Human trafficking & slavery indicators

The below indicators relate to Human Trafficking, Slavery and Slavery-like practices which are comprehensively criminalised under Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code.

This list is not exhaustive. The indicators listed below are NOT present in all situations involving human trafficking and/or slavery. The presence or absence of any of the indicators neither proves nor disproves that human trafficking and/or slavery is taking place, their presence should lead to investigation.

General indicators

Be subjected to violence or threats of violence against themselves or against their family members and loved ones
Have no access or control of their earnings
Provided limited or substandard food
Be disciplined through punishment
Evidence of existing but untreated physical injuries/illnesses, or application of control measures
Show signs their movements are being controlled
Show fear, anxiety, distress or nervousness
Be threatened with being handed over to the authorities or threatened with deportation
Be afraid of revealing their immigration status
Not in possession of their passports or other travel or identity documents, as those documents are being held by someone else
Not know their home or work address; no key to own address
Unexpected financial pressures within the family unit
Deceived about the nature of their job, location, migration status or employer
Believe they must work against their will
Feel they cannot leave their work environment or accommodation
Have false identity or travel documents
Be unable to communicate freely with others
Respond as though coached by a third party
Be under the perception that they are bonded by debt and not free to cease work
Be under psychological or physical control of or surveillance by another person
Allow others to speak for them when addressed directly
Be forced to work under certain conditions/unable to negotiate working conditions
Transported between accommodation and work by organisers
Evidence of economic abuse, dowry abuse or financial gain from the arrangement
Noticeable deterioration in a person’s self-esteem and appearance
Be distrustful of the authorities
Have limited or no social interaction
Be unfamiliar with the local language
Have poor social awareness
Have limited or no contact with their families or with people outside of their immediate environment
Received little or no payment for employment
Have no access to medical care
Excessive cost charged for accommodation or living expenses
Be in a situation of dependence
Have had their travel costs paid for by facilitators, whom they must payback by working or providing services
Work excessively long hours over long periods
Not have any days off or adequate breaks
Live in poor or substandard accommodation
Have acted on the basis of false promises

Forced marriage

In addition to the general indicators, people who are in or are at risk of forced marriage may:

Have a family history of elder siblings leaving education early, marrying early or indicating concerns of an early marriage
Have personal or family history of unwanted or early pregnancy
Exhibit signs of depression, self–harm, attempted suicide, panic attacks, social isolation or substance abuse
Have high level of control and restrictions exercised by family / community members over all aspects of life in and outside of the home e.g. surveillance, always accompanied, limited or no control of finances, limited or no control over life decisions, education and career choices
Have communications monitored or restricted
Have participated in an engagement or commitment ceremony (religious or cultural)
Have extended or increased absence from education, a drop in performance or low motivation
Exhibit poor or decreasing attendance or performance in the workplace
Show evidence of family or domestic violence within the family unit
Show evidence of running away from home or isolation from the community
Have family with strong cultural or religious expectations
Express concern regarding an upcoming family holiday or overseas travel
Make a sudden announcement they are engaged
Have been pressured to support their partner’s visa to Australia
Have a history of female genital mutilation/circumcision
Express feelings of shame or dishonour on the family if family / community expectations are not met
Show evidence of economic or dowry abuse including:
Family members or others seeking to gain financially from a proposed marriage or engagement
Ongoing demands for cash or material goods
Threats made when financial obligations or arrangements are not met
Demonstrate feelings of conflict or concern for the ramifications if they do not go ahead with an agreed marriage / engagement
Have intergenerational and cultural conflict within the home
Express concern of physical or psychological violence for not fulfilling family/community expectations

Sexual servitude (commercial)

In addition to the general indicators, people who have been trafficked for sexual servitude may:

Move from one brothel to the next or work in various locations
Be escorted to and from work and other outside activities
Be unable to refuse unprotected and/or violent sex
Show evidence they have been bought and sold
Have injuries from unprotected and/or violent sex
Sleep where they work
Live or travel in a group, sometimes with other women who do not speak the same language
Have very few items of clothing or do not own ‘seasonal’ clothing
Have no cash of their own or control of their earnings
Be with groups of women are under the control of others
Appear in advertisements for brothels or similar places offering the services of women from a particular ethnicity or nationality or provide services to a clientele of a particular ethnicity or nationality
Be coerced into decisions regarding their sexual or reproductive health such as coercing a person into undergoing an abortion

Servitude

In addition to the general indicators, people who have been trafficked for servitude may:

Live with a family
Not eat with the rest of the family
Have no private space
Have few or no personal possessions or inappropriate clothing for the environment
Sleep in a shared or inappropriate space
Be forced to take drugs or alcohol to allow for greater control
Have experienced sexual assault with partner or others
Be subjected to insults, abuse, threats or violence
Never or rarely leave the house for social reasons
Never leave the house without their employer/guardian
Have an instilled fear of engaging with persons outside the household
Show signs of domestic or family violence
Make excuses for physical injuries incurred at home
Be forced to undertake free or low paid domestic or other labour

Children

In addition to the general indicators, children (under the age of 18 years) who have been trafficked may:

Have no access to their parents or guardians
Look intimidated and behave in a way that does not correspond with behaviour typical of children their age
Have no friends of their own age
Have no access to education
Have no time for playing
Live apart from other children and in substandard accommodation
Eat apart from other members of the “family"
Be engaged in work that is not suitable for children
Travel unaccompanied by adults with telephone numbers for calling taxis
Travel in groups with persons who are not relatives who may claim to have “found” the child
Possess child-sized clothing typically worn for doing manual or sex work
Possess toys, beds and clothing in inappropriate places such as brothels and factories
Be in an environment where the health and safety equipment is of poor quality, missing or modified so that it can be operated by children

Labour exploitation

In addition to the general indicators, people who have been trafficked for labour exploitation may:

Work in unskilled manual labour for little or no pay
Be forced to work
Have little to no understanding of work rights and entitlements
Receive threats against joining a union
Work in environment where labour laws are being breached
Be subjected to security measures designed to keep them on the work premises
Lack basic training and professional licences
Work were notices have been posted in languages other than the local language
Be disciplined through fines
Have to pay for tools, food or accommodation or that those costs are being deducted from their wages.
Have no choice of accommodation or accommodation is poor quality, multi-occupancy accommodation
Live in groups in the same place where they work and leave those premises infrequently, if at all
Work in unsanitary and/or unsafe conditions
Not be dressed adequately for the work they do, for example, they may lack protective equipment or warm clothing
Forced to open bank accounts controlled by the employer
Have their passport and other personal documents kept by the employer and the worker is not allowed to have them when they want them
Depend on their employer for a number of services, including work, transportation and accommodation.
Be in an environment where there are no health and safety notices
Have no labour contract
Have their movements and accessibility to transport tightly controlled
Have an employer or manager who is unable to show the documents required for employing workers from other countries or records of wages paid to employees