It's still happening today: recognise human trafficking and exploitation in your neighbourhood

Trafficking in human beings is still happening today, closer than we can imagine. Both Lithuanians who have gone abroad to live and foreigners who have come to live in Lithuania are victims. Victims are especially often socially vulnerable people who have moved to a new country and do not speak the local language. Experts share tips to help you recognise cases of abuse in your home environment.
"There are an estimated 50 million people worldwide living in modern slavery, a huge number that covers all forms of human exploitation. Trafficking in human beings goes beyond sexual slavery or the forced commission of crimes, it can also include working conditions that violate human rights and unpaid wages. Immigrants from the Eastern Bloc are increasingly being targeted in Lithuania, with exploiters taking advantage of the helplessness and difficult psychological and emotional state of people who have fled war or poor political and economic conditions. Our aim is to educate the public and help them to recognise these cases in their own environment. Because it is always better to fight the causes than the consequences", says Eitvydas Bingelis, Head of the Vilnius Office of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM Lithuania).

Choose your workplace carefully

According to Dovilė Vainorė, head of the National Association Against Trafficking in Human Beings, the most common victims are people who are looking for a new job in a hurry, especially in a foreign country, and who do not speak the local language.
"New job offers, especially from unexpected strangers, should be treated with the utmost criticism. If a relative you haven't seen for a long time suddenly turns up with a job offer that guarantees a high salary and doesn't require many competences, ask them in detail what you will be doing, where you will be doing it, what the conditions will be, and whether you will have an official contract. You can check online whether the company offering the job is legal and officially registered.
The terms and conditions of employment - pay, duties, duration of the contract and other details - must be set out in the employment contract. It is advisable to read and evaluate all the terms carefully before signing it. If you have any doubts, you should consult the State Labour Inspectorate or the Employment Service", advises D. Vainorė
If you are unable to find information about a foreign company from reliable sources, she advises you to call the embassy of the country offering you the job in Lithuania to find out what the requirements are for newcomers from other countries.

Keep the people you trust informed

When going to work in a foreign country, Vainorė recommends that you keep your family, relatives and friends informed about your job, where you live and other important details.
"Arrange with your parents and friends to keep them regularly updated on how you are doing when you arrive in another country. Before you leave, it is a good idea to find as many trusted contacts and acquaintances as you can to ask for help in case of trouble in the country. It is advisable to find out and keep the contact details of the Lithuanian Embassy in the foreign country, and to make a backup copy of your identity document," says E. Bingelis.
Before leaving Lithuania, it is advisable to take out accident and sickness insurance, which is also valid abroad, if your employer does not provide it.

Don't give away your passport

D. Vainorė advises leaving a copy of your passport and a recent photo with your relatives or friends before you go to work in a foreign country.
"Traffickers usually take passports and other personal documents from their victims to gain an advantage and control them in a foreign country. Do not give your identity documents to your employer, who has no right to take them under any circumstances. The required data can always be handed over without giving the identity document. Persuasions such as 'you need to get your certificates and permits in order, so your document has to stay with the employer for a while' already make you think that something is wrong in this situation," says the head of the National Association Against Trafficking in Human Beings, D. Vainorė.

According to Vainorė, if your employer has misappropriated your documents, you should immediately contact the local police or the Lithuanian Embassy: "Also, if you arrive in a foreign country and the working conditions are not in line with your employment contract, it is advisable to contact the person who handled your employment contract. If the situation persists, you always have the right to terminate the contract and look for another job or go home".
"In cooperation with our partner, the National Association Against Trafficking in Human Beings, we have updated the platform prekybazmonemis.lt. Here, everyone - both foreigners based in Lithuania and citizens of our country - can find information on forms of trafficking in human beings and take a test to assess their resilience to the risks of trafficking in human beings. It also includes contacts for free, 24-hour counselling services and the necessary specialists for assistance," says E. Bingelis, Head of IOM Lithuania.
If you think you have been trafficked or if you have witnessed cases of exploitation in your environment, you can find help at any time of the day or night at: https://prekybazmonemis.lt/.