The government maintained victim protection. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine reduced the government’s capacity to provide services to trafficking victims, as it diverted resources to the humanitarian response, and services were unavailable to trafficking victims in Russia-occupied territories or near the front line. In 2023, the government reported granting official victim status to 110 victims – a status that allowed victims access to government services upon approval of an application – an increase compared with 47 officially identified victims in 2022 and 64 in 2021. The government also identified six victims of “use in the pornography business” and two victims of “sale of a child” which is considered human trafficking under Ukrainian law. The government did not report how many potential victims police identified. Observers reported Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine impeded the processing time for granting official victim status because of significant strains on resources and the displacement of staff. While some observers reported the government diverted anti-trafficking resources to the humanitarian response, others assessed the overall increase in humanitarian service provision, including shelters and aid to people in desperate need, may have reduced the risks of human trafficking, as coordination among service providers increased. The government reported screening undocumented foreign migrants for trafficking indicators; however, observers noted authorities did not consistently do so. Authorities did not report identifying any foreign national trafficking victims in 2023. The government did not report continuing efforts, in cooperation with international organizations, to visit and screen for potential trafficking victimization at facilities for IDPs and children. However, the government reported screening Ukrainian children returnees among those forcibly deported to Russia for human trafficking indicators.
The government approved 88 percent (118 of 134) of applications for official victim status in 2023, compared with 81 percent (47 of 58) of applications in 2022. The National Social Service continued its role of granting official victim status to potential victims. The government drafted a bill to simplify the procedure for certifying official victim status by delegating this responsibility to local authorities; however, this bill remained pending at the end of the reporting period. Officials noted several factors, because of the war, might affect victims’ ability to apply for victim status, including some victims not being able to self-report trafficking crimes, some who may not have recognized they were exploited, or Ukrainian refugees exploited abroad who may not have reported exploitation to authorities upon their return to Ukraine. Observers noted male trafficking victims may have been reluctant to seek assistance from the government because of a fear of being conscripted. NGOs reported victims exploited in the occupied territories might fear coming forward to Ukrainian authorities for fear of being labeled as “collaborators” with Russia, under a law passed shortly after the full-scale invasion, instead of being treated as trafficking victims. Civil society previously reported the government rejected a high percentage of victim applications because of strict internal guidelines for classifying cases as trafficking crimes, police pursuing indictments under statutes other than the trafficking law, and the government demanding additional evidence to confirm victim status, contrary to Ukrainian law, including confirmation the victim was recognized as such in court proceedings or demanding evidence to show movement across a border. In the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, authorities informed victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) of their right to apply for official victim status. Experts expressed concern the government may conflate CRSV with sex trafficking, instead of seeing these as distinct crimes.
Newly devolved local administrative structures were part of the NRM; however, civil society reported continued, systemic shortcomings in the functioning of the NRM in part because of war-related capacity limitations, decentralization, and high personnel turnover. The Ministry of Social Policy (MSP) partnered with international organizations to expand the NRM nationwide even under conditions of martial law. Experts noted social services capacities at the local level were overwhelmed with providing services to IDPs. Some communities, especially smaller ones, lacked sufficient personnel, infrastructure, or financial resources to effectively provide services to trafficking victims. Observers noted some local officials responsible for identifying and screening victims were not trained on trafficking. The government continued to rely on international organizations and NGOs, with international donor funding, to identify victims and provide most victim protection and assistance. While not all anti-trafficking organizations in Ukraine reported the number of victims they served, one international organization in Ukraine reported assisting 374 victims in 2023, compared with 361 in 2022, and 1,010 victims in 2021. This organization reported traffickers exploited the majority (83 percent) of these victims in labor trafficking in agriculture, construction, or the service industry; most of those exploited after the full-scale invasion were exploited in Ukraine. One NGO reported identifying two victims exploited by Russian forces in forced labor in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The government allocated 970,000 hryvnia ($25,470) to the national budget and 1.914 million hryvnia ($50,250) to local budgets for victim protection efforts in 2023, compared with 2.19 million hryvnia ($57,500) to the national budget and no funding reported to local budgets in 2022. Ukraine’s trafficking law entitled victims with official victim status to accommodations at a government shelter, psychological assistance, medical services, employment counseling, and vocational training, regardless of whether a victim cooperated with law enforcement or if a criminal case proceeded. The government did not operate a trafficking-specific shelter. The government reported vulnerable populations, including trafficking victims, could access government-funded services through a total of 51 shelters, 61 day centers, 60 crisis rooms, 89 consultative services, and 579 mobile brigades, and 25 other facilities. The shelters did not report how many trafficking victims received services such as legal assistance, accommodations, medical aid, or psycho-social support. Adult victims could stay at government-run centers for psycho-social assistance for up to 90 days, with the option to extend, and receive psychological and medical support, lodging, food, and legal and social assistance. Authorities could accommodate families and child victims in 27 local government or NGO-run centers for socio-psychological support could administer social, medical, psychological, education, legal, and other types of assistance. Authorities identified 14 child trafficking victims in 2023; all received financial support and medical and psycho-social care. Observers reported government assistance remained insufficient to meet victims’ needs, and victims continued to rely on NGOs for assistance. Foreign victims were entitled to the same benefits as Ukrainian citizens and had additional access to interpretation services, temporary legal stay, and voluntary repatriation. Although legally entitled to the same benefits, observers noted some foreign nationals and members of underserved communities faced barriers to accessing services. Authorities could grant permanent residency to foreign victims in danger of retribution should they return to their country of origin. Foreign victims were able to obtain an immigration permit after residing continuously in Ukraine for three years.
The Witness Protection Law provided protections for victims, but observers noted courts rarely used protection measures. The government reported witness protection measures had not been requested nor provided for a trafficking victim since 2020. Victims with official victim status were eligible for free legal aid. In August 2023, the government passed a law to expand access to secondary legal aid for victims of crime, including trafficking. Courts continued to utilize closed hearings and remote procedures for questioning and identification to protect victims’ participation in criminal justice proceedings. Fourteen courts throughout the country utilized video testimony systems to ensure the complete separation of victims or witnesses from the accused during criminal justice proceedings. The government, with the assistance from an international organization, operated several regional specialized centers for child victims or witnesses. At these centers, specialized staff interviewed children in a trauma-informed manner and children received psycho-social, legal, and medical care, as needed. The OPG maintained a specialized staff members to assist all children in the judicial process. The government increased the one-time financial payment amount to adult trafficking victims from 7,888 hryvnia ($210) to 8,052 hryvnia ($210); the government reported all victims with official status received this financial aid. The government did not report awarding restitution to victims in 2023.
from 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report – U.S. Department of State
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report – United States Department of State
