Request Help in Ireland

Where can I go to access help relating to Human Trafficking in Republic of Ireland?

Government Contact
Blue Blindfold Campaign
Freephone Line: +353 1800250025
blueblindfold@garda.ie
www.blueblindfold.gov.ie

Front Line Support to Victims
Ruhama
Tel: +353 1 836 0292
admin@ruhama.ie
www.ruhama.ie

Legal Advice to Victims
Immigrant Council of Ireland
Tel: +353 16740202
www.immigrantcouncil.ie

Awareness Raising on Human Trafficking
APT (Act to Prevent Trafficking)
info@aptireland.org
www.aptireland.org
If you are a suspected victim of human trafficking in Ireland there are lots of help available. For greater detail see http://www.victimsofcrimeoffice.ie/en/vco/Humantraffickingguidelines.pdf/Files/Humantraffickingguidelines.pdf

The following sets out an outline of the procedures in place. If you believe you are a victim of human trafficking please tell someone. You can tell someone from:

An Garda Síochána (police)
Health Service Anti Human Trafficking Team
Government Workers such as staff at the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC)
Non Governmental Organisations, (Organisations not run by the government) such as Ruhama, Immigrant Council of Ireland, Act to Prevent Trafficking (APT), Migrants Rights Centre Ireland, Sexual Violence Centre, Cork
If you find yourself in hospital or at a Doctor’s Clinic, tell the Doctor or the Nurse

As a potential victim of trafficking, please remember that you will not be taken from Ireland while the Superintendent in the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) decides if there are reasonable grounds to believe you are a suspected victim of the crime of human trafficking under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008.

These organisations can give you practical and emotional support. They can refer you to other services and in some cases give you legal advice and a lawyer to represent you in court. They can help your personal development and help you decide on your options for the future. Their contact details are at the end of this paper.

Decision made about your case
After your first contact with the Gardaí, (Police) a Superintendent (or someone of higher rank) in the Gardai National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) will look at your case. If they think there are reasonable grounds to believe you are a suspected victim of the crime of human trafficking under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 they will tell the Minister for Justice and Equality. They will try to tell the Minister in a time between five days and one month if they have enough information.

Recovery and reflection period
If you need permission to stay in Ireland, and the Superintendent in GNIB thinks there is reasonable grounds to believe you are a suspected victim of the crime of human trafficking, you will get 60
days to recover and escape the influence of the trafficker. It will give you time to gather information and decide whether or not you want to help the Gardaí (Police) with their investigation into what happened to you. You will be provided with board and lodging with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) and be given a small amount of pocket money for the first 60 days.

Temporary residence permission

At the end of, or during, these 60 days, you may get a temporary residence permission from the Minister for Justice and Equality. This means you can stay in Ireland for six months and means you
can help the Gardaí (police) or other authorities with their investigation into your trafficking.
If the investigation or prosecution of your traffickers goes on longer, you can get another temporary residence permission.

If, at the end of the 60 day recovery and reflection period, you decide you do not want to help the authorities and unless you have looked for asylum (see Section 3.3), you will have to leave the
accommodation provided by the Reception and Integration Agency The Minister for Justice and Equality decides whether you should get any other immigration permission to stay in Ireland.

Supports before and during your 60 day recovery and reflection period

The Government provides Free Legal advice: You should get legal advice as quickly as possible. You can get free legal advice from the Legal Aid Board. They will give you an information leaflet about their:

services and can give you advice on:
your immigration status in Ireland,
the procedures in place to allow for recovery and reflection
and temporary residence,
how to seek asylum,
how to seek redress (compensation) under employment
protection law,
what is involved in a criminal trial for a victim or witness,
what compensation is available in criminal and civil cases,
and how to return home voluntarily

You can also get legal advice and representation through private solicitors, who will charge you a fee, or through non-governmental organisations that may give a free legal service to some trafficking victims i.e. Immigrant Council of Ireland.

Accommodation: The Gardaí will refer you to the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA). The RIA will let you stay in one of its centres and give you all meals. When you arrive at a centre, you will get a booklet on its services. The RIA chooses which centre you will go to and will only talk to the GNIB or the Health Service Executive (HSE) Anti-Trafficking team about your placement in a centre or a change of centre.

Money: The Community Welfare Officer (CWO) in your RIA accommodation centre will provide you with an ongoing ‘direct provision’ allowance as well as exceptional needs payments for
things you need immediately such as clothes and toiletries.

Medical care: The Anti-Trafficking Team will care for your general and sexual health needs also counselling if needed. You will be referred by the Gardaí to:
The Anti-Human Trafficking Team
Baggot St Hospital
Baggot Street Dublin 4.
Tel: 01 660 6982
email: admin.whp@hse.ie.

The agencies helping you will do their best to give you an interpreter if you need one.

Who is RENATE/ About us:

Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation (RENATE) was established by a group of Religious representing several different congregations working against human trafficking in Europe.

Vision
All people are created in the image of God. We, the Religious of Europe, believe in a world where everyone has a right to human dignity. Human dignity cannot be compromised. Therefore we labour to free the world from trafficking and exploitation.
Goal
To respond in the light of Gospel values to the issue of trafficking of women, children and men.
Objectives
• To develop awareness – raising activities against human trafficking and the growing demand within all levels of society in Europe, using all forms of modern technology and communications;
• Networking and sharing resources, skills and knowledge;
• To research and implement actions against the growing demand for such abuse in the countries of origin and destination.
Membership of RENATE is open to:
• a Religious female/male–working/living in Europe;
• a lay person working with or for Religious in the field of anti-trafficking in Europe;
Friends of RENATE:
• All are welcome to support in different ways: financially, with skills & expertise, prayer etc;
• They may come from all faith traditions or none;
• They will receive updates and newsletters;

We invite others to join us in this, God’s Mission.

Ending Trafficking Begins with US.

Together with Church, State and Civil Society, in conjunction with realising the UN Sustainable Development Goals, RENATE Network is committed to:

• Working tirelessly to rehabilitate victims, free the world of sexual and labour exploitation, slavery and forced organ harvesting.
• Addressing the root causes of systemic injustice that creates and sustains this vile trade in human lives.
• Using its network to strengthen communication and co-operation between countries of origin, transit and destination.
• Providing opportunities for the full reintegration of victims which can include protection in a safe home, acquisition of proper documents and training for meaningful work so that victims can regain and be enabled to live life to the full.
• Educating society, particularly youth, to view all forms of human trafficking and exploitation as totally unacceptable.
• Challenging judicial and civil authorities to adopt and enforce legislation that protects victims, provides them with adequate compensation, punishes clients and buyers and seizes the assets of perpetrators.
• Collaborating with the media in efforts to bring a strong voice to the attention of the world denouncing all aspects of human trafficking and exploitation.