Broad support for stricter measures against human trafficking

There is widespread support in parliament for a legislative proposal that will make it easier to track and prosecute culprits of human trafficking. During a debate about this in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, many parties were in favor of the plan.

The NSC, ChristenUnie, VVD, CDA, SP, and GroenLinks-PvdA were amongst the parties that were in favor. However, the MPs did still suggest some changes to the proposal, which could help in cases like exploitation within a marriage.

The new law states, among other things, that “severe victimization” will become a new criminal offense. This would make it illegal to abuse people who are in a vulnerable position on the work floor, like labor migrants.

Examples of these types of issues are underpayment, excessively long working days, poor housing, or the confiscation of passports. In the law, options for prosecuting people who profit financially from human trafficking are also expanded.

According to the National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Conny Rijken, there is a relatively low number of prosecution cases regarding human trafficking in the Netherlands. An estimated 5,000 people are victims of human trafficking a year in the Netherlands.