Only a small percentage of potential human trafficking victims receive permission to stay

Per-Willy Amundsen FrP’s justice policy spokesman Per-Willy Amundsen.

Very few of those who are potential victims of human trafficking are allowed to stay in Norway. In 2015, only 11 received permission.

Very few of those who are potential victims of human trafficking are allowed to stay in Norway. In 2015, only 11 received permission.

During 2016, a crisis center in Oslo took in approximately 40 new female residents who had been identified as potential victims of human trafficking.

According to the ROSA project, which provides assistance to victims of trafficking, only 3 of those individuals received Norwegian residence permits that year, reported VG newspaper.

The rest were sent back to their home country, or to the European country that they first arrived in. Most came from Nigeria, Bulgaria or Albania.

Rosa-project’s leader, Mildrid Mikkelsen, said that most of the women who joined them in 2016 were granted a so-called ‘period of reflection’.

This involves a six month period, during which time one will receive a temporary residence permit, a place to stay, legal assistance and other help.

Figures from the Coordination Unit for Victims of Trafficking (KOM) show that in 2015, 62 suspected victims of human trafficking sought grants for a ‘period of reflection’ with the UDI.

22 of these applications were granted. That same year, UDI made 23 asylum decisions in which the applicant was identified as a possible victim of trafficking. Yet only 11 of them were granted residence in Norway.

The only victims entitled to a residence permit are those who can, and/or will testify in a lawsuit against the perpetrators of the crime.

Justice Minister, Per-Willy Amundsen (Fremskrittspartiet – FrP), said that they are looking at changes to the reflection period scheme.

‘We will ensure better aid, which seeks to encourage more people to choose to report the traffickers’.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today