The Support Agency, within the Social Welfare Services Foundation (FSWS), is strengthening its work in order to help people who are victims of human trafficking who end up in our country.
In fact, the Agency is currently providing social assistance to 15 people, while four of them are being given alternative accommodation. Since the service started operating in 2017, the Agency has had 81 cases of human trafficking. These details were given during a conference organized by the FSWS, precisely on the international day that commemorates the work against human trafficking.
Until recently this work related to human trafficking was part of a European project and financed by European funds (AMIF), but from this year this service became part of the services provided by Aġenzija Appoġġ and is financed from social funds.
Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights, Michael Falzon reiterated that everyone has the right to live safely and therefore committed to continue this work in order to identify every situation of abuse that may be ongoing. During the conference it was also explained how this service collaborates with several different entities so that holistic help can be given to the victims.
The Agency also works to increase awareness on this subject with the aim of reducing the exploitation of persons. Most of the cases that the Agency has worked with include those linked for a sexual purpose. The majority of victims are promised a stable and long-term job that has nothing to do with this work, but unfortunately they notice this deception when they are in our country. During this conference, discussions were held by several professionals working in the sector, where the importance of more training emerged in order to identify suspicions of human trafficking while providing psycho-social and even legal help.
The conference was also addressed by the Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg and the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett, through a video message.
