The use of internet and digital technologies has significantly increased in the past months marked by COVID-19, with significant changes in our lives. At the same time, two-thirds of frontline trafficking workers have reported an increase in online recruitment by traffickers for the purposes of sexual exploitation online according to the relevant OSCE and UN Women Guidance.
Despite being on the rise, e-trafficking remains poorly understood and addressed in the receiving countries and there are no effective mechanisms to help professionals understand online recruitment and online exploitation patterns.
Building knowledge on early identification of victims to equip frontline professionals with the tools they need is the first, important step in this fight.
Like in any other crisis, this is also true of violence against women and girls: prevention is better than cure.
Free2Link aims to connect organisations that work in asylum systems, integration programmes and that support victims of trafficking across Italy and Greece. It also seeks to increase the ability of their frontline staff, as well as public and private networks, in the early identification of victims of e-trafficking.
Joining forces, thanks to a solid multi-stakeholder network with civil society and public authorities, to elaborate and disseminate knowledge on e-trafficking
Creating an online easy-to-use multi-language, multi-user accessible platform on early identification of victims of e-trafficking and e-recruitment
raining frontline staff working in NGOs, local authorities, public and private actors through face-to-face courses and e-learning online modules
Raising awareness on e-trafficking in Italy, Poland and Greece amongst public, local actors, European stakeholders, other countries
EU countries
Professionals trained
Advocacy Toolkit
on e-trafficking
Survey about frontline staff knowlegde on e-trafficking
Transnational Conference