TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Barbados As of 2022, Barbados had taken steps to address human trafficking and had legislation in place to criminalize such activities. The Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act of 2016 provides a legal framework for prosecuting traffickers and protecting victims. The law defines trafficking in persons, outlines penalties for offenders, and establishes mechanisms for victim support. Barbados’ legislation in this area is the Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act (2016-19) which came into force on June 9, 2016. It is in keeping with the definition of trafficking in persons in the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol). Sections 3-9 create the offence of trafficking in persons and sets the penalties for the range of offences. The act also sets out the Government’s obligations with respect to the protection and safety of victims (Sections 15-18). 2021: The government reported it initiated 40 investigations during the reporting period, 25 for sex trafficking and 15 for labor trafficking, and continued three investigations from previous reporting periods. This compared with two new investigations each in 2020 and 2019. The government initiated prosecution of two Barbadian men for suspected sex trafficking. The government had not reported initiating a prosecution since 2013, and that prosecution remained pending. The government has never convicted a trafficker under the 2016 TIPPA. • 2022: The government reported it initiated seven investigations of 149 suspects – five cases of sex trafficking, one case of labor trafficking, and one case of an unspecified form of exploitation – compared with initiating investigations of 40 suspects in 2021 (25 for sex trafficking and 15 for labor trafficking) and two new investigations each in 2020 and 2019. The government continued three investigations, two cases of sex trafficking and one case of labor trafficking, initiated in prior reporting periods. The government did not report initiating any new prosecutions, compared with initiating prosecution of two Barbadian men for sex trafficking in 2021; the government had not reported initiating a prosecution prior to that since 2013. Highlights from TIP Reports •
A Media Analysis of the Coverage of Youth Involvement in Crime and Violence and Trafficking in Persons (June 2021 to June 2023) in the Eastern Caribbean 57
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