Human trafficking is on the rise in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs says the country is increasingly confronted with various forms of human trafficking.
Alongside human trafficking for sexual exploitation or illegal organ removal, human trafficking for labour exploitation is on the rise, too.
Many cases have been reported of labour exploitation in slaughtering houses, agriculture, restaurants or construction.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), in Europe there are at least 600,000 victims of human trafficking for labour exploitation.
Worldwide the estimated toll stands at more than 21 million victims: 11.4 million women and girls and 9.5 million men and boys.
In Germany there are many NGOs working under the German Network and Coordination Office Against Trafficking In Human Beings (KOK) to offer support and counselling services to victims of human trafficking and exploitation.
The NGOs run centres of specialised counselling which offer advice and support for the victims of human trafficking.
Many of the centres are working gender-specifically because of their origins and their financing, although they do support men as well or at least can recommend an adequate counselling centre.
The majority of KOK members work on human trafficking regarding sexual and labour exploitation.
Those who contact the counselling centres are normally made aware of their rights, their strength and their self-determination.
The counselling is always voluntary and can be offered in the client’s native language. The counsellors work with professional discretion and treat all information with great responsibility.
The centres in general offer support in the following issues
– Crisis intervention and first conversation
– Continuous psychological counselling
– Providing advice regarding social and resistance rights and support in living assurance
– Advice and placement in accommodation, medical health care, educational arrangements and recreational activities
– Attendance by visits of administrations, courts and authorities
– Arranging lawyers
– Support in constructing life perspectives (e.g. looking for labour)
– Organisation and support in case of departure, advice in helping services in their home countries
If you are a victim of human trafficking in Germany, please contact any of these organisations in your area for help. Don’t suffer in silence!
In case you know someone who is a victim, please encourage them to seek help.
Click here to find a list of the member organisations of the KOK in alphabetical order.