A Mapping Across Europe “Slaves no more, But sisters and brothers” - Pope Francis STOP TRAFICULUI DE PERSOANE RENATE Mapping Across Europe 1 THE CONTEXT RENATE undertook this Mapping Exercise in order to ascertain the extent of human trafficking in the countries where its members are working on anti-trafficking issues in areas of prevention and protec- tion, from victim support through shelters, to education-awareness, policy and advocacy, recovery and reintegration as well as campaigning. What RENATE did not know was the extent of that work, its impact, and the requirements for resourc- es which could be shared across the Network so as to strengthen its impact in ending the culture of human trafficking. It was in this spirit of enquiry - to be able to strengthen the contribution of women religious their con- gregations and associates, in the world-wide fight to resist human trafficking and to extend the hand of God in supporting victims of this terrible crime - that RENATE set out to understand what more needed to be done in planning strategically into the future. Having ‘put out a call’ for RENATE members to undertake the task of finding out the situation in each country - through a series of conversations and interviews and aided by existing reports - that this Mapping Exercise took place. Equipped with open hearts and minds, ready to listen and be surprised, the authors of these reports set forth across 13 European countries in 2014-2015. What is contained in the pages of this document is rich, diverse, and in many cases inspiring. What the reader will find is not so much an academic professional assessment, but a quilted set of insights, observations, interviews and conversations, knit together around the wider setting of the most recent US TIP report, 2015 that sets each country within the international framework. Our thanks go to the primary authors of each country for their valuable work. Thanks to all who sup- ported them, who contributed to the findings, who offered time and hospitality to each whilst under- taking this Mapping Exercise. It is hoped that no one is left out of the acknowledgments list since every effort has been taken to list names. Members of RENATE, not engaged in writing the reports, were invited to express their motivation for the work of anti-trafficking, to give their personal motivation for this work in the face of the relentless presence of human trafficking. These pieces are also included in this document. Thanks to Dr Carrie Pemberton-Ford for drawing all the reports together and bringing some shape to what now makes an interesting tapestry. Sr Patricia Mulhall, CSB RENATE Mapping Across Europe 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTEXT…………………………………………….......……..……................................…………………………………………1 TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………..……...........................................………………………………………….3 PREFACE FROM THE PRESIDENT…………………........................................…………………………………………………5 FOREWORD………………….....................................…………………………………………………………………………..8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……….........................................……………………………………………………………………..11 INTRODUCING RENATE………...........….........................................………………………………………………………..28 COUNTRY REPORTS: ALBANIA……...……...............................................................…………………………………………..30 BULGARIA…………………………………....................………………………………………………………41 FRANCE…………………………....................................………………………………………………………………….50 GERMANY…………………...........................………………………………………………………………………61 HUNGARY………………..............................……………………………...........…………………………………………….71 IRELAND……………….........................…………………………………….............……………………………………….82 ITALY…………………..........................……………………………............………………………………………………….94 LATVIA………………..........................………………………………...........……………………………………………….103 LITHUANIA…………..........................…..........……………………………………………………………………………..111 POLAND………………..................……………………….....................……………………………………………………..119 ROMANIA………………...................………………………....................…………………………………………………..132 SPAIN…………………………………………………......................................……………………………………………….137 UNITED KINGDOM……………………......................................……………………………………………153 PERSONAL REFLECTIONS FROM RENATE MEMBERS……....................................………………………………….173 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DISCLAIMER……………………….................................…………………………………..178 RENATE Mapping Across Europe 1. 5 PREFACE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF RENATE NETWORK RENATE’s Mapping Exercise aims to provide a general overview of trafficking in persons within the context of Europe and in particular in the several countries where RENATE is established and works in the field. The outcome of this work seeks to inform the reader about the relevant legislative framework and European guidance regarding human trafficking. It also outlines the work of the stakeholders in these countries, the purpose of the national referral mechanisms, and examples of good practice. It highlights the processes used for this exercise, including the questionnaire template. This document supported the key researcher in seeking best practice and in exposing the challenges faced in that place in identification and support of victims of the crime. The Mapping Exercise has also made an assessment of existing systems, country by country, and possible loopholes and risks of abuse and ex- ploitation in these systems. The original thinking behind this piece of work came from our main donors: Porticus, Europe. Their idea was to begin the Mapping Exercise by using some of the already researched materials produced by the Mary Ward Loreto Awareness Raising Project in Albania. This document was produced in 2013, as a brochure or guideline manual for those working in the field against trafficking. It clarifies the notions of forced labour, sex trafficking, and organ trafficking and gives a general understanding of this crime in its fullest context. With this document as a background it was suggested that the next step would be to frame the challenges and the scandal of such a crime in a European context. To do this RENATE would need to provide the necessary data and within the socio-political context and history of Europe. 13 European countries out of the 24, where members of RENATE are working in the field, were researched to give a balanced understanding of the practice and issues in countries in East, Central and West Europe. The questions which Porticus raised and which needed to be addressed in this Mapping Exercise were: - At what point in the cycle of the work against trafficking is it best to intervene? For example: to use direct action; prevention; awareness-raising; advocacy? This would need to be accom- plished by giving weight and argument, with the support of known best practices and best known results. - Who are the relevant and most promising persons, networks and partners to work with in the future? - Where would RENATE need to focus into the future? It was also suggested that this Mapping Exercise would offer conclusions and recommendations for making the greatest possible impact at the levels of: - Individual lives; - Communities; - Institutions and policies; - Values and norms (culture). Finally, this Mapping Exercise would provide a story of RENATE, its impact in the field, individual stories illustrating best practice, reflections and new thinking. Sister Patricia Mulhall, CSB (Brigidine Congregation), and Sister Marie Power, HFB (Congregation of the Holy Family of Bordeaux), both members of RENATE, in conjunction with academic researcher Dr Carrie Pemberton-Ford, 1 have steered this great work through to its final conclusion with the assistance of a voluntary team (listed in the acknowledgements). 1) Director of Research, Cambridge Centre for Applied Research in Human Trafficking. www.ccarht.org (see profile under Executive summary) RENATE Mapping Across Europe 1. 6 They are to be congratulated in achieving the goal with such success. We hope that this document will be valuable as a tool in guiding many others to take up this work against trafficking in human persons. The reader will understand that it is through creative networks that the best work can be achieved and that the more open we are to linking with the many, the greater will be the impact. We hope that this document will widen the circle of the protagonists in the field and that RENATE is made stronger, with more people working together in partnerships and networks, to combat this modern day slavery. A slavery about which Pope Francis has highlighted in this New Year Peace Talk, 2015 ‘’Today, as in the past, slavery is rooted in a notion of the human person which allows him or her to be treated as an object. Whenever sin corrupts the human heart and distances us from our Creator and our neighbours, the latter are no longer regarded as beings of equal dignity, as brothers or sisters sharing a common humanity, but rather as objects. Whether by coercion or deception, or by physical or psychological duress, human persons created in the image and likeness of God are deprived of their freedom, sold and reduced to being the property of others. They are treated as means to an end. Alongside this deeper cause – the rejection of another person’s humanity – there are other causes which help to explain contemporary forms of slavery. Among these, I think in the first place of poverty, underdevelopment and exclusion, especially when