SINGAPORE: Research is an imperative step in understanding the extent of human trafficking in Singapore, said migrant welfare groups and non-governmental organisations.
They said studies on the nature and scale of the problem need to be done first.
The authorities
recently launched a National Plan of Action against Trafficking in
Persons to combat the issue in a more strategic way.
Forty-three
reports of sex trafficking were received by the Police, while 67 cases
of labour trafficking were detected by the Manpower Ministry last year.
However, these statistics alone may not be enough to fully understand the human trafficking situation.
Observers said more research is needed.
Siddharth
Kara, who is a fellow at Carr Centre Programme on Human Trafficking
& Modern Slavery, said: "What's going on with human trafficking,
who's being trafficked, in what numbers, for what purpose, by whom, etc.
This broad base baseline research will be a very good foundational
piece to have."
Mr Kara added that sector-based research is also useful.
"Look
at the construction sector, the domestic work sector, the maritime
sector and understand who's being trafficked into these sectors, by
whom, for what purpose, under what modes and means so that you can
design your response and your interventions specifically based on
knowledge generated by research."
The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) set up its Trafficking Resource Centre at the end of last year.
HOME believes it should be actively involved in the research work as it has day-to-day contact with the migrant community.
Libby
Clarke, who is a consultant on Anti Human Trafficking at HOME, said:
"This is one which is building upon the services which HOME has long
provided to victims of both sex and labour exploitation. And to ensure
that we are tailoring those services very specifically to the needs of
victims of trafficking, we are also equipping ourselves with the
information we need in order to accurately identify those individuals."
For
the first time, 16 NGOs met on March 28 to discuss the issue of
Trafficking in Persons. One of the objectives of the meeting was to set
out a map of who's doing what in the area of research.
In addition, the NGOs explored ways in which they could collaborate better and ensure synergies are being maximised.
As
part of the National Plan of Action, the Inter-Agency taskforce on
Trafficking in Persons is also conducting research, with relevant third
parties.
HOME started a 24-hour hotline in November last year to
provide assistance to victims of trafficking in persons. They've been
receiving between 10 and 20 calls each day. 10 per cent of the calls
relate to the issue of sex exploitation.
Further investigations
will then be carried out after each hotline call is received. This is
done to find out exactly the whole ordeal of what the caller has gone
through.
Ms Clarke said this process is important in order to
establish the nature of the exploitation and whether they are a victim
of trafficking.
The Inter-Agency taskforce is also studying the
feasibility of setting up a toll-free hotline so that authorities are
alerted to possible trafficking cases.
Ms Clarke said: "We are
in discussions with the taskforce as to who is best placed to provide
this service moving forward. The feedback that we receive from the users
of our hotline shows they far prefer to make a call to an NGO than to a
government official.
"They need a line which they can access
which doesn't take them to an official who they perhaps fear because
they are concerned about what would happen to them as a result."
The taskforce expects to complete the joint research by 2015.
- CNA/fa