Trafficking victims uncovered in Iceland as domestic violence center reports alarming rise in cases

Recent interventions on the labor market have uncovered a growing number of trafficking victims in Iceland. Many individuals seeking help at the domestic violence center Bjarkarhlíð in recent months cited workplace exploitation as their reason for reaching out, with over ten cases linked to trafficking for prostitution.

The center’s team leader reported an alarming trend: as authorities intensify efforts to combat labor trafficking, related prostitution cases have surfaced more frequently. From June of last year to June of this year, Bjarkarhlíð received 78 new cases, with nearly twenty additional ones registered since then. Individuals coming to the center hail from approximately twenty different countries, primarily related to labor trafficking, while several cases involve suspicions of sex trafficking.

Referrals to Bjarkarhlíð commonly come from various organizations, including labor inspection agencies, labor unions, police, and social services, as well as women’s shelters and the immigration office. These entities now operate under a coordinated procedure to address these issues effectively.

The nature of trafficking varies, often involving financial exploitation or personal servitude. Young women frequently become the primary victims of such trafficking. The center works to process these cases more swiftly than before, but complexities arise due to varying circumstances of the victims.

Suspicious activities, particularly related to sex trafficking, have increasingly been reported at Bjarkarhlíð as authorities enhance their scrutiny of workplace trafficking. There is a strong collective willingness to address and combat these pressing issues, underscoring the urgent need for ongoing action and support for victims.