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Human trafficking is something South Africa and other African countries need to pay attention to and fight, according to US ambassador-at-large Cindy Dyer.
She also highlighted the need for governments and civil society to provide services to men and boys who were increasingly falling victim to traffickers who forced them into slave labour.
Dyer is responsible for the Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons project in the US department of state and is on a visit to South Africa.
Her mission is to spread the message on human trafficking and to discuss anti-trafficking efforts and strengthen cooperation with the US on the issue.
Dyer said human smuggling involved illegally moving people over the border with no documentation and without following legal channels.
Once victims cross the border, they become indebted to the smuggler. They are then forced to work for the smuggler to pay back the money used on them or sexually exploited.
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“If the victims complain, they would be abused and threatened with being reported to immigration for being in a country illegally. They are told to ‘do what I say or I will report you to authorities’,” Dyer said.
She called for continuous screening of vulnerable populations for human trafficking indicators and to increase efforts to hold traffickers accountable.
“It is difficult to distinguish a victim from a perpetrator of human trafficking because in some cases the victims are made to scam people by the perpetrators. Those who appear to be perpetrators can be victims of exploitation themselves,” Dyer said.
“We encourage South Africa and other countries to set up shelters and counselling services for men and boys who are victims of labour exploitation and slavery. They must screen at entry points to see if they are regular travellers or victims of trafficking.”
The envoy has been to Kuwait and Oman in the Middle East and plans to visit South America. “We all have a guiding lodestar in this protocol,” Dyer said.
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• Victims of human trafficking or those suspecting human an incident of trafficking could call tollfree to 0800-222-777.
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