"Single mothers, women from the RE population and from rural areas are at the highest risk of becoming victims of trafficking"

In Montenegro, girls and women make up the largest number of victims of human trafficking through various forms of exploitation - sexual exploitation, arranged child marriages, begging, labor exploitation and forced prostitution, and single mothers, women from the RE population and from rural areas are at the greatest risk of becoming victims, said Vasilisa Danilović, a social worker at the Montenegrin Women's Lobby, in an interview for the PR Center, stating that human trafficking is a complex problem at the global level, which has not bypassed Montenegro either.

"According to United Nations research, there are 29 million girls and women in the world who are victims of one of the modern forms of slavery, and even 99 percent of them are victims of sexual exploitation," Danilović pointed out.

Despite the fact that there is not enough available, official data for Montenegro when it comes to human trafficking, based on the experience of the Montenegrin Women's Lobby, several vulnerable groups are singled out that are at a greater risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.

"These are migrants, who see Montenegro as a Balkan route and transit country through which they pass, and because of this they are one of the vulnerable categories and are very easy prey for traffickers. There is also a problem of internal trafficking in Montenegro regarding girls and women from Roma population. They are also very often victims of violent begging. According to research from our experience, we know that this most often happens in the summer when they are sent to the coast to engage in begging. We also have a problem with girls from the RE population when they are in about forced marriages. They are sold at a very young age for material gain and enter into marriage and marital relations," Danilović stated for the PR Center.

Speaking about the ways in which it is possible to recognize victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, Danilović said that there are several criteria that are common to all victims.

"First of all, the common thing for all victims is that they have difficult working and living conditions. They live in very inhumane conditions, in small rooms where several people stay, where security cameras are installed, where the windows are darkened and where it is very possible that a barbed wire has been placed. They are constantly under the control and jurisdiction of other people. They cannot walk freely, they always have someone accompanying them. They behave very strangely. This behavior often implies anxiety, depression, they have a very hard time talking to other people, there is almost no eye contact, they are frightened especially if they see someone from the police and if someone stops them to ask them. They are often disoriented, they don't know where they are or what country they are in. They often give wrong addresses," said Danilović.

She said that anyone who wants to report human trafficking or sexual exploitation of women, whether they are victims or eyewitnesses, can do so through the two licensed SOS lines of the Montenegrin Women's Lobby, which are free and anonymous, and open 24 hours a day.

"The SOS telephone number for victims of human trafficking is 11 66 66, and the SOS telephone number for victims of sexual violence is 020 250 750. Our team also works in the field with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as potential victims. Our work takes place through individual conversations with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Through self-support groups, we hold various workshops, focus groups with vulnerable groups. We also have the opportunity to act as a confidant with victims," ​​Danilović told the PR Center.

She pointed out that since the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic, they have noticed that the number of calls from potential victims and victims on SOS lines has increased by 20 percent.

"The largest number of women called to get information through educational information calls, of which there were 280 last year. In second place are calls from potential victims of sexual violence, of which there were 99 last year. In third place are reports of some form of sexual violence, which last year there were 96. As for the SOS line for victims of human trafficking, there were 591 informative calls last year, there were not many calls from potential victims, more were informed. We had 649 calls to report domestic violence, which brings us to the figure that the total number of calls to the SOS line for victims of human trafficking was 1247," said Danilović.

The COVID 19 pandemic caused women, as she said, great problems, so they were the ones who were most often without a job and without basic means of living and for their family.

"It is precisely for these reasons that they have become very easy prey for traffickers. Traffickers can be people you know or don't know. Very often people you know. They approach them and offer an easy life, quick earnings, and the women accept it and believe it and run into it into a trafficking chain from which it is very difficult to get out," Danilović told PR Centar.

She said that the Montenegrin Women's Lobby is implementing the project "The victim can be your daughter, sister, mother, wife", with the support of GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, which aims to inform the public about the phenomenon of trafficking, how it can be recognized, as well as who they can turn to for help for the victim.

"It is most in our interest to inform potential victims and victims of human trafficking, so that they know how to get out of that chain, as well as the general public. As part of the informative and educational campaign, a short video with public messages for women and girls who have been potential victims or are at risk of becoming one. Flyers were made, which contain phone numbers that victims can contact in case of human trafficking," said Danilović.

She also announced round tables for representatives of institutions where more will be discussed about the problem of trafficking.

"Educational workshops will also be organized for girls and girls from secondary school, single mothers and all vulnerable categories that are at risk of becoming victims. We will also work with focus groups with girls and girls from the RE population," said Danilović.