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A humanitarian crisis affecting victims of human trafficking and sex work appears to be quietly growing alongside the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and is pushing victims back into prostitution.
Over the last three days, anti-human trafficking specialist Dr Olivia Smith compiled a growing list of almost 100 non-Barbadian women and children who are stranded without access to food or shelter. On Thursday, she revealed that 55 women and 40 children – some of whom have not eaten in days are among them.
Along with a possible increase in sexually transmitted infections, Dr Smith fears the humanitarian issues could further complicate the fight against COVID-19 if left unaddressed.
“These girls are feeling vulnerable enough and desperate enough that they are still going to engage in sexual relationships with men. In some cases these men then go home to their families, possibly ill, and this could create a much more complex pandemic. This is what we are trying to avoid and this has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Health,” Dr Smith disclosed.
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Dr Olivia Smith
“Some of these women still have to feed their children, who do not understand why mummy doesn’t have anything to give them to eat tonight,” she added.
The UWI lecturer started her career as an immigration officer and later served in the CARICOM Secretariat’s Free Movement and Labour office. Since then, Dr Smith has established an anti-human trafficking project to assist 13 of 15 member states.
Numerous international reports have identified the Caribbean as the main transit point and final destination for human trafficking in the Americas. Jamaicans, Guyanese, Trinidadians, and Venezuelans are said to make up the greatest number of victims.
Though encouraged by assurances that illegal immigrants would not be penalised if they come forward for medical treatment, Smith argued that a welfare system needed to be put in place to ensure that the needy women receive help throughout the public health emergency.
Barbados TODAY has made numerous attempts to reach Minister of Elder Affairs and People Empowerment Cynthia Forde whose ministry is tasked with overseeing issues of human trafficking and welfare. However, all calls went unanswered.
But Smith stressed: “If these vulnerable and marginalised persons are not allowed to come forward either because of the discriminatory practices of Barbadians or Government officials, it means that this pandemic will not be controlled in the manner or time frame that we would like it to be.
“We need these people to be in a space where they know they can come forward for help and so we know the numbers that are truly affected by COVID-19. We also have a humanitarian obligation to provide a place for them to access food and other services that they may need,” she added.
The migration specialist noted that the ongoing challenges not only confront sex workers and victims of trafficking, but also CARICOM nationals with short-term work permits who were suddenly laid off due to the ongoing shutdown.
She, however, stressed that sex workers and human trafficking victims are more likely to be unfairly branded as criminals.
“A human trafficked or sexually exploited person brought into your country is a victim and not a criminal. We have been criminalising these people who sometimes respond to advertisements asking for people to do specific jobs, but when they come to the country, they are forced into a different position,” she explained.
The human rights advocate has already spoken with the Salvation Army and other non-profit organisations, but their services are already in high demand.
Though Barbados’ welfare system is already under tremendous strain, Dr Smith suggests that the Government should reach out to organisations such as the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN High Commission on Refugees as well as the International Organisation for Migration for assistance.
“Sending the list of names to the Salvation Army or to the poverty alleviation programme does not resolve the problem. When the food is finished tonight or tomorrow, what happens next week and up until the time they are able to go home?” she asked.
“These people will be hungry tomorrow, they will be sick tomorrow and they will need shelter tomorrow and we must note that many of them have children in the mix,” she added.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb
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