TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Coming out of discussions with stakeholders in all four countries and noting their comments and comparing it to the stories analyzed, it can be difficult for the media to balance the need for public awareness with the potential for sensationalizing or misrepresenting the issue. It requires that journalists practice accuracy with fact checking and employ responsible reporting techniques such as cross-verification of information. There are no standard ethical guidelines or codes of conduct in the current environment. There is a risk of poor journalistic practice which can have recurrent damaging effects on those featured in the story. The faces of children and victims should be blurred. The photograph below, for example, can result in a lifelong stigma.
Online Publication of The Caribbean Alert, 23 rd February 2022
The most accessible and comprehensive data available came from Trinidad and Tobago and as noted below explains why the quality of reporting is much higher than in the other countries in this report. The table below is taken from a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) titled, “An Analysis of the Victim Care Environment to Support Survivors of Human Trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago”. The Counter-Trafficking Unit is credited as the original source .
ACTIVITIES
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
20
35
120
89
72
70
78
79
No. of reports received No. of confirmed victims
13
5
10
13
14
21
41
9 9 7
20
35
53
46
38
39
23
No. of investigations initiated No. of persons charged for HT and related offences
12
0
10
5
6
11
7
Table 21 - Trafficking in Persons Data.
Source: Counter-Trafficking Unit, Trinidad and Tobago
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 77
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator