Focuses on the differing types of violence inflicted on men and women and presents the underlying factors and motivations that lead to abuse during smuggling operations. (…) “We found that male migrants are primarily subjected to forced labour and physical violence while women are more exposed to sexual violence, leading to unwanted pregnancies and abortions. All genders can suffer from inhuman and degrading treatment,” Ms Nicot.
Migrant smuggling is a profitable criminal activity that involves the arrangement of illicit border crossings for payment for people who are desperate to leave their home countries but have no legal means to migrate. These people may be escaping natural disaster, conflict or persecution or seeking employment, education and family reunion opportunities.
Although the tragic fates of the thousands of smuggled migrants who every year die at sea, perish in deserts or suffocate in containers are documented, there is little information available on why acts of violence and abuse are inflicted on migrants, what impact this has on them, and how this is handled by the authorities.
“This is why we decided to conduct such necessary research. Our study also analyses how law enforcement officials respond to cases of aggravated smuggling and highlights how challenging it is to prosecute such crimes,” says Ms. Nicot.
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