Abstract:

The "4P" paradigm – prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership – serves as the fundamental international framework to counter human trafficking and modern slavery. While organizations not always operate in partnership, which is a tremendous gap in counter-trafficking strategies, protection and prosecution are interdependent pillars. One enhances the likelihood of the other to be successful. Therefore, victim’s protection is of outmost relevance to evidence collection and effectiveness of prosecution of human trafficking cases. Based on victimological research, this paper briefly reviews the origins of victims’ rights and protection programs while bringing to the reader’s attention, relevant international, regional and national (Turkish) documents and law in the fields of victim’s support and protection to victims of human trafficking. It further elaborates on the connection between victim’s identification and cooperation with the criminal justice system – reporting, providing evidence and following court cases – provided that victims are protected and have their rights guaranteed. Finally, it demonstrates that the further protection is granted to human trafficking victims, the more they collaborate with criminal prosecution of cases, enhancing likelihood of convictions and solution of cases, revealing traffickers and dismantling human trafficking networks. It is at the core of this paper to demonstrate that victims’ collaboration is key for prosecuting and countering human trafficking, highlighting that collaboration might only be enhanced through provision of adequate support and protection.

Keywords: