Among the Belgians who offer their help to welcome Ukrainian refugees, a minority obviously does so for the wrong reasons. Some take advantage of the vulnerability of refugees and offer housing in exchange for low or unpaid work, or even in exchange for sexual favours. This is exploitation and the authorities have decided to react.
Two cases of economic and sexual exploitation of Ukrainian refugees have been recorded in Belgium. The fear of seeing them multiply is real. The citizen support platform for refugees is sounding the alarm. “How to avoid abuse? Well, it is by fully informing the refugees of their rights. And allow them to have a point of contact in case of a problem to call very quickly to avoid any future abuse“, says Alexis Deswaef, co-president of the Citizen Support Platform for Refugees.
It’s addiction that opens the door to exploitation
In summary: prevent and help to enable refugees not to depend on host families. “There must also be a form of independence of the person accommodated. That it is not dependent on its hosts. Because it is addiction that opens the door to possible exploitation“, explains Alexis Deswaef.
Messages on social networks for Ukrainians in Belgium
Exploitation and trafficking in human beings is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment. To avoid abuses, the federal authorities have set up a prevention team. “Yesterday (note: Friday, March 18) messages were sent on social networks to the thousands of Ukrainians who are active on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to inform them of possible situations of economic or sexual exploitation, and to provide them with telephone numbers for reception centers to help people“, indicates Vincent Van Quickenborne, Minister of Justice.
A total of three centers are open: in Brussels, Liège and Antwerp. So far, more than 13,500 people have joined Belgium. 80% of them are women and children.