More resources needed for human trafficking fight

An activist on the frontlines of Barbados’ human trafficking fight is not convinced that local law enforcement and lawmakers are adequately equipped to identify or address the scourge of modern-day slavery.

Director of the Caribbean Anti Human-Trafficking Foundation Dr Olivia Smith said a recent promise to amend the Trafficking in Persons Act and the launch of a public awareness campaign were steps in the right direction.

However, the AG’s apparent reluctance to admit the existence of a problem and the fact that only three cases are being investigated has left a lot to be desired.

“One case of a person being treated as a slave is one case too many,” said Dr Smith, who revealed that she has dealt with nearly 30 suspected cases since the end of last year.

“When does it become a problem? When it becomes 10 000, do you take a proactive approach to ensuring that the problem doesn’t grow?” she asked.

The US State Department has placed Barbados on its Tier 2 watchlist, suggesting that the number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is “very significant”.

The migration specialist said in many cases police officers are “misidentifying” the crime of trafficking due to inadequate training.

“There needs to be a tremendous amount of training for all law enforcement officers because the police officers very often go to a drug bust, a domestic violence fight or other crime and in that crime, you might see women or men that don’t belong to your country and assume that they are willingly part of that criminal process without checking further to see if a person is trafficked or forced,” said Smith.

“Because of that, the police themselves don’t see the crime or misidentify the crime and so the training has to happen, because a police constable that goes out at night on patrol will be the first person, and they should see the indicators,” she said.

Dr Smith said the crime of trafficking is evident in strip clubs, areas like Nelson Street and West Terrace where many trafficked people apparently live communally.

She said law enforcement officials must make a greater effort to connect with these communities and with migrant groups from traditional source countries for human trafficking.

Dr Smith said the coming legislation should include protocols for victims and protection from immediate deportation consistent with Article 31 of the Geneva Convention.

She added that laws should also facilitate investigations which do not require victims to testify, instead relying on other forms of evidence.

“The legislation right now places the onus on a child to prove that they are a victim of trafficking,” said Dr Smith.

“A child should not and cannot prove that he/she is a victim under the law. I think the legislation should take into consideration other sources of evidence, because as it stands in Barbados and most countries that come out of the Commonwealth legal system, the victim’s testimony is the premise on which the prosecution will move forward.

“Victims are paid, victims are threatened, sometimes victims suffer from the Stockholm Syndrome and unless you probe and have that discussion, they are not even aware that they are victims.

“So the prosecution should be able to go forward based on whatever forensic evidence you find, whatever witness testimony you find or crime can be proven without the victim saying ‘yes I will talk’.

“That needs to be addressed in the legislation and if that is not addressed, we are not going to get very far given the complex and dynamic nature of trafficking and the normal responses of a trafficked victim.” kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb