New IOM Publication Compiles Cases of Human Trafficking Assisted by the Organization in Mexico in the Past Five Years
As part of its programme Direct Assistance to Victims of Human
Trafficking, IOM Mexico is this week presenting its most recent
publication, Human Trafficking in Mexico: A Study of Assistance
Provided to Victims, funded by the US State Department's Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).
The publication, to be launched in the southern border city of
Tapachula on Wednesday, 3 August, includes general information
about victims of human trafficking assisted from 2005 to 2009, and
describes the comprehensive assistance provided by IOM Mexico
staff, in close coordination with public and civil society
organizations.
Links
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target="_blank" title="">La trata de personas en Mexico:
Diagnóstico sobre la asistencia a víctimas
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Mexico
According to Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH by
its Spanish acronym), an estimated 20,000 persons are trafficked
annually in Mexico, a country of origin, transit and destination of
victims.
The locations of highest incidence are the border states of
Chiapas, Tabasco, Chihuahua and Baja California, as well as the
tourist destinations of Cancun, Acapulco and Mexico City, among
others.
According to statistics presented in this IOM publication, the
most common types of human trafficking are labour exploitation
(60%) and sexual exploitation (38%), while false adoptions and
servile marriage (2%) are less so. Another significant result is
that more than 60% of traffickers were women and in most cases the
victims knew their traffickers who were either acquaintances or
family members.
IOM has worked in Mexico in the fight against human trafficking
since late 2005, providing direct assistance to victims of human
trafficking, as well as technical support and expertise to public
institutions and civil society organizations; disseminating
information; developing research and publications; and support in
the drafting and implementation the first ever protocol to assist
victims in Mexico.
As part of its counter-trafficking activities, IOM Mexico has
trained more than 4,000 public officials, particularly officials of
the National Migration Institute (INM), and representatives of
civil society, as well as Mexican and Central American consular
representatives.
To date, IOM Mexico has assisted 185 victims of trafficking from
Central America, mostly from Guatemala. The majority of these cases
have been assisted along the southern border. Each victim receives
medical and psychological support, shelter and food, assistance
with documentation, and at their request, support to return to
their places of origin and participate in social reintegration
programmes.
"This publication also includes a number of specific
recommendations for prevention, assistance, and law enforcement
with the goal to improve the mechanisms for identifying and
assisting victims in the country and enhancing inter-agency
coordination at national, regional and international levels,"
explains IOM Mexico Chief of Mission, Thomas Lothar Weiss.
Some of these recommendations include the creation of more
shelters to assist victims of human trafficking, the implementation
of best interest determination procedures for children, and
guaranteeing that assistance to victims isn't conditioned on their
accusation of the traffickers.
The publication will be available on 3 August at "http://www.oim.org.mx/index.php">http://www.oim.org.mx/index.php
For further information, please contact:
Hélène Le Goff
IOM Mexico
Tel: + 52 55 5536 3922
E-mail:
"mailto:hlegoff@iom.int">hlegoff@iom.int