Austria has 120 victims of human trafficking per year for a year. These are increasingly being recruited via the internet or social media, as a new report from the European Council shows. In contrast, minors and employees in precarious sectors such as gastronomy and agriculture are particularly influenced.
“The number of illegal professions of third -country nationals has increased in recent years,” says the report. A particularly vulnerable group are minors whose correct support, guidance and accommodation must be guaranteed.
The report of the Greta Working Group refers to the period 2020 to 2024. Accordingly, the number of victims of human trafficking in Austria is “relatively stable” by around 120 a year, there is an increase in men and people who are exploited in the working area. Gastronomy, delivery services, the construction sector, agriculture and the domestic area are particularly affected.
The government of Austria must also take measures against the exploitation of sex workers and improve the legal protection of 24-hour nurses, the Council of Europe said.
Affected people come from Nigeria, Romania and Iraq
Most victims come from Nigeria, Romania, Bulgaria, Iraq, Serbia, the Philippines and Hungary. The Council of Europe states positive that the subsidies for two NGOs have been increased that specialize in the fight against human trafficking. Attention is also paid to the subject of asylum procedures in Austria.
In general, the government of Austria is confirmed to progress in the fight against human trafficking. However, not all recommendations of previous reports have been implemented, it is said. For example, it would need a coordination mechanism in which the foreign police and trade unions work together to identify victims of human trafficking.
Moreover, the Council of Europe recommends a “recreation and reflection period” for those affected before being brought out of the country because of a negative asylum message. In 2023, the funds for the fight against human trafficking in the Federal Criminal Police Office were raised and a competence center for cyber crime was set up.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
