In most of the cases, the nationals of Latvia entered into a marriage with the citizens of Pakistan – 65 marriages. Another 33 marriages were concluded with the citizens of Ireland, 27 – with the citizens of Latvia, 18 – with the citizens of India and seven – with the citizens of Bangladesh.
On the basis of a marriage with a citizen of Latvia, a residence permit of the European Union was requested in total by 275 third-country nationals, out of which 99 were the citizens of Pakistan, 34 – citizens of India and 11 – citizens of Bangladesh. A part of concluded marriages, possibly, were fictitious, which is considered to be a form of human trafficking.
The only organization in Latvia that is entitled to provide state-paid social rehabilitation services to the victims of human trafficking is the society “Shelter “Safe House””.Last year, its specialists provided assistance to 33 victims of human trafficking, 32 of which were women, as explained to LETA by the representative of the society Rasa Saliņa. In total 19 persons suffered from a fictitious marriage, eight – from forced labour and six – from sexual exploitation. Most of the victims were from Vidzeme – 15, from Zemgale – seven, from Kurzeme – six, from Riga – four and one from Latgale.
The consultations at the society were requested in total 162 times. Of them, most of the cases – 79 – were related to fictitious marriage, 17 – to forced labour, two – to sexual exploitation, while explanatory information was provided 64 times. In most of the cases inhabitants wanted to receive information electronically and by phone. 20 out of 162 consultations were provided in person.
The society received the information about the cases of human trafficking from the embassies of Latvia 31 times; other person or organisation reported in 43 cases, while the person him- or herself applied for help in 88 cases.
Saliņa reminds that as from August 2013 the inhabitants of Latvia have an access to 24h trust line for the reduction of human trafficking. Last year, inhabitants used it 73 times. In most of the cases they were interested in the dissolution of fictitious marriage and possible assistance, as well as reported about potential risks of human trafficking, cases of labour force and recruitment.
“We ask each and every one to use the trust line 26612120 to receive information about necessary actions in a particular situation and to use it as one of resources, if assistance is required in cases of human trafficking in Latvia or abroad, thus protecting yourself and your close ones”, as emphasized by Saliņa.
A year earlier, in 2012, “Shelter “Safe House”” provided state-paid social rehabilitation services to 30 victims of human trafficking – 25 women and five men. In 2012, 16 victims of human trafficking suffered from fictitious marriage, seven – from forced labour and another seven – from sexual exploitation. In 2012, people applied to the society by phone, electronically or in person in total more than 100 times.
According to the information provided by the society, most often the nationals of Latvia suffered in Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Belgium and Sweden.
As reported, the State Police (SP) in cooperation with the State Border Guard, Prison Administration and other institutions of the European Union traced down two criminal groups that engaged in the recruitment of women for fictitious marriage; today the journalists were informed by Armands Lubarts, Head of the 3rd Division of the Organized Crime Combating Department of the Main Criminal Police Department of the SP.
Recruitment was mostly carried out via Internet and acquaintances. In the destination countries, Latvian women were awaited by accomplices of the group, who mostly came from Pakistan and India. They took away passports, forbade moving and used threats, physical influence and even rape against the brides in several cases.
More information:
Rasa Salina (Rasa Saliņa), Public Relations Consultant and Practitioner