Identification of victims of trafficking and other vulnerable groups within mixed migratory flows arriving via sea:

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• Identification of victims of trafficking and
  other vulnerable groups within mixed migratory
  flows arriving via sea
• The Lampedusa case

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A small island of 22km2 in the Mediterranean
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• During the past 7 years the southern Italian
  coasts have witnessed the arrival by sea of
  around 170.000 irregular migrants with most
  landings on the small island of Lampedusa
• Since 2006 within the Praesidium project -
  IOM, UNHCR, the Italian Red Cross and Save the
  Children established a stable presence on the
  island to enhance the capacity of the Italian
  Government to manage the arrivals of such
  migrants and guarantee the protection of most
  vulnerable groups
• Major migratory flows come from Africa and Asia.
  The most important departure points are Libya,
  Tunisia and Egypt

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Some data

• 2013 (31 May 2013)
• Lampedusa 2.224
• Total Italy 4.391
• 2012
• Lampedusa 5.034
• Total Italy 13.267
• 2011
• Lampedusa 50.483
• Total Italy 62.692
• 2010
• Lampedusa 458
• Total Italy 3.889
• 2009 9.573
• 2008 36.951
• 2007 20.455

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A holistic multiagency approach

• Look at mixed migratory flows as a complex
  phenomenon
• Provide tailored assistance to different
  categories of migrants different
  people/different needs
• Ensure information sharing and referral
  mechanisms for further investigation and
  protection

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Mixed migratory flows arriving by sea

• Asylum seekers Dublin unit cases
• Economic/voluntary migrants
• Victims of trafficking and violence
• Unaccompanied minors
• Migrants with disabilities
• Elders
• Others (family reunification)

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Mixed migratory flows arriving by sea 2

• As an example...
• Somalis, Eritreans, Malians asylum seekers (with
  the goal of reaching the Nordics or UK)- Dublin
  cases
• Nord African migrants coming for economic,
  personal, other reasons
• Young Nigerian girls trafficked for sexual
  exploitation
• Egyptian unaccompanied minors subject to labour
  exploitation (unaccompanied minors cant be
  expelled in Italy)
• Pakistani and Indians deceated, trafficked and
  used for the care of cattle in many regions of
  Southern of Italy
• Most smuggled migrants end up being exploited by
  Italian firms or employers collection of fruit
  and vegetables
• Migrants of different nationalities that have
  just being denied a Visa for family reunification
  or other kind of Visa by EU Consulates
• Irregular migrants that have already connections
  with criminal organizations (drug, etc...). Some
  of them re-entry

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Trafficking indicators for sexual exploitation at
border points

• More than 1350 Nigerian women arrived in
  2011
• Nationality (Nigeria Edo State) always rural
  areas
• Age 18/22 years
• Basic level of education
• Most of them declared to be orphan
• Most of them declared of not having paid for the
  travel and to have been taken in Italy by a good
  samaritan
• Parts of travel made with different accompaniers
  (the victim is often sold) and with forged
  documents
• Duration and conditions of stay in Libya
• Having already suffered from previous violence
• Physical evidence (scars, abortions)
• General immaturity
• Oath

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Difficulties in ensuring protection

• Lack of time for trust building
• Reluctancy to cooperate and talk to a foreigner
• Trust in co - nationals
• Fear for themselves or for possible retaliations
  to their family in the country of origin
• Sense of betrayal
• Gratitude for the traffickers
• Non comprehension of the entity of the debth (how
  long does it take for me to gain 60.000 Euro?)
• Non correct understanding of the level of
  exploitation
• Migrants are invited by traffickers to abuse the
  asylum procedure to stay regularly in the country
  for a determined period
• In some cases acquisition of more freedom (madams
  let the migrants keep some gainings)

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Victims of trafficking protection schemes and
referral mechanisms upon landing

• What we can do
• Information sessions dedicated to women (risk
  the trafficker might be in the group) with
  cultural mediators
• Distribution of information leaflet with hot line
  number
• Individual counselling, trust bulding and case
  assesment
• Referral to police and judicial authority in
  Lampedusa and Sicily where applicable
• Referral to medical/psyco support when requested
  or needed
• Request to the competent authorities to trasfer
  the victim in a protected enviroment
• Request the police and the judicial authority to
  release the residence permits ex art 18 Italian
  Immigration Act (two path approach)

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Other mechanisms envisaged for vulnerable
migrants upon arrival

• Access to asylum procedures and transfer to ad
  hoc reception centers for status determination
  (legal counselling)
• Special assistance for unaccompanied minors
  (correct age determination, assistance in
  collecting documentation, transfer in special
  structures)
• Migrants that cooperate with police in the
  identification of traffickers (case assesment,
  transfer to specialised structures that provide
  them with legal assistance, orientation and
  release of temporary residence permit)
• Dublin cases and family reunification (specific
  legal counselling)
• Assistance to migrants that can not be expelled
  i.e pregnant women, persons with particular
  deseases or vulnerabilities (individual
  counselling and referral)

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Enhancement of investigative measures at landing
points

• Enhancement of multiagency approach
• Secondment of cultural mediators with specific
  experience
• Need to investigate more on the trafficking crime
  (not only smuggling)
• Promotion of protection schemes that envisage the
  immediate transfer in shelters of the victims and
  the release of temporary permits to stay
• Group counselling sessions on trafficking risks
  and irregular stay
• Dissemination of information booklet and hotline
  numbers for further assistance
• Ensuring ad hoc funding for such activities

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Thank you

• Simona Moscarelli
• Migration Law expert
• IOM Rome
• 0039 06 44 186235
• smoscarelli_at_iom.int