AFP recruiting community officers to help put an end to trafficking crimes

A startling rise in the number of people reporting being a victim of slavery or human trafficking has police devising new tactics to counter the surge.

The Australian Federal Police is recruiting specialist community officers to combat the rising number of slavery and human trafficking reports.

In startling figures, which the AFP warns are under-reported, AFP Commander of Human Exploitation Helen Schneider said 340 people reported being exploited in the last financial year.

That’s a 15 per cent increase on the previous financial year.

“One thing to understand when talking about crimes that involve coercion and deception is that they are generally under-reported and we suspect there are many more victims across the country that are not in a position to come forward,” she said.

“One of the challenges with human trafficking and slavery offences in Australia is that people often don’t realise they are a victim. In order to assist in education and community outreach of this issue, we are in the process of introducing human exploitation community officers.”

PAFP Commander of Human Exploitation Helen Schneider said human exploitation community officers to combat the increase in trafficking.

Commander Schneider said the officers would be placed in AFP commands across the country and play a huge role in better connecting with people in regional Australia.

Their key focus is victim protection and making people aware of what constitutes human exploitation – a “borderless and global crime”.

Of the 340 modern slavery and human trafficking reports received by the AFP in the last financial year, 90 cases related to forced marriages. The next highest offence is sexual servitude, with 73 reports and 22 allegations of child trafficking.

The umbrella of offences that are investigated by the AFP include sexual servitude, forced labour, trafficking of adults and children, slavery offences, forced marriage labour and debt bondage.

Commander Schneider said forced marriage was a major focus for the AFP’s human trafficking teams.

Kumuthini Kannan was jailed for eight years after using a woman as a slave for eight years. Picture: AAP Image/Mal Fairclough

The house where Kumuthini and Kandasamy Kannan enslaved a woman for eight years. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

“What we find is that people feel inhibited coming forward to police or other authorities because this is happening within their community groups and family enclaves.

“As far as prosecution goes it can be traumatising for victims to recount and relive their experiences. That’s why it is important for us to consider all forms of evidence including other witness accounts and financial and medical evidence in order to take pressure off of the victims.”

The way in which the AFP receives these reports can include intelligence from businesses, the education or health sector, community groups or a partner agency. Prevention and education is critical as it ensures the community is aware of these crimes.

“Our role is to provide the best outcome for the victims and in some cases prosecution might not be the best outcome,” she said.

“We can disrupt these crimes other ways, such as through cultural and educational interventions. This could involve having conversations with families that are looking to progress forced marriages and explaining that’s an offence in Australia.

“The implementation of human exploitation community officers will be an important part of disruption at a grassroots level.”

“That’s why it’s so important we work with other agencies the community officers will be key to that disruption at a grassroots level.”

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