Early and immediate assistance
Available assistance for victims of human trafficking
A victim of human trafficking does not need to be formally identified to be able to receive assistance and support in Sweden. According to the Social Services Act (2001:453), the social services are responsible for ensuring that individuals, who live within the municipality, receive the support and the help they need. The municipalities must make sure that their social services are of good quality and delivered by staff with appropriate training and experience.
Once a presumed victim of human trafficking has been identified, urgent needs for protection and care must be addressed. To ensure this, social services, police, and in some cases, healthcare providers, need to be involved. In addition, regional coordinators against prostitution and human trafficking are often consulted. Regional coordinators, who are specialized social workers, are stationed in all regions.
The first step of assistance is often to provide information for the victim, including their rights in the legal process. These rights include:
- Possibility of obtaining a temporary residence permit
- Right to damages
- Right to free legal assistance from a counsel for an injured party.
Once the victim gives their consent, the regional coordinator is contacted to help ensure that the victim’s rights are respected. If the victim does not consent to sharing information about their specific situation, the regional coordinator may still be consulted for general guidance on the support and protection process.
Children
The social services must provide protection to all children, regardless of their legal status in the country.When the Social Welfare Board receives a notification concerning a child, they will assess whether the child needs immediate protection. If so, they will take action in accordance with the Social Services Act (SoL) or the Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act (LVU). For example, it may be necessary to immediately place the child in protective custody in accordance with the provisions in LVU. The children of victims are also entitled to assistance.
Safe accommodation
Victims of human trafficking can be accommodated in shelters, homes for care or residence (HVB), or family homes. The social services are responsible for referring victims to accommodation.
There are several residences providing support to victims of human trafficking that are affiliated with actors within the Swedish Civil Society Platform against Human Trafficking. In addition, the Salvation Army manages a halfway house that is specialized for receiving male victims of human trafficking. It is open to victims of trafficking who are not victims of sexual exploitation.
Accommodation providers may offer different levels of protection. They may also offer different assistance measures, including:
- A place to sleep
- Food
- Counselling services
- Support with social issues
- Assistance in communicating with authorities
- Help with filing a police report
- Support with everyday needs
- Assistance in accessing maternity care or other care
Children
There are special provisions in place for arranging accommodation for child victims of human trafficking. When social services assess a child victim’s needs, they often determine that same-day arrangements are required to ensure both protection and support. The needs assessment should guide the selection of an appropriate type of accommodation for the victim.
Child victims of human trafficking may be sought by their traffickers or may themselves contact the traffickers directly or through friends. Under the Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act (LVU), when a child is placed in care, the caregiver must supervise the child and make decisions about the child’s personal circumstances as needed to provide proper care.
Risk and needs assessment
In Sweden, the police and social services each perform a risk assessment. When needed, they should cooperate in the assessment processes. The need for protection can be reviewed if the victim’s situation changes.
The risk and needs assessment by the social services includes consideration of needs for healthcare, social services, counselling, and education. The assessment is usually done before referral to accommodation and is adapted to individual needs.
The police must also conduct a risk assessment as soon as possible to establish potential needs for protective measures during the preliminary investigation and trial. The assessment should consider the seriousness of the crime and the circumstances of the injured party. An injured party under the age of 18 must always be considered to have a special need for protection.
Reflection period
A victim of human trafficking who does not hold a residence permit can request a reflection period. The leader of the preliminary investigation or the social services apply the reflection period on behalf of the victim.
The reflection period is a temporary residence permit lasting 30 days, during which the victim has the same rights as Swedish citizens. Its intention is to allow the victim of a crime time to recover so that they can make an informed decision about participation in the legal proceedings.
Children
If there is a suspicion that a child has been trafficked or exploited as a human being, the child is considered a victim of crime. In such cases, a separate application for a reflection period must be submitted for each child.
Social services cannot apply for a reflection period for accompanying children who are not themselves suspected of being trafficked or subjected to human exploitation. However, the person in charge of the preliminary investigation may apply for a residence permit for these children or other family members if they are considered witnesses.