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of registered victims. 48 At the national level, a number of countries have improved
assistance made available to victims of trafficking. For example, in 2018 Austria
issued a decree seeking to aid victims anywhere in the country and to ensure that they
had access to their rights. 49 In Italy, victims of trafficking can receive a special
residence permit for social protection purposes to allow them to participate in a
programme of assistance and integration. 50
49. Related to these efforts, training activities were carried out in a large majority
of member States of the European Union, with many focused on the early detection
and identification of victims, as well as ensuring that referral mechanisms are in place.
There is widespread recognition that service providers in contact with actual or
potential victims should strive to: avoid actions or language that could lead to re victimization; be sensitive to the specific needs of each person; and understand how
the victims’ cultural backgrounds and unique experiences influences their current
situation. 51
50. To encourage the reporting of serious crimes, including gender-based violence
and trafficking, the police in the United Kingdom adopted a policy whereby, as of
December 2018, they no longer engage in immigration enforcement against victims
of crimes. 52
3.
Issuance of residence permit and settlement arrangement as a means
of protection
51. Experience shows that suspending deportation orders and/or issuing tempo rary
residence permits for migrants in relation to ongoing criminal proceedings for those
who have an irregular status increases their access to and enjoyment of protection. 53
Additionally, by granting permission for victims of trafficking for sexual exploi tation
or other grave crimes to remain in the country, even if the criminal proceedings have
been completed, helps the victims to access compensation or to participate in
additional criminal investigations against perpetrators, if they so wish to do so. 54
52. Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, recognizing the positive
results achieved by regularizing the status of migrant women and girls who are
victims of or at risk of gender-based violence, have adopted national legislation that
makes it possible for migrant women in spouse-dependent status to obtain at least a
temporary visa if she has been the victim of domestic violence. 55
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49
50
51
52
53
54
55
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See submission of the European Union and European Commission, Data Collection on
Trafficking in Human Beings in the EU, 2018, (https://ec.europa.eu/homeaffairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-security/20181204_datacollection-study.pdf), p. 18.
European Migration Network, Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2018, May 2019
(https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/00_arm2018_synthesis_report_
final_en.pdf), p. 67.
See submission of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations.
See European Institute for Gender Equality, Gender specific measures in anti-trafficking actions:
report, 2018 (on https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-specific-measures-anti-traffickingactions-report).
See submission of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants .
See European Union, Directorate General for Justice, “Guidance document related to the
transposition and implementation of Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and
protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA.
See European Institute for Gender Equality, “Gender-specific measures”, p. 60.
See submission of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants .
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