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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

 Human trafficking victims in Portugal: Perceptions of service providers

Ângela Fernandes1* ,  Marlene Matos2
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1 Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal
2 Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, R. da Universidade, Braga, Portugal
GHES, 3215 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3215
Submitted: 20 March 2024 | Accepted: 17 July 2024 | Published: 3 October 2024
© 2024 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

This study aims to explore the perceptions of service providers in Portugal, specifically regarding (i) how victims of human trafficking are aided; (ii) the victims’ needs and their understanding of the “condition of special vulnerability”; and (iii) the opinions of service providers on the obstacles victims face in seeking and receiving assistance. According to our research, most organizations offered assistance, ranging from legal aid to food and lodging, to victims of all ages, genders, and forms of exploitation. Participants recognized that the needs of human trafficking victims differ from those of victims of other crimes, such as domestic abuse survivors, particularly in terms of the unique challenges they face in rebuilding trust. They also identified challenges in delivering assistance, including insufficient financial resources, inadequate interinstitutional cooperation, and the victims’ lack of cooperation. Fear of traffickers along with feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, and fear of reprisal against themselves or their families were cited as major reasons why victims refuse assistance.

Keywords
Human trafficking
Victims
Service providers
Perceptions
Funding
This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho; it was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (UIDB/PSI/01662/2020).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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