The Sierra Leone High Court has for the first time,听convicted people of human trafficking, sentencing two women to听lengthy听jail听terms听earlier this month, a move hailed as a听significant听blow to those who engage in this听modern-day听form of slavery.听
鈥淭hese convictions and sentencing are historic wins for young Sierra Leoneans who have been abused by unscrupulous traffickers,鈥� said听Sanusi Savage, the International Organization for Migration鈥檚 (IOM) Head of Office听in Sierra Leone.听听
Convicted of both trafficking and money laundering, the women received sentences of 20- and eight years respectively on 11 February听in Freetown.听The听West African country passed anti-trafficking legislation in 2005, but until now had registered no听convictions.听听
Each year, thousands of Sierra Leoneans 鈥� including children 鈥� are trafficked for forced labour or sexual exploitation in and outside Sierra Leone. Many go on听the听so-called听听to escape poverty, falling victim to traffickers who demand听as much as USD 2,500听for fake educational or employment opportunities.听
When they come home, some victims go into hiding,听ashamed and afraid to face their families and communities who, in some cases they defrauded to pay for their journeys.听
Cases of human trafficking rely heavily on victim testimonies, but these are sometimes difficult to access because victims are afraid to come forward or are pressured not to.听
As a result, most of the cases are dropped and traffickers are never convicted.听听
Since October 2018,听IOM has supported the听country鈥檚听Anti-Trafficking Taskforce to strengthen the identification and screening of victims of trafficking, and to increase their access to protection services and justice.听听
The Organization听supported the training of 103 government officials on investigating and prosecuting cases of human trafficking听and worked on听听with听116 civil society and media organizations.听
Last year, IOM supported听the decentralisation of National Anti-Trafficking Task Force听in 14 of Sierra Leone鈥檚 districts to increase victims鈥� and potential victims鈥� access to information, protection and justice mechanisms, and avoid procedural delays related to prosecuting traffickers.听
IOM鈥檚 counter-trafficking activities in Sierra Leone are implemented in the framework of the Africa Regional Migration听Programme听funded by the United States Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
