A valuable manual designed to train health professionals in effectively identifying cases of human trafficking and referring survivors to appropriate services has been published today by KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre, on the occasion of the upcoming World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.
Human trafficking not only represents a grave violation of human rights but also poses a significant individual and public health issue. According to the latest Eurostat report, the EU recorded 7,155 victims in 2021, although the actual number of victims is likely much higher. Among the recorded victims, 55% were subjected to trafficking for sexual exploitation. Women and girls accounted for nearly three-quarters (68%) of all recorded victims, while children made up nearly one-fifth of trafficking victims.
The handbook for health professionals was developed by KMOP in collaboration with 4 organisations from Belgium, Germany, and Italy as part of the European project AMELIE. It covers various essential aspects, including the definition and characteristics of trafficking, indicators for identifying victims, the specific roles of health professionals in detecting and managing suspicious cases, tips for engaging and communicating with potential victims, and the impact of the pandemic. Additionally, the manual provides assessment exercises and other resources, including audiovisual material.
The manual is accessible in both Greek and English.
Its content has been utilised in training sessions held in Greece and other countries where the project is being implemented. In Greece, a total of 490 health professionals participated in KMOP’s in-person and online training sessions from November 2021 to February 2023, organised in collaboration with the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Immigration and the 2nd Department of Health of the Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, the manual’s material will be integrated into an e-learning platform, which will be freely available from September 2023.
AMELIE, an initiative funded by the European Union, aims to enhance the response to human trafficking by empowering health professionals to identify, safely refer, and offer gender- and trauma-sensitive services to victims of human trafficking, with a particular focus on adult women.
