Trafficking in Human Beings: Identification of Potential and Presumed Victims. A Community Policing Approach

Identification of victims is usually based on the definition of trafficking in human beings as stated in national legislation, which varies from country to country. Meanwhile, various actors involved in victim identification have different agendas and tend to interpret the definition differently. A criminal law-based approach to victim identification usually provides a narrower scope for identifying trafficked persons than the approach used by NGOs, which is based on a presumed trafficking situation and/or on a presumed victim, and even if the trustworthiness of the person’s story is doubted, service providers usually advocate for the person to be considered a victim of trafficking. This guidebook calls for a new community policing approach to victim identification that would provide a solid platform for the broad involvement of various public institutions, civil society groups a community representatives in the identification of trafficked persons. It will provide readers with clear guidance for the identification of trafficked persons, encourage multiagency cooperation, provide community policing tools, and serve as a resource for developing further training manuals.