Information on human trafficking

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is a serious crime and a human rights violation. Making someone vulnerable to human trafficking is also a crime, even if the victim consents to actions asked of them.

In human trafficking, the abuser, or perpetrator, subjugates their victim and makes them the target of abuse for financial gain or other benefits. Abuse scenarios may involve restricting the victim’s freedom to make decisions concerning their own life and their right to act independently. The victim of human trafficking may be an adult or child and a citizen of Finland or a foreign nation.

In human trafficking, the perpetrator uses their victim’s vulnerability and weak status to their advantage. Children are especially susceptible to human trafficking and may also suffer if their parent or loved one becomes a victim of human trafficking.

The abuser may control the victim in various ways, including by blackmailing, threatening or frightening the victim with different consequences, such as deportation or shame. The abuser may take advantage of the victim’s substance addiction or illness. They may also use violence, such as physical, mental and sexual violence, to control the victim.​

Examples of human trafficking 

Different types of human trafficking include:

• Human trafficking associated with sexual abuse: pressure to sell sex or participate in other sexual abuse.
• Human trafficking associated with labour abuse, i.e. forced labour. Employees have no rights or opportunities to refuse work or assignments. The employer or another party also benefits from the situation.
• Forced marriage, in which case the victim is initially forced into a relationship that may involve multiple forms of violence, or the victim initially consented to the relationship, but is no longer able to leave the situation if they so wish.
• Abuse associated with begging.
• Abuse associated with criminal activity: the victim has been forced to commit criminal acts.
• Trade in human organs and tissue.

Human trafficking can also come in other forms. The definitions of trafficking in human beings and aggravated trafficking in human beings can be found in  sections 3 and 3 a in chapter 25 of the Criminal Code (in Finnish) (Link leads to external service).