ROSA at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) conference in Vienna
ROSA, represented by Maria Horsfjord, took part in the OSCE’s «24th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons» with the title «Beyond Awareness-Raising: Reshaping Human Trafficking Prevention».
Several discussions through the conference focused on some of ROSA’s key themes: exploitation for criminal use, the non-punishment principle, and hidden forms of human trafficking. There was also significant emphasis on hearing from survivors, but as Malaika Oringo, moderator and founder of Footprint to Freedom, pointed out, survivors of human trafficking have long been used to tell their stories, but we need to do more. We need to be involved in shaping policies and actions.
The biggest applause went to Rafael Bautista, Member of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, who shared his story of coming to the USA as a minor to support his family but ended up becoming a victim of human trafficking. He highlighted aspects of masculinity that contribute to the risk of being trafficked: the pressure to provide, the demand for success, and the reluctance to see oneself as a victim. To quote him, «For many years, I thought it was my own choice and therefore my own fault, but now I see how a whole set of cultural norms and factors led me into exploitation.»
