The HOF-BSR project deals with assistance to victims of human trafficking. The project wants the Baltic Sea region to be a model region of comprehensive and sustainable assistance to victims of trafficking.
In the Baltic Sea region, there are thousands of victims of human trafficking. Many of them never receive any assistance and are blamed by society for being irresponsible. In addition, the project argues, the authorities do not always see the more serious crimes of exploitation behind violations of migration or labour laws. Victims of transnational trafficking are often transferred from the assistance system in one country to another. If the systems do not complement each other, the victims are at a higher risk of falling back into trafficking. Hence, the project calls for more cross-border cooperation and exchange of experiences. Also, it wants to work with media to establish a common approach for media outlets in all countries in the region. The idea is that media will be able to raise the awareness of human trafficking among the general public and thus contribute to the prevention of exploitation.
The over-all objective of the project is to develop a macro-regional approach to prevent trafficking and assist victims of trafficking. The project will involve Russia and Ukraine, both of which are countries of origin for victims of trafficking, Furthermore, the project will directly contribute to stronger societal security in the Baltic Sea region and the neighbouring countries. Iceland and Norway are also invited to participate. The activities include the development of a transnational referral mechanism, a one-day training for local actors and journalists, and the development of a code of conduct for journalists reporting on human trafficking. The activities will take place in of all of the participating countries.