Netherlands has too little insight into exploitation of Ukrainians: Rapporteur

The National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking is very worried about an increasing number of Ukrainians falling victim to human trafficking in the Netherlands. Last year, there were 51 reports of Ukrainian victims, compared to seven in 2021. In total, there were 814 recorded cases of human trafficking in the Netherlands last year, NRC reports.

National Rapporteur Conny Rijken is especially worried about Ukrainian victims. “These are people who have fled a war and are subsequently exploited in the Netherlands. We see that rogue employment agencies are abusing Ukrainians,” she told the newspaper. They work too long hours for too little or even no pay. “We know of cases where people have to sleep in the sheds where they work.”

According to Rijken, The situation of exploited Ukrainian refugees is “the responsibility of all of us.” There are almost always people who see signs of exploitation. Report those signs, she said.

The Netherlands has little insight into human trafficking, Rijken said. Part of the problem is that victims don't come forward, sometimes because they don't realize they're being exploited, and sometimes because they don't know where to go. Capacity problems at the investigative authorities are another issue. The number of suspects identified by the police has fallen, as has the number of cases registered by the Public Prosecution Service.

The authorities recorded a total of 814 human trafficking cases in the Netherlands last year. That includes sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and labor exploitation. The actual number is expected to be much higher, estimated at around 5,00 victims per year.

In 2022, the Public Prosecution Service handled 200 cases, half ending in a summons, and 45 percent were dismissed.