HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION ACTIVITIES WILL BE ORGANIZED IN LATVIA
Society „Shelter „Safe House”” informs that preventive campaign „Be informed – prevent human trafficking” has been initiated in Latvia. In order to reach and inform the widest possible audience, various activities are held, involving representatives of state, local authorities and media, as well as Lithuanian and Estonian non-governmental sector. The campaign will end on October 18 which is the Anti-Human Trafficking Day in the European Union and Latvia.
Statistics show that there have been 78 cases in first 8 months of this year when people have turned to the society for consultations. Most of the cases – 50 – have been related to fictitious marriages, 2 – to forced labour, while explanatory information was given 26 times. There have been no cases this year when people would have been in need of consultations related to cases of sexual exploitation. Most often the cases were reported by Latvian embassies – 27 times, by other person/ organization – 26, but the person himself has turned for helped 25 times. Most often the people have chosen to receive information digitally – in 47 cases, 25 people have asked for consultations via phone, in person – 6 times. This year we have helped 14 victims of human trafficking already.
The first Latvian Helpline for prevention of human trafficking has started its job, and it invites people to receive the necessary information and support. By calling (+371) 28612120, anyone will be able to get information on necessary actions in a particular situation and use it as one of the resources when a help is needed in human trafficking cases in Latvia or abroad.
"The preventive activities of previous years have proven that the most powerful and effective way to show the effects of human trafficking is the reality, so during the campaign we offer to take a look at the Informative trailer. There is a exhibition about the conditions in which the victims of human trafficking are forced to live, and there is also visual information to give an idea of the scale of the problem," says Sandra Zalcmane, head of the society" Shelter "Safe House".
In addition to this activity society’s specialists will meet with local government officials, raising the awareness of the strategy on prevention of the problem of human trafficking of the each particular region. The Informative trailer will visit 9 cities of Latvia - Riga, Liepaja, Eleja, Gulbene, Viesite, Daugavpils, Dagda, Ludza and Salacgriva.
The campaign "Be informed - prevent human trafficking" is financially supported by such socially responsible companies as "Philip Morris International", which supports anti-human trafficking activities for the fourth year, "TransferGo Ltd.", "EuroAWK", Riga City Council, the Society Integration Foundation, the U.S. Embassy in Latvia.
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