Human trafficking in Poland
This article needs to be updated.(August 2018) |
The
Poland is a source and destination country for men and women subjected to
Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Belarus, and Russia are trafficked to Poland for forced prostitution. Men and women from Bangladesh, China, and the Philippines are found in conditions of forced labor in Poland. Men and women from Thailand, Nigeria, Iraq, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Mongolia, Vietnam, Turkey, Djibouti, and Uganda are found in conditions of forced labor, including forced begging and debt bondage, and also forced prostitution in Poland.[4]
The
The government implemented comprehensive measures to combat the trafficking of individuals escaping the conflict in Ukraine instigated by Russia. These measures included raising public awareness, establishing a dedicated hotline,[6] formulating and applying standard operating procedures (SOPs) for unaccompanied children from other countries arriving at the Poland-Ukraine border, and engaging in proactive collaboration with international bodies and non-governmental organizations.
Prosecution
The Government of Poland demonstrated progress in its overall anti-human trafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting period. Poland prohibits all forms of trafficking through Article 253, Article 204 Sections 3 and 4, and Article 203 of the
In 2022, law enforcement authorities conducted 23 investigations under Article 189a, which was a decrease compared to the 32 investigations in 2021. These investigations focused on various forms of trafficking:
- Seven cases were related to sex trafficking.
- Twelve cases involved forced begging).
- Four cases pertained to unspecified forms of trafficking.
Prosecutors also initiated 26 investigations based on referrals from police and border guards, a decrease from the 57 investigations in 2021. They prosecuted 17 defendants under Article 189a, down from 25 in 2021. Additionally the police initiated 12 case investigations under Article 203 and four cases under Article 204.3. Prosecutors indicted 11 defendants under Article 203.
In 2021 police investigated 16 cases related to Article 203 and/or Article 204.3. Prosecutors indicted 16 defendants under the same articles.
The National Prosecutor’s Office (NPO) reported that courts convicted four traffickers under Article 189a in 2022, a significant decrease compared to the 25 traffickers convicted in 2021. The sentences included:
- One trafficker received five years’ imprisonment.
- Another received four years.
- A third received three years.
- The fourth received two years.
Furthermore: Three persons were convicted under Article 203 in 2022, compared to none in 2021. The Border Guard launched two investigations into forced labor, involving victims from Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico. These victims were exploited through local recruitment agencies and fraudulent internet platforms.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the National Police initiated five investigations into possible trafficking of Ukrainian refugees. Among these cases, one was confirmed as human trafficking and involved two child victims of sex trafficking.
The government provided training on trafficking awareness and victim identification to officers in the
The National Police took part in three major international operations launched by EUROPOL within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats. These operations targeted child trafficking, forced labor, and the fight against human trafficking related to sexual abuse, begging, or criminal activities.[1]
Protection
The government continued to improve efforts to assist trafficking victims during the reporting period. During the reporting period, the government identified at least 206 victims of trafficking – including 123 children in prostitution – compared with 315 victims identified by NGOs and government authorities in 2008. In total, 193 victims received some government-funded assistance. The government referred 22 victims for assistance in 2009. In April 2009, the government established the National Intervention Consultation Center, which expanded the ability of authorities to assist victims. The NGO-operated center established a 24-hour hotline, provided direct assistance to victims of trafficking, and served as a consultation point for law enforcement working with victims of trafficking. The national center enhanced victim protection available to foreign victims of trafficking. Previously, only foreign victims who agreed to cooperate with law enforcement were eligible for government-funded emergency assistance. With the establishment of the national center, both Polish and foreign victims were no longer required to be identified by or cooperate with local law enforcement in order to receive government-funded emergency assistance through Poland's victim assistance program.[4]
In 2009, the government allocated approximately $298,000 for victim assistance, including $59,000 for a shelter for use by adult female victims of trafficking. In response to criticism that there were no shelters dedicated to assisting male victims of trafficking, the government housed seven male trafficking victims in a government-run crisis center in January 2010 and enrolled them in the Victim/
Prevention
The government demonstrated adequate efforts to prevent trafficking through awareness-raising activities during the reporting period. The
See also
References
- ^ a b "2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Poland".
- ^ "2023 Trafficking in Persons Report".
- ^ "Copyright Information". The U.S. State Department Bureau of Public Affairs. December 3, 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 Country Narratives -- Countries N Through Z". 2010-06-17. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
- ^ "pl.usembassy.gov/" (PDF). pl.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ "Temporary Protection". UNHCR Poland. Retrieved 2024-04-16.