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Breaking taboos on trafficking survivors in East Asia [1]
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Date: 2023-02
Under such circumstances, it is difficult for survivors to take to the stage. As one case manager for an international NGO said, “Neither survivors nor us as organisations would even think of having any impact on either national policies or international development policies.” The deputy director of a Cambodian NGO helping bride trafficking victims return to their homes agreed. “Survivors or their families won't talk in China,” they said. “They do not want to share their experiences, because even if they did no positive change would happen.”
Barriers to being heard
China may be a particularly strict environment in which to work, but in this case it’s not exceptional. In contexts like Thailand and Cambodia, where local authorities grant NGOs and international organisations more room to manoeuvre, integrating survivors and their perspectives into policy making is also largely unheard of.
Many stakeholders still treat victims solely as beneficiaries of programmes, rather than as experts with lived experience who should be included in the conversation. Even worse, some use survivors merely as ‘rubber stamps’ for their programmes and policies. “It’s almost a token use of their advice and guidance,“ said the CEO of the Mekong Club, a non-profit organisation working with the private sector to fight modern slavery. “It's disrespectful to the survivor, for her or him to be in that situation, because [the NGO] is just kind of using them. [It’s] not really listening to what they're saying.’
To make things worse, survivors face barriers to understanding, and those running programmes or developing policies are often unwilling to invest the time and resources required to enable meaningful engagement. “It is very easy if you want to tick the box,” a UN officer said. “You offer a nice lunch, and you invite people. […] Two or three will comment, and most of the time those [are people] who speak English or already know their rights. […] [But] then you [can show] a list of 100 people who participated to the event. [In such cases,] is the input that you're getting the right one?”
Several people who considered themselves survivor leaders confirmed this. They said they are frequently called upon to share their stories with their community and the wider public. But they had nothing to add when asked about their involvement in programme design. They were uncertain about how their opinions would be used by NGOs, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Cultural issues are another factor that should not be neglected. The notion of ‘not wanting to lose face’ prevents many victims in Southeast and East Asia from sharing their exploitation experiences. In societies that remain largely patriarchal, this is particularly true for male survivors. As multiple experts confirmed, men are prone to inventing stories to cover up their tragic experiences to avoid being perceived as victims.
What can be done?
There are at least three measures that, if adopted, could facilitate engagement with survivors.
The first is to improve the flow of information between survivors and support agencies. It is vital that everything from the latest tricks used by traffickers to strategies for recovery is effectively shared. Yet prevailing norms often prevent this. Society often considers modern slavery victims as poor, ignorant, and sometimes stupid. These stereotypes make survivors feel shame to share their stories, while also making organisations underestimate survivors’ capacity to become leaders. Better information-sharing can challenge these misconceptions while allowing both sides to increase their mutual understanding.
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[1] Url:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/breaking-taboos-on-trafficking-survivors-in-east-asia/
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