Anti-trafficking experts urge Belgium to improve victims’ access to legal aid and compensation
the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) urge her Belgium to improve the access of victims of trafficking to legal aid and to guarantee them compensation. These are two of the main proposals for action in the last report of GRETA evaluating the implementation by Belgium of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The report indicates that Belgium is above all a country of destination for victims of trafficking, but also a country of origin and transit. Between 2017 and 2020, 475 victims benefited from assistance provided by specialized centres. The majority of victims were male victims of trafficking for labor exploitation, while the second most frequent form of exploitation was sexual exploitation, which mainly affects women. GRETA welcomes a number of positive changes since its last evaluation report, including the adoption in May 2019 of a law establishing that victims of trafficking should not be punished for offenses committed under duress. In addition, the number of investigations and prosecutions has increased.
However, a number of challenges remain. For example, the report stresses that alleged victims should be better informed of their rights, and that it is necessary to revise and simplify the criteria for access to legal aid. While victims have the opportunity to claim compensation, only a small number of them have succeeded. According to GRETA, it is not only necessary to facilitate access to legal aid, but also to review the criteria for access to the Fund for financial assistance to victims of intentional acts of violence.