Belgium
The fight against trafficking in human beings has been for several years now a priority of the Belgian government.
Belgium is not only a transit country within the European Union – namely to the United Kingdom, one of the traffickers’ preferred destinations – but it is in this respect a popular country of destination, as well.
In the mid-nineties, Belgium confirmed its determination to fight this plague by adopting the Law of 13 April 1995 concerning the fight against trafficking in human beings and child pornography.
Belgium has been ever since conducting a particularly active policy regarding this matter. The fight against trafficking and smuggling in human beings is considered as a priority crime issue.
Taking into account that we are dealing here with a crime issue on an international scale, Belgium contributes actively to the fight against trafficking in human beings within both the international and the European framework.
Women and children are trafficked to Belgium primarily for sexual exploitation. Trafficking for other forms of forced labor also exists. Victims of trafficking in Belgium are promised jobs in the catering and hotel industry or jobs as au pairs, dancers, or in prostitution. Some victims are promised marriage or the opportunity to study in Belgium Nigerian men, Chinese men and women, and Ecuadorian men and women are trafficked to Belgium for various forms of forced labor or economic exploitation.
Belgian and foreign children are sexually exploited in Belgium. Foreign minors are exploited in sweatshops, Turkish bakeries, and Moroccan shops. They are also used as domestic servants in diplomats’ homes. Sports agents exploit young soccer players from Africa and South America. Reportedly, gangs organize begging rings involving minors or people with disabilities. Such gangs operate in large cities and involve mostly adults or children from Romania.
On 13 April 1995, Belgium enacted a law setting out specific provisions designed to suppress human trafficking, and our country's traditional role in promoting international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and providing better protection for victims has earned it international recognition and admiration.
Belgium is not only a transit country within the European Union – namely to the United Kingdom, one of the traffickers’ preferred destinations – but it is in this respect a popular country of destination, as well.
In the mid-nineties, Belgium confirmed its determination to fight this plague by adopting the Law of 13 April 1995 concerning the fight against trafficking in human beings and child pornography.
Belgium has been ever since conducting a particularly active policy regarding this matter. The fight against trafficking and smuggling in human beings is considered as a priority crime issue.
Taking into account that we are dealing here with a crime issue on an international scale, Belgium contributes actively to the fight against trafficking in human beings within both the international and the European framework.
Women and children are trafficked to Belgium primarily for sexual exploitation. Trafficking for other forms of forced labor also exists. Victims of trafficking in Belgium are promised jobs in the catering and hotel industry or jobs as au pairs, dancers, or in prostitution. Some victims are promised marriage or the opportunity to study in Belgium Nigerian men, Chinese men and women, and Ecuadorian men and women are trafficked to Belgium for various forms of forced labor or economic exploitation.
Belgian and foreign children are sexually exploited in Belgium. Foreign minors are exploited in sweatshops, Turkish bakeries, and Moroccan shops. They are also used as domestic servants in diplomats’ homes. Sports agents exploit young soccer players from Africa and South America. Reportedly, gangs organize begging rings involving minors or people with disabilities. Such gangs operate in large cities and involve mostly adults or children from Romania.
On 13 April 1995, Belgium enacted a law setting out specific provisions designed to suppress human trafficking, and our country's traditional role in promoting international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and providing better protection for victims has earned it international recognition and admiration.
Assistance to and protection of victims
As early as 1993 a specific system for assistance and aid to victims of trafficking in human beings was introduced in Belgium.
In actual practice, the procedure consists of three main phases:
1. Detection of the person as a victim by the first-line services in the field, information on the different possibilities for follow-up and reference to the specialized reception centre
2. Reflection period
3. Issuance of a temporary residence permit, possibly followed later by a residence permit for an unlimited period.
In actual practice, the procedure consists of three main phases:
1. Detection of the person as a victim by the first-line services in the field, information on the different possibilities for follow-up and reference to the specialized reception centre
2. Reflection period
3. Issuance of a temporary residence permit, possibly followed later by a residence permit for an unlimited period.
Major actors involved in the fight against trafficking
1.Board of Prosecutors General, Federal Public Service Justice - FPS Justice
2. The expertise network “trafficking and smuggling in human beings”of the Board of Prosecutors General - FPS Justice
3. The Federal Office of the Public Prosecutor - FPS Justice
4. The Service for criminal Policy - FPS Justice
(http://www.dsb-spc.be/; Contact : dsb@just.fgov.be)
5. The Central Service “Trafficking in Human Beings” of
the Federal Police - Directorate-General of Criminal Investigation - FPS Home Affairs (http://www.polfed-fedpol.be/)
6. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism
(http://www.diversite.be/; Contact: epost@cntr.be)
7. Social Inspection Services of the FPS Employment, Labour
and Social Dialogue and of the FPS Social Security
(http://www.meta.fgov.be/ and http://www.socialsecurity.be/)
8. Immigration Service - FPS Home Affairs
(http://www.dofi.fgov.be/)
9. The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs
(http://www.diplobel.be/)
10. State Security, FPS Justice
11. Specialised reception centres (NGO)
2. The expertise network “trafficking and smuggling in human beings”of the Board of Prosecutors General - FPS Justice
3. The Federal Office of the Public Prosecutor - FPS Justice
4. The Service for criminal Policy - FPS Justice
(http://www.dsb-spc.be/; Contact : dsb@just.fgov.be)
5. The Central Service “Trafficking in Human Beings” of
the Federal Police - Directorate-General of Criminal Investigation - FPS Home Affairs (http://www.polfed-fedpol.be/)
6. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism
(http://www.diversite.be/; Contact: epost@cntr.be)
7. Social Inspection Services of the FPS Employment, Labour
and Social Dialogue and of the FPS Social Security
(http://www.meta.fgov.be/ and http://www.socialsecurity.be/)
8. Immigration Service - FPS Home Affairs
(http://www.dofi.fgov.be/)
9. The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs
(http://www.diplobel.be/)
10. State Security, FPS Justice
11. Specialised reception centres (NGO)
NGO
Since 1995, three specialised reception centres have been recognised, approved and subsidised by both the federal government and the decentralised entities
(Communities and Regions) for receiving and assisting victims of trafficking in human beings. These three reception centres are: Pag-Asa (located in Brussels), Sürya (located in Liège, in the Walloon Region) and Payoke (located in Antwerp, in the Flemish Region).
These centres as well as their pluridisciplinary teams (educators, social workers, criminologists…) must provide assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings.
The assistance plan is threefold: psychosocial and medical assistance, administrative assistance and legal assistance. The centres also have a shelter (the address is kept secret).
Residential or ambulant reception and assistance
The victims often have no other housing than the one that is linked to the environment in which they have been abused, or in which their security is jeopardised. The centres therefore have shelters where victims in need can be housed during a limited period of time. Afterwards, ambulant assistance is provided.
If housing in a shelter turns out not to be necessary, ambulant assistance is the option that is immediatly chosen for.
Psychosocial and medical assistance
It is designed to help the victims to come to terms with what they have been through and with the traumas they have suffered, to stimulate them so that they take charge
of their life in the best possible way and to work together with them to realistic plans for the future, which implies for example helping them register for language courses, professional training or helping them actively look for a job.
Administrative assistance
This assistance mainly includes the application for papers related to the status of victim of trafficking in human beings.
Legal assistance
The centres have been set up for defending the rights and interests of the victims during the legal procedure concerning trafficking issues by providing information and by proposing the assistance of a lawyer. The victims so can decide if they want to take civil action or not. The reception centres can also take civil action either in their own behalf or in behalf of the victim.
Websites and e-mails:
Pag-asa : http://www.pag-asa.be/ - info@pag-asa.be
Payoke : http://www.payoke.be/ - admin@payoke.be
Sürya : info@asblsurya.be
(Communities and Regions) for receiving and assisting victims of trafficking in human beings. These three reception centres are: Pag-Asa (located in Brussels), Sürya (located in Liège, in the Walloon Region) and Payoke (located in Antwerp, in the Flemish Region).
These centres as well as their pluridisciplinary teams (educators, social workers, criminologists…) must provide assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings.
The assistance plan is threefold: psychosocial and medical assistance, administrative assistance and legal assistance. The centres also have a shelter (the address is kept secret).
Residential or ambulant reception and assistance
The victims often have no other housing than the one that is linked to the environment in which they have been abused, or in which their security is jeopardised. The centres therefore have shelters where victims in need can be housed during a limited period of time. Afterwards, ambulant assistance is provided.
If housing in a shelter turns out not to be necessary, ambulant assistance is the option that is immediatly chosen for.
Psychosocial and medical assistance
It is designed to help the victims to come to terms with what they have been through and with the traumas they have suffered, to stimulate them so that they take charge
of their life in the best possible way and to work together with them to realistic plans for the future, which implies for example helping them register for language courses, professional training or helping them actively look for a job.
Administrative assistance
This assistance mainly includes the application for papers related to the status of victim of trafficking in human beings.
Legal assistance
The centres have been set up for defending the rights and interests of the victims during the legal procedure concerning trafficking issues by providing information and by proposing the assistance of a lawyer. The victims so can decide if they want to take civil action or not. The reception centres can also take civil action either in their own behalf or in behalf of the victim.
Websites and e-mails:
Pag-asa : http://www.pag-asa.be/ - info@pag-asa.be
Payoke : http://www.payoke.be/ - admin@payoke.be
Sürya : info@asblsurya.be
