SINGAPORE:
Research is an imperative step in
understanding the extent of human trafficking in Singapore, said migrant
welfare groups and non-governmental organisations.
They
said studies on the nature and scale of the problem need to be done first.
The
authorities recently launched a National Plan of Action against Trafficking in
Persons to combat the issue in a more strategic way.
Forty-three
reports of sex trafficking were received by the Police, while 67 cases of
labour trafficking were detected by the Manpower Ministry last year.
However,
these statistics alone may not be enough to fully understand the human
trafficking situation.
Observers
said more research is needed.
Siddharth
Kara, who is a fellow at Carr Centre Programme on Human Trafficking &
Modern Slavery, said: "What's going on with human trafficking, who's being
trafficked, in what numbers, for what purpose, by whom, etc. This broad base
baseline research will be a very good foundational piece to have."
Mr Kara
added that sector-based research is also useful.
"Look
at the construction sector, the domestic work sector, the maritime sector and
understand who's being trafficked into these sectors, by whom, for what
purpose, under what modes and means so that you can design your response and
your interventions specifically based on knowledge generated by research."
The
Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) set up its Trafficking
Resource Centre at the end of last year.
HOME
believes it should be actively involved in the research work as it has
day-to-day contact with the migrant community.
Libby
Clarke, who is a consultant on Anti Human Trafficking at HOME, said: "This
is one which is building upon the services which HOME has long provided to
victims of both sex and labour exploitation. And to ensure that we are
tailoring those services very specifically to the needs of victims of
trafficking, we are also equipping ourselves with the information we need in
order to accurately identify those individuals."
For the
first time, 16 NGOs met on March 28 to discuss the issue of Trafficking in
Persons. One of the objectives of the meeting was to set out a map of who's
doing what in the area of research.
In
addition, the NGOs explored ways in which they could collaborate better and
ensure synergies are being maximised.
As part
of the National Plan of Action, the Inter-Agency taskforce on Trafficking in
Persons is also conducting research, with relevant third parties.
HOME
started a 24-hour hotline in November last year to provide assistance to
victims of trafficking in persons. They've been receiving between 10 and 20
calls each day. 10 per cent of the calls relate to the issue of sex
exploitation.
Further
investigations will then be carried out after each hotline call is received.
This is done to find out exactly the whole ordeal of what the caller has gone
through.
Ms
Clarke said this process is important in order to establish the nature of the
exploitation and whether they are a victim of trafficking.
The
Inter-Agency taskforce is also studying the feasibility of setting up a
toll-free hotline so that authorities are alerted to possible trafficking
cases.
Ms
Clarke said: "We are in discussions with the taskforce as to who is best
placed to provide this service moving forward. The feedback that we receive
from the users of our hotline shows they far prefer to make a call to an NGO
than to a government official.
"They
need a line which they can access which doesn't take them to an official who
they perhaps fear because they are concerned about what would happen to them as
a result."
The
taskforce expects to complete the joint research by 2015.
-
CNA/fa
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