services. Central questions will focus on the trafficked woman's situation before and after trafficking; her perceptions of and experience with the services and service providers; and reasons for her decision to accept assistance. One of the goals of the project is to develop concrete recommendations for service providers and policymakers for creating conditions and environments conducive to a victim accepting assistance.

Contact: Anette Brunovskis

Norwegian version