Highlights
- Indian-origin man sentenced to jail for forcing his wife and child out of Australia.
- Exit human trafficking cases on the rise: AFP
- Human trafficking is a Commonwealth crime and carries a sentence of up to 12 years.
Australian law enforcement agencies are concerned about a rise in exit human trafficking cases, where victims are coerced through threats and deception to leave Australia.
The first such case came into the public domain in January this year when an Indian national was convicted and sentenced to 21 months in prison for sending his wife and her two-month-old daughter from Sydney to India on a one-way ticket in March 2017.
An Indian national was sentenced to 21 months in prison in January for coercing a sending his wife and her daughter to India on a one-way ticket. Source: Supplied by the AFP
Human trafficking vs exit human trafficking
Human trafficking involves bringing someone into the country illegally, while exit human trafficking means sending someone from the country illegally.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Detective and Acting Inspector Navinder Singh Pandher told SBS Hindi that human trafficking is a Commonwealth crime that can lead to imprisonment for up to 12 years.
The AFP is the primary investigative agency for all forms of human trafficking cases and modern slavery in Australia.
Modus operandi
The agency launched an investigation into this case after a Sydney-based not-for-profit Anti-Slavery Australia alerted them about the woman.
“The woman had since told police she feared for her life and was threatened with murder if she didn't comply with that,” Detective Pandher said.
He added that after the woman's eventual departure from Australia, the man contacted government authorities and provided false information.
“He adopted the identity of the woman in a bid to revoke her legal visa status to try and prevent her from actually returning to Australia,” Detective Pandher said.
The woman, however, returned to Australia after two months and contacted Anti-Slavery Australia.
AFP detectives obtained airport CCTV footage that showed the “visibly distressed woman” holding her infant and arguing with the man in the departure area before boarding the plane.
Officers searched the 29-year-old man's Sydney residence in September 2017 and arrested him two months later as he tried to leave the country.
Detective Pandher said victims face difficulties while reporting such crimes.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Detective and Acting Inspector Navinder Singh Pandher says exit human trafficking cases are rising in Australia. Source: Supplied by the AFP
“People that are exploiting them or have trafficked them, may be, are their family members or close friends. So, it becomes difficult for them to come forward.
“We want victims to understand there is a way out for these terrible situations for them and that we can help,” he said.
“The person may have an injury. The person may be in the presence of an employer or another person who doesn't let them socialise with others independently. The victims don't have their passports or another form of ID on them. The person is subject to poor living or working conditions, or the person never leaves the house for non-work reasons.
“The person has little or no money or doesn't have access to their own money,” Detective Pandher said.
Help is at hand
Detective Pandher said victims can seek help from AFP by calling 131AFP (131237).
“We can pursue criminal charges and help the victim become a part of the Support for Trafficked Person Program, which is run by the Australian Red Cross, and this program provides short-term and long-term assistance for trafficking victims.
“We want to let the potential victims know that we do have specialist police officers who are not only trained in the investigation of these sensitive matters but who are compassionate and empathetic and will take the victims' wishes as a priority,” he added.
Detective Pandher said the community can help by recognising these signs and report to the AFP.
However, he added if someone is at imminent risk of harm, they should immediately contact Triple Zero (000).
People can contact the Australian at (03) 93451800 for information or a confidential conversation.
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