Migration and human trafficking in the conditions of armed conflict: relationship and consequences

Abstract

The article is devoted to the relationship and consequences of migration and human trafficking in conditions of armed conflict. It was noted that the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine became an impetus for rethinking human trafficking: women and children who are forced to leave Ukraine due to Russia’s military aggression and head for neighboring countries face the risks of human trafficking. Men who remain inside the country can also become prey for traffickers. It is outlined that before the events of February of the current year, the study and formation of migration processes, as well as the reasons for the migration of the Ukrainian population, were aimed at the implementation of preventive measures to overcome the consequences and maximize the benefit of the results caused by such processes. The research determined that such an aspect as the forced and unauthorized transfer of Ukrainian citizens to the territory of the Russian Federation and the occupied territories remains overlooked in statistical information, since there is no exact number of deportees. The figures given in the mass media and in the speeches of representatives of state authorities are approximate, and the number of such persons is much larger; in terms of the number of recorded criminal offenses, there are much more of them, because human trafficking has a high latency, since victims of human trafficking do not want to report it to law enforcement agencies. It was established that as of November 2, the analysis of the “Legislation of Ukraine” database allows us to note that it contains 66 normative legal acts related to combating human trafficking, however, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, not a single resolution, decree, orders, etc., were not amended or supplemented. A conclusion was made about the need to make changes to the current legal acts, as well as to pay attention to such a category as internally displaced persons by the national coordinator in the field of combating human trafficking – the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, as well as to conduct explanatory work with citizens of Ukraine , who are traveling abroad due to armed conflict, at the checkpoints, providing them with detailed information about the National Hotline for Combating Human Trafficking, Preventing and Countering Gender based Violence and the Emergency Helpline in all EU countries.