Page 27 - MIN VOS 31 JULY 2015

Aruba falls in the a risk assessment. The
government allowed

SECOND TIER victims whose employers
were suspected of
human trafficking to
change employers and
could grant temporary

for human trafficking immigration relief for
three to six months on
a case-by-case basis; the

government provided

this relief to the potential

labor trafficking victim.

The Aruban criminal

code enables trafficking

victims to file for

restitution not to

exceed 50,000 Aruban

florins ($28,000) for

ARUBA is a source and destination remained ad hoc. The government did financial and emotional damages or a
country for women, men, and children not initiate any new prosecutions during civil suit against their traffickers. A multi-
disciplinary government team conducted
subjected to sex trafficking and forced the reporting period.
several inspections of construction sites
labor. Foreign women, primarily from
on suspicions of human trafficking;
Colombia and the Dominican Republic, in PROSECUTION
Aruba’s commercial sex trade and foreign The government made uneven progress in however, no trafficking victims were
men and women in the service and anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts. identified. There were no reports of the
construction industries are vulnerable Aruba prohibits all forms of trafficking government inappropriately punishing
to trafficking. Chinese men and women in persons through Articles 203a and victims for unlawful acts committed as a
working in supermarkets, Indian men in 286a of its criminal code. In 2014, the direct result of being subjected to human
the retail sector and domestic service, government enacted amendments to the trafficking.

and Caribbean and penal code, which increased penalties for
South American women in domestic trafficking offenses to eight to 18 years’ PREVENTION
The government sustained prevention
service are also at risk. A 2013 imprisonment.
international organization report These penalties are sufficiently stringent efforts. The anti-trafficking taskforce led
identified women in Aruba’s regulated and are commensurate with those by a national coordinator, coordinated
and unregulated prostitution sectors, prescribed for other serious crimes, such Aruba’s anti-trafficking efforts and
domestic workers, and employees of as rape. In April 2014, a judge in Aruba prevention activities.
small retail shops as populations most deniedamotionfromaconvictedtrafficker Officials reported the taskforce lacked
susceptible to trafficking. This report also for early release. The government did not adequate staffing and a dedicated
noted some children may be vulnerable report any investigations, prosecutions, budget for training, shelter, and
to trafficking, including children from or convictions of government officials other forms of victim assistance. The
and/or resident in Aruba providing complicit in human trafficking offenses. taskforce continued drafting a 2014-
sexual favors and/or companionship for The national coordinator for antihuman 2018 action plan on human trafficking.
money and gifts; third party prostitution trafficking and smuggling provided The government worked with Kingdom
of children under the age of 18 is a form training on trafficking indicators to labor partners to update the memorandum
of human trafficking. Security for sex inspectors, physicians employed by the of understanding about next steps in
trade establishments was reportedly Ministry of Health, police officers and the antihuman trafficking effort. The
government continued to promote a
sometimes provided by off-duty police managers, and immigration officials.
trafficking awareness campaign, which
officers in the past.
included posters and flyers in four
PROTECTION
The Government of Aruba does not fully The government made uneven progress languages targeting both victims and the
comply with the minimum standards for protecting victims. Authorities identified general public and linked to a hotline
the elimination of trafficking; however, it one potential labor trafficking victim, staffed by the national coordinator
is making significant efforts to do so. The a decrease from two potential victims trained to assist trafficking victims.
government increased the maximum jail in 2013. The government provided the In an effort to reduce the demand for
sentence for human trafficking offenses, potential victim with emergency shelter, commercial sex acts, 2014 amendments
criminalized the receipt of services from a food, temporary immigration relief, and to the criminal code criminalized the
receipt of services from a trafficking
trafficking victim if the individual knows financial and repatriation assistance.
the victim is being forced or coerced to The government reported a policy victim if the individual knows the victim
provide the services, and investigated a of providing assistance to victims, is being forced or coerced to provide the
including shelter, legal assistance, and services. The government did not report
potential case of domestic servitude.
Authorities did not formalize standard medical care, and referring victims to efforts to reduce the demand for forced
operating procedures to guide all services who called a hotline for victims. labor. There were no known reports of
front-line responders in the proactive Authorities maintained informal, verbal child sex tourism occurring in Aruba or
identification of trafficking victims and agreements with local NGOs and private of Arubans participating in international
their referral for care. The government’s sector accommodations to shelter adult sex tourism. The government provided
approach to trafficking victim victims. Victims were permitted to leave anti-trafficking training or guidance for
shelters unchaperoned after conducting its diplomatic personnel.
identification and protection

6 LOCAL Friday, July 31 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER