This page offers safety advice for people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and details of support organisations that offer help and advice.
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This page contains the following information. You can click on one of the options to skip through the page.
How to prepare for a border crossing
How to spot the signs of potential traffickers
Details of support organisations in Ukraine, Poland, Romania and Moldova
For further advice about living in European countries and finding legitimate work, please visit this webpage.
Introduction
Many Ukrainians are being forced to leave their home due to the Russian invasion. Due to the difficult situation with electricity and possible missile attacks, people are seeking refuge in neighboring European countries.
Most people want to help Ukrainian people fleeing the war, but there may be some who shouldn’t be trusted and may want to make profit from experiences of displacement.
Reports have confirmed that among people who want to help Ukrainian people as they arrive and seek safety, human traffickers are also waiting for people at the borders to take advantage of their vulnerability. They may attempt to gain your trust, and offer you an attractive job or suggest ride to accommodation, with such promises being used to lure you into an exploitative situation. They can use deception, threats, blackmail or even violence to limit your freedom and force you into labor or sexual exploitation.
By understanding how to spot the signs of a fake offer and how to cross the border safely, you will be able to protect yourself and your family.
How to prepare for a safe border crossing
If you are planning to travel abroad from Ukraine, we advise you to register at this link. The project of Voluntary Registration of Ukrainian Citizens Traveling Abroad (“FRIEND”) is an effective tool for prevention, and if necessary, search and assistance for Ukrainian citizens in case of emergency events abroad.
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Here are 7 things you should do to keep yourself safe:
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
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If at the border, you are offered accommodation or transport away from official checkpoints, or perhaps any other form of support for which involves accompanying a stranger, be careful who you trust.
Traffickers often target border areas to recruit people into exploitative circumtances, from which it can be difficult to escape.
A trafficker could be anybody. They can be any age, gender or nationality.
There are many ways people might be lured and trapped into exploitation, including:
Сlick here to learn more about human trafficing
If you or anyone you know are in immediate danger, call the 112 European emergency number. The number is free of charge, 24/7, anywhere in the European Union. You can dial 112 to reach the emergency services, including the police, emergency medical services and the fire brigade.
Click here for some organisations that can help and support you.
Details of support organisations in Ukraine, Poland, Romania and Moldova
Here are organisations that can support and help you in different ways. Please mention STOP THE TRAFFIK if you contact any of the organisations listed below.
- If you or anyone you know are in immediate danger, call the 112 European emergency number. The number is free of charge, 24/7, anywhere in the European Union. You can dial 112 to reach the emergency services, including the police, emergency medical services and the fire brigade.
- 116111 The European Helpline for Children and Adolescents provides psychological support for free to children and adolescents. The service helps children in need of care and protection and links them to services and resources. The helpline operates on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year. Calls to the helpline are free of charge.
Ukraine
La Strada Ukraine
La Strada Ukraine is a public human rights organisation working to ensure gender equality, peace building, prevention of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, combating human trafficking and ensuring the rights of children, promoting human rights standards in all spheres of society and the state.
Caritas Ukraine
Caritas Ukraine’s social service programmes have established rehabilitation centres for individuals struggling with substance abuse, they provide reintegration assistance for Ukrainian migrants, render direct assistance and seminars to prevent human trafficking
Poland
La Strada Poland (Foundation against Trafficking in Human Beings and Slavery)
La Strada Poland is a non-governmental organisation that aims to combat and prevent human trafficking. They run a helpline that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The helpline provides information, advice, and guidance with regards to human trafficking. Services are available in English, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish language. Translators can support, but please note the response may take longer.
The Legal Intervention Association (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej)
The Legal Intervention Association (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej) works to uphold respect, human rights and equality. They support refugees and migrants in Poland. They provide free legal assistance to people with migration experience. When their rights are at risk, they represent them in courts and national authorities and the European Court of Human Rights, and actively participate in the creation of migration law by intervening and issuing opinions on legal regulations. The phone accepts calls Monday-Friday, between 2 pm and 4 pm
Salvation Army Poland
The Salvation Army in Poland provide help to refugees with food vouchers to supermarkets, clothes, toiletries, and support in form of pastoral care, general advice with help in job seeking including job verification service, information on prevention of Human Trafficking, support filling in governmental forms, and access to IT facility
Romania
Adpare La Strada International Romania
European NGO Platform against trafficking in human beings
eLiberare Romania
Organization whose work focuses on preventive work to combat trafficking in human beings
Moldova
La Strada Moldova
Anti-trafficking and Safe Migration Hot-Line
The anti-trafficking hotline in Transdniestria is managed by NGO “Interaction”
Download the STOP APP
The STOP APP enables anybody who knows, has seen or even heard a situation that they believe to be human trafficking, to talk about it in a safe and secure space. You can report the incident anonymously and securely through the STOP APP. There will be no record of the report submitted on your phone. The STOP APP is available in Ukrainian language.
- Have you seen a suspicious job advert online?
- Has someone offered you work that seemed suspicious?
- Are you or someone you know being forced to work, or being exploited?
Let us know. You can report your suspicions or observations by downloading our STOP APP. Make sure you are in safe place away from the suspected incident when making the report.
STOP THE TRAFFIK is a human trafficking prevention organisation. This app collects individuals’ stories of global human trafficking to disrupt and prevent this crime. We are not a rescue organisation and this app is not monitored 24/7 but will be checked on the next working day. If anyone is in immediate danger or a crime has been committed please contact trusted authorities.