Athens 16 March 2023
KE.ME.A., as the Coordinator of the Consortium, directed the implementation of the co-financed by the E.U. Project entitled: "ERADICATING - Enhancing pRevention AnD multI-agenCy cooperAtion against TraffickING", which is financed by the ISFP (Internal Security Fund Police) / THB (Trafficking in Human Beings) program and aims to strengthen the capacities of Law Enforcement Agencies and improve the services provided, through the development of prevention mechanisms and early identification of victims of human trafficking, with an emphasis on sexual and labor exploitation.
The consortium partners of the project are the Center for Security Studies, the Hellenic Police, the University for Public Service in Bavaria BayHfoD - Germany, the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime - Bulgaria, the M.K.O. "Together Against Human Trafficking" - Germany, the "Center for Family and Child Care" - Greece and the "Center for the Study of Democracy" - Bulgaria.
As part of the implementation of the project, the Simulation Exercise took place between the 6th-10th of March 2023 at the facilities of KE.ME.A. in Athens, in collaboration with experienced and specialized executives who are professionally active in related issues.
The purpose of the exercise was to utilize specially designed simulation scenarios, to empower and train participants in the identification and investigation/detection of cases of human trafficking, specifically targeting labor and sexual exploitation.
At the beginning of the event, the Special Secretary of Protection of Unaccompanied Minors and former National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings Mr. Heracles Moskoff, the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Greece, Mrs. Maria Clara Martin, Lieutenant General (ret.) and Member of Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings of Council of Europe, Mr. George A. Vanikiotis, the Head of the Council of Europe's Roma and Traveler Group, Ms. Eleni Tsetsekou, the Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Ms. Areti Skafida and the Project Officer of the ERADICATING Project Mrs. Koralia Kontou, delivered opening speeches to the event participants.
In the context of the work of the first day, the coordinator of ERADICATING Ms. Antonia Potoulaki presented the Project. Furthermore, instructions were given to the participants about their roles (trainers, trainees, observers) by the Coordinator of the Exercise Mrs. Asimina Gkontolia, Police officer in the rank of Police Major, Department Combat Racist Violence in Thessaloniki, Sub division of State Security, Security Division of Thessaloniki and Co-Coordinators Mr. Vasileios Koutsoliakos, Police Lieutenant Colonel, Hellenic Police/ International Police Cooperation Division and Mr. Spyros Mpratsikas, Police Major, Hellenic Police Headquarters/ Division of Public Security/ Crime Analysis Department. Over the following four days, the participants had the opportunity to develop synergies, identify the good practices and any gaps that emerged during the Simulation Exercise regarding the detection and investigation of cases of human trafficking (related to labor and sexual exploitation ) and appropriate victim support at all stages of the criminal procedure.
The Simulation Exercise was attended by more than 80 representatives of authorities, bodies and services co-competent in terms of the scope of the project, such as representatives and executives of law enforcement agencies, Judicial and Prosecution authorities, Civil Society, executives of Social and Health services, Police Liaisons and officials of the Diplomatic Authorities based in Greece, from Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, Romania, the United States, Spain, Italy, Austria, representatives of the National Center for Social Solidarity and the National Referral Mechanism, representatives of the Ministry of Immigration and of Asylum, and representatives from non-governmental organizations against Trafficking in Human Beings of Greece (A21), Bulgaria and Germany as well as special experts on related issues. At the same time, representatives of working groups of other European projects (HEROES, A4) and the technological tool (FALKOR) were presented.
For more information you can visit the project website and follow the project social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).
