Early and immediate assistance

Available assistance for victims of human trafficking

In Finland, the services and assistance available for victims of human trafficking is regulated in the Reception Act (§ 38a). Victims do not need to initiate criminal process or cooperate with law enforcement authorities to receive assistance. 

The services and assistance can include:

  • Advice and guidance
  • Legal aid and legal advice
  • Safe housing
  • Healthcare
  • Social services
  • Reception allowance or social assistance 
  • Support person
  • Interpretation and translation services
  • Voluntary assisted return
  • Support for applying a residence permit

In addition, victims who are involved in a human trafficking investigation can access free legal aid counsel. The legal aid is available from pre-trial investigation stage onwards.

The assistance is available for victims’ underaged children as well persons assisting with a criminal investigation on human trafficking. The access to assistance does not differ depending on victim’s nationality.

In practice, the services for a victim of human trafficking can be provided by the National Assistance System, Reception Centres or wellbeing services counties. The authority responsible for providing the services is determined by the status of the victim:

  • National Assistance System: victims without residence in Finland
  • Reception Centres: Victims seeking international protection or asylum
  • Wellbeing Services Counties: victims with home municipalities

In the cases when the client of the National Assistance System either has a home municipality or is a recipient of reception services, the National Assistance System cooperates closely with the relevant service provider to make sure that the rights of the victim are met. 

If a client of the National Assistance System is in the reception services, the Assistance System can purchase or otherwise provide additional support for the victim to meet their specific needs. Welfare Services Counties can receive compensation from the government for any services provided for a client of the National Assistance System required by the client due to their victimisation.

In some cases, the presumed victim can get sufficient support from the social services or reception services.  However, these services may not be specifically tailored for victims of human trafficking. 

Only the National Assistance System can give the victim a formal victim status.

Children

Child victims admitted to the Assistance System are always provided with assistance irrespective of their residence status. The assistance for child victims is coordinated by the National Assistance System, Child Welfare authorities and Wellbeing Service Counties. In case of child victims who seek asylum or temporary protection, the cooperation often encompasses reception centers for minors or group homes.

Child victims of human trafficking are also entitled to additional services, such as:

  • The right to go to school
  • Measures to track down the parents or guardians of the child, if this is in the best interest of the child

If the child victim is an unaccompanied minor, a guardian is assigned as soon as possible. The National Assistance System initiates the process of assigning the guardian immediately, when a child is admitted to the National Assistance System.

Safe accommodation

Safe accommodation and housing services are organized provided all over Finland, depending on the victims’ needs. The need for accommodation for victims who do not have a home municipality in Finland are assessed and eventually organized by the National Assistance System. If the victim has home municipality of residence, the accommodation needs will be evaluated and organized by a Wellbeing Services County.

Safe accommodation can include for instance:

  • Furnished apartment
  • Crisis housing
  • Supported housing service, which includes apartment and support
  • Institutional form of accommodation
  • Rental apartments (if the victim has home municipality in Finland)

Victims of human trafficking in the asylum-seeking process receive basic services, including accommodation, from the reception centers. They will be accommodated in reception centers unless there is a need to organize another type of accommodation.

There are no shelters or safe houses specifically for human trafficking victims. In some cases, victims of human trafficking can use safe houses for victims of domestic violence.

Children

The child victim’s right of residence in Finland is the key issue that decides how the responsibilities are divided between different authorities: 

  • If a child has municipality of residence in Finland, the regional Wellbeing Services County and its Child Welfare Services are responsible for helping and housing the child
  • If a child victim is an asylum seeker in Finland the reception centers for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers are largely responsible for providing necessary services. If there is a significant threat to the child’s safety, the Reception Centre must do a child welfare report to the Child Welfare Services. 

If a child victim does not have a residence in Finland, the National Assistance System is responsible for providing all the services for the child. In the case the child is alone in Finland or their parents are suspected of complicity, the National Assistance System submits a child welfare report to Child Welfare Services, who will find a placement for the child. 

Risk and needs assessment

The National Assistance System conducts an initial needs assessment upon receiving a referral. The purpose of the initial needs assessment is to organize support and services, for instance accommodation, to cover the victim’s immediate needs. A more comprehensive individual needs assessment is done afterwards.

The Wellbeing Services Counties are responsible for making the needs assessments for victims that have home municipalities in Finland.

Reflection period

Foreign victims, who do not have legal grounds to stay in Finland are entitled to reflection period. The reflection period can be issued by:

  • The National Assistance System
  • The Police
  • The Border Guard

Victims cannot apply for a reflection period but it is issued by the decision of the aforementioned authorities. 

The duration of the reflection period is 1-6 months, depending on the needs of the victim. The reflection period can be extended up to the maximum of six months. Victims cannot be removed from the country against their will during the reflection period.

The reflection period gives a victim a right to receive the assistance and services meant for a victim of human trafficking, if the victim is a client in the National Assistance System.

The National Assistance System must notify the police of the reflection period and its duration, in order to prevent possible deportation of the victim. The National Assistance System will not notify the police of the crime committed against the victim during the reflection period or after the reflection period, if the victim does not wish to cooperate with the police.