Interior minister urges support for victims of work-based human trafficking
Speaking at the opening of reception centre for asylum-seekers in Joutseno, south-east Finland, on Friday afternoon, Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen noted that many such victims are men or families. Existing service structures, however, are aimed primarily at women and victims of sexual abuse.
Räsänen says that new solutions must be found to support victims of work-based human trafficking.
The centre, which began operations last spring near Imatra, is responsible for coordinating and developing systems to help victims of human trafficking. It also serves as a standard reception for asylum-seekers.
The number of suspected victims of human trafficking in Finland has risen steadily as awareness of the issue has risen among authorities, organisations and the public, the ministry says. Last year 52 people were accepted into the victims' support system. That was a nearly tenfold increase since 2006, when it was established.
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