Fight Against Human Trafficking Requires Better Informed Public
Jakarta. Ordinary citizens must be better informed on matters related to human trafficking to effectively address the problem, a police official said.
"We need members of the public to also play a role [in combating human trafficking] to achieve the best results," Hafidh Susilo, head of the human trafficking sub-directorate in the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim), said during a panel discussion in Jakarta on Friday (15/12).
Bareskrim received 18 reports of human trafficking in 2017, involving more than 1,000 victims.
Hafidh said in addition to those reports, district-level police units also recorded cases involving more than 1,100 human trafficking victims this year.
Most of the victims are women who were promised employment opportunities abroad. East Nusa Tenggara, West Java and East Java are cited as among the provinces most prone to human trafficking.
Human trafficking, modern slavery, prostitution, child exploitation and the illegal organ trade, are illegal in Indonesia.
According to Bareskrim, reports of such crimes seldom come from members of the public or the victims. Most cases are reported by law enforcement officers, or officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Board for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Worker (BNP2TKI).
"There is a lack of education and knowledge when it comes to human trafficking," Hafidh said.
Efforts to combat human trafficking therefore, must include active participation by ordinary citizens and a coordinated effort across institutions to deal with the issue.
Collie Brown, Indonesia country manager for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, emphasized that people can help identify human trafficking cases by being informed and staying alert when traveling.
"As people travel, it is helpful if they understand what human trafficking [may look like] to be able to identify those who might be in such situation," Brown said.
In his closing remarks, Hafidh emphasized that the implementation of preventive measures, such as raising awareness of human trafficking, is an important step in combating the crime.
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