Human Trafficking at Sea: A Global Problem
The fishing and aquaculture industry is one of the most important economic sectors in the world. It employs a high number of migrant workers, often recruited from refugee and displaced populations, who are vulnerable to trafficking and forced labor. Trafficking and forced labor in the fishing industry is modern slavery at sea. It occupies all stages of the seafood supply chain, from catching fish to processing and shipping it for export. The virtually unregulated fishing industry in many countries, coupled with the global demand for cheap seafood, create the lawless conditions under which trafficking at sea flourishes.
Educate Yourself: Watch our COMPASS e-learning series on maritime trafficking
Whether you are a human trafficking service provider, a port chaplain, an Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) staff member, or a concerned citizen eager to advocate for the protection of those catching and processing our fish, these e-learning educational modules are for you! USCCB/MRS, with the support of the Coalition of Organizations and Ministries Promoting the Abolition of Slavery at Sea, has developed the Compass series to introduce you to crucial topics surrounding trafficking at sea, ranging from forms of exploitation found on fishing vessels and in processing plants to effective practices for individuals providing case management services and shelter to survivors of human trafficking.
COMPASS MODULES AND RESOURCES:
Welcome! The following online videos and downloadable resources were designed to introduce you to some of the most crucial aspects of maritime trafficking. Please select the modules that you find beneficial according to your needs and interests as either a professional working in the fishing or human trafficking industry or as a concerned citizen wanting to play a part in the eradication of slavery at sea. After completing each module and reviewing the downloadable resources, you will be able to download and print a certificate with your name.
This course presents a basic introduction to human trafficking as conceptualized by the United Nations’ Palermo Protocol, which is the international legal framework and instrument through which human trafficking is understood and defined.
This course provides a brief recap of human trafficking and examines factors that have led to an increase in the prevalence of maritime trafficking. It also covers examples of the different types of trafficking at sea.
Explore the reality of modern slavery at seafood processing facilities. Examine trafficking in shrimp peeling and crab picking sheds, the abuses that victims endure, and how this seafood can enter supply chains that feed the ever-increasing demand for cheap seafood around the world.
Review the current international legal framework under which human trafficking at sea is understood. This module addresses the international applicability of anti-trafficking law, the Law of the Sea, and International Maritime Law. It also details the implications of the crucial question of jurisdiction at sea.
Learn the basics of conducting effective anti-trafficking outreach, including presentation principles, messaging, and safety.
Explore promising practices for developing standardized protocols that ensure the safety and protection of a trafficking victim in a shelter setting. This module aids organizations in creating a victim-centered environment where residents can thrive.
This module equips shelter providers with knowledge and skills to assist and support victims of human trafficking as they advance toward healing.
Recruiting agencies serve a legitimate purpose and need, However, not all recruiters are honest and can play a key role in trapping fishers and seafarers into forced labor conditions. This course provides an overview on malicious recruiting practices. It also addresses where recruiters find potential victims, how recruiters use work debt as leverage, and the difference between verbal and written contracts.
This course serves as an introduction to the impact of trauma stemming from instances of human trafficking, including forced labor in the maritime industry. Most importantly, it will address ways in which your ministry can be of support to seafarers in overcoming trauma.
Downloadable Materials for Distribution
This section offers downloadable materials to help you educate others about human trafficking in the maritime industry.
- Human Trafficking in the Maritime Industry
- Trauma and the Brain
- Seafarer Assistance Pocket Card 1
- Seafarer Assistance Pocket Card 2
- Vicarious Trauma and Burnout Risks ― Self-Care for Providers and Volunteers (Webinar recording and PPT)
COMPASS online educational modules were funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.