The care of THB victims

Target group: Vicitms of trafficking in human beings. Aim: Offering concrete, free of charge forms of help to foreign victims of trafficking in human beings who are subjected to forced sexual or other forms of expoitation in Slovenia, and to Slovene nationals who are victims of THB in Slovenia or abroad. In what way: Counseling by help line, psychosocial help, retrieval of victims from endangering situations (nightclubs, apartments, construction sites…), crisis accommodation, safe house accommodation, help with contacting law enforcement agencies (escorting victims to report criminal offences to police and testify in court), help with organizing victims' return to countries of origin (if they wish to) and referring victims to similar organizations in countries of origin. Implementation period: All year. Implementation location : Slovenia Start year of implementation: 2001

In captivity situations victims of trafficking in human beings are subjected to different forms of violence that become a part of their lives. Critical events radically change their social, family, physical and psychical lives. The effects can be seen and felt for days, months or years to come. During the helping process the traumatic and chaotic experiences that previously could not be expressed by words are told for the first time and become stuctured stories. The telling process has two parts: in the first, the events are arranged by words, and in the second the affected person expresses the fear, terror, humiliation and helplessness she/he feels.

The most common long term effect of experiences like trafficking in human beings is post-traumatic stress disorder. It has many symptoms, but not all are always present. Some are manifested more, others less. It is typical that a victim feels strong fear, anxiety, physical agitation and other intensive emotional reactions even in a safe environment. The person reexperiences the traumatic event in her/his mind, dreams and images. The reexperience is triggered by sounds, images, smells, similar circumstances and other impulses that remind the person on the terrifying experience. General apathy can set in as well as headache, sleeping and concentration disorders and other disorders that hinder intellectual functioning.

By talking about the experience the suffering and the fear are acknowledged and shared. As other people are informed about the event the feelings of loneliness and exclusion begin to diminish. For many traumas this is the condition for traumatization to stop.

Interviews with victims are in fact meetings with people with different personal histories, experiences and competences who participate in finding solutions. The helping process is always about re-finding victim's hopes and dreams and acquiring the experience of respect and personal dignity that can be gained only in releationships with others. The helping process is based on the principle of confidentiality, so that participants can freely disclose their thoughts and feelings. The helping projects given by the Society Ključ are original and designed for each client separately. They are created with them and for them. When a solution cannot be found within the usual and the known, new options should be set up.

The (Re)Integration of THB Victims programme is the upgrade of The Care of THB Victims programme. Due to endured violence and threats by traffickers some THB victims don't want or cannot return to their countries of origin, so they are given an oportunity to live violence and infringement of human rights free life.