Hotel Guests can also play an important role in helping to combat trafficking. As we are aware sex trafficking often happen in hotels and it is reassuring for guest to know that the hotel that they are staying in is socially responsible. No one wants to think that the hotel they are sleeping in for holidays or business is being used or has been used by criminals and child sex traffickers exploiting children. Guests can ask a hotel upon booking if that hotel has received anti-trafficking training. This can provide some assurance that the hotel and its staff are trained and are doing their best to ensure in so far as possible that sex trafficking is not knowingly occurring in that hotel and that they will know how to respond immediately if such a case should arise. Guests can take comfort in the fact that the hotel takes a certain level of duty, responsibility and care to all people who are accommodated in that hotel. Every person staying in a hotel should be there of their own free will. The health and safety of guests is of the upmost importance to all hotels and for this reason as a guest of a hotel you can be assured that if your hotel has received anti-trafficking training then this indicates to you that your hotel values all of its guests enough to ensure that no apparent guest is a victim of trafficking.
Guests
Does your hotel prioritise the safety and welfare of all its guests?
What Guests can do?
Send a letter or an email to hotels
We have a template letter that you can send to hotels that you utilise for business, holidays or leisure to ask if their staff have received training to counter child trafficking in hotels and share your concern about this issue. By doing this you will help raise awareness of the importance of this human rights issue in the hospitality sector and encourage hotels to receive staff training that could save lives.
Send a letter or an email to hotels that your MEP’s
We have drafted a letter that you can send to your MEPs to propose that it be made mandatory for all hotel staff within the EU to receive training in relation to trafficking.
Report suspected cases of human trafficking
The public have often played a vital role in reporting crime to the Gardaí. Human trafficking is a crime in Ireland as well as a desperate violation of basic human rights. By reporting your suspicions you could save someone years of abuse and suffering. If you have a suspicion please report it.
In Ireland the purchase of sex is now illegal. However the selling of sex is not. This will allow vulnerable young women to come forward and seek help. However it targets the demand and purchase of sex. These means that if you suspect a young woman is being trafficked that you can report it and know that she will receive help and support but that those benefitting from her exploitation will be prosecuted.
The Gardaí are responsible for making a judgement as to whether there are grounds for intervention. They can be contacted through:
The local Garda station or Crimestoppers on 1 800 25 00 25 or by dialling 999
TraffickCam
TraffickCam is a mobile app to which you can upload a picture of your hotel room when you arrive. As traffickers often use hotels and post pictures of their victims in these hotels by uploading a picture of a hotel room this app can help track traffickers. This can help authorities identify hotel rooms used by traffickers to sell victims can assist in finding and prosecuting perpetrators.
Find out more here
Further Information on Trafficking
Human Trafficking happens in Ireland.
The majority of human trafficking in Ireland is for Sexual and Labour Exploitation. Traffickers buy and sell children for sexual exploitation, including pornography. Since the rise of the internet, the scale of child pornography online is overwhelming and this increases the demand.
Human trafficking victims are Irish as well as foreign.
A significant number of identified victims of trafficking are children.
The majority of identified child victims of trafficking have been Irish and the majority have been trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Trafficking is a hidden crime. Victims of trafficking do not always realise they are victims they may see themselves as being in debt to their traffickers or even being in a relationship with them.
Trafficking is increasing world-wide because of poverty, the displacement of people and demand. For the traffickers it is currently a ‘low risk’ crime, with high profitability.
If you suspect a case of trafficking report it immediately to the Gardaí.