Forced into a dark situation: trafficked victims in Switzerland work in various sectors, including the sex trade.
Keystone / Natacha Pisarenko
Swiss authorities have launched an awareness campaign to help identify victims of trafficking who are being forced to work in the country.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/dos
A brochure published on Monday outlines some red flags: precarious or illegal residency status, limited or no access to one’s own travel documents or passport, and cursory or exaggerated work contracts.
The campaign is mainly aimed at raising awareness among labour market inspectors, writesExternal link the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which organised the initiative in the framework of the “national action plan against human trafficking”.
Trafficking for the purposes of forced work is punishable by law in Switzerland. Last year the police recorded 99 cases, up from 85 in 2018.
Cases come from across the exploitation spectrum, SECO says: some are trafficked in order to work, others to provide sexual services, or others for the purpose of organ donation.
NGOs working with vulnerable groups cite even higher numbers. The “Advocacy and Support for Migrant Women and Victims of Trafficking (FIZ) reported 255 cases in 2019, many of whom were forced to work as prostitutes.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
255 cases of human trafficking in Switzerland in 2019
This content was published on
Last year marked a record high number of cases of human trafficking in Switzerland, a support group for female migrants reported on Monday.
‘Switzerland has made progress in combating human trafficking’
This content was published on
More and more victims of human trafficking are being discovered in Switzerland according to the latest statistics from the Zurich-based Centre for Advocacy and Support for Migrant Women and Victims of Trafficking (FIZ). But such figures are approximate at best because many victims don’t dare to speak up. The organisation ACT212 set up its nationwide…
Human trafficking: Swiss urged to improve victim protection
This content was published on
Switzerland has been told by the Council of Europe that it needs to step up efforts to tackle human trafficking and protect unaccompanied children.
Human trafficking remains a problem for Switzerland
This content was published on
Taken together with the 113 ongoing consultations from previous years, FIZ says the number of cases of women being trafficked into the country (many for prostitution) remains high. In 2017, FIZ provided support for 228 women. To combat the problem, FIZExternal link has joined forces with Church groups to provide better care for the victims. The Zurich-based entity will receive funding…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.