What to expect from this training
Welcome to an online training course that will help you better understand and identify situations of abuse and human trafficking you may encounter when working in the service sector. During the training, we will analyse different cases together and share tips on how to act in situations where you suspect that a person might need your help.
You can complete the training at your own pace and in the order you want, and once you have passed the final test, we will send you a digital certificate that you can present to your employer if you wish. The course consists of eight short videos, written suggestions and a test to confirm your knowledge. The course takes about 30 minutes to complete. To understand the content of the videos, please turn on subtitles.
By noticing victims of abuse and involving the relevant authorities, we can prevent the worst consequences and support people who are unable to seek help themselves.
Thank you for caring and taking action!
This online training has been developed in cooperation between the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association (EHRL), the Social Insurance Board, and the Ministry of Justice. It has been prepared as part of the European Commission Internal Security Fund (ISF) project ‘Developing cooperation capacity to identify and assist victims of human trafficking in Estonia’ (Koostöövõime arendamine inimkaubanduse ohvrite tuvastamiseks ja abistamiseks Eestis).
What is addressed in the training?
The online training will use case studies to elaborate on the topics of sexual abuse and human trafficking, how to spot them and how to act in the respective situation.
Trafficking in human beings is a crime where the trafficker exploits other people or enables someone else to do so. The concept of human trafficking covers both domestic and international activities.
The types of human trafficking are:
- sexual exploitation (involvement in prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation);
- labour exploitation (forced labour or services);
- coercion into crime;
- forced removal of an organ.
Abuse is any form of emotional, physical or sexual harm, such as torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
As an employee, you may encounter these issues if you notice:
- a person with signs of physical or mental violence;
- a guest in your establishment who is being exploited or abused;
- suspicious transactions;
- unfair treatment of agency workers or migrant workers in your establishment.
In the following videos and texts, we will share advice on how to handle these situations and help people in difficulty.
How to help someone in need
- Do not put yourself or other visitors in immediate danger when responding to a situation. Your safety and the safety of everyone involved is paramount.
- If an incident has occurred or you have any suspicions, the first suggestion is to report it to your manager, who will help you think it through and make a decision.
- First and foremost, you can follow the rules and regulations of your employer – hotel or restaurant. Ask what company guidelines you should follow in such situations.
- You must act in accordance with national laws that regulate the decent treatment of workers and protect victims from abuse.
- In case of doubt, it is very important to react to these cases. Even if a later investigation does not reveal any wrongdoing, we have done everything we can to protect the potential victim.
- It is important to assess the situation and involve the relevant specialists, where necessary. Memorise or save the following phone numbers on your phone:
If you suspect violence (mental or physical), call the Social Insurance Board’s Victim Support Helpline, which operates 24/7. You can also find more information at www.palunabi.ee. The 24/7 Victim Support Helpline is for people of all ages who have been victims of or witnesses to crime, neglect, abuse, physical, mental or sexual violence.
If you notice that a minor has been abused, call the Social Insurance Board’s Child Helpline, which also operates 24/7. You can also find more information at www.lasteabi.ee.
This number is for children, young people and adults to call for advice and help and to report a child in need or at risk.
If you suspect, for example, that you may be being exploited at work, call the Social Security Board’s human trafficking prevention and victim assistance counselling line, which operates on weekdays from 08:30-17:00.
What happens once you have reported your suspicion or incident
Calls to the above helplines are answered by specialists. First, they assess the situation and then they refer the case to the police or other officials who follow up on the case. When you get in touch, you can rest assured that you will not be expected to resolve the situation, but you may be asked the necessary questions to assess it. If you want or need it, the specialist answering the phone will be able to offer you support, too.
What kind of incidents can we encounter at work?
What to do in this situation
- Ensure your own safety and the safety of others, ask your manager for advice and follow your establishment’s internal rules.
- Above all, you can follow your employer’s rules and national laws. In this situation, the law prohibits both the sale and supply of alcohol to a minor.
- If possible, you can point out to the young men that they are not allowed to give their documents to someone else. In addition, you could suggest formalising the work by means of a contract that the parent or guardian can check.
- If you cannot talk to the young men in private, involve a colleague, for example, who invites Anatoly to pay the bill at the counter. At the same time, you could talk to the young men yourself.
- You can get advice from the Social Insurance Board’s Child Helpline on 116 111.
Finally, see Markus’ story about being forced to sell drugs. You may find yourself in a situation in your own workplace where agreements are seemingly made to accommodate both sides, but in reality one side is being taken advantage of and forced to commit a crime. To hide the situation, they look for neutral premises, such as a hotel.
What to do in this situation
- If you think you can talk safely to the person who has been hurt, help them understand that they are not to blame for the violence. Encourage them to seek help and contact the police, victim support, a women’s shelter or a doctor to establish the consequences of the physical violence. Do not judge. Assist them in finding the right contact person to get the help they need.
- A person in a violent relationship feels lonely and scared. That is why you need to recognise the signs of an abusive intimate relationship and support the victim.
- You can get advice from the Social Insurance Board’s Victim Support Helpline on 116 006.
- Call 112 if you hear or see violence, such as shouting, swearing or shouting for help in a hotel room or if you see hitting or beating. An abuser may also attack a bystander, so it may not be wise to go and settle the argument yourself.
- Mind your own safety and the safety of others, ask your manager for advice and follow the internal rules of your establishment.
See also Laura’s story of a relationship that starts romantically but ends in exploitation. There are many couples in the hotel, and sometimes there can be situations between them that are not obvious, culminating in abuse in the rooms. In public spaces, people try to appear neutral, even caring, but you may notice anxiety on one side (usually the woman), excessive modesty, hiding signs of violence, etc., which may indicate abuse and subjugation to the will of the other.
What to do in this situation
- If you suspect that an agency is exploiting its workers and imposing inhuman working conditions on them (not allowing rest time, violating workers’ rights, working days that seem too long, etc.), be sure to call the Social Insurance Board, who will investigate. Use either the human trafficking prevention and victims assistance counselling line +372 660 7320 (weekdays) or the Victim Helpline 116 006 (24/7). See also www.palunabi.ee.
- Mind your own safety and the safety of others, ask your manager for advice and follow the internal rules of your establishment.
- If you are able to talk to the agency worker, give them advice on where to seek help. Share the website www.tooelu.ee in a language they understand, which features a number of articles on labour exploitation.
- Encourage them to call the Labour Inspectorate’s lawyer on +372 640 6000.
What to do in this situation
- In the case of people with a large age gap, it should be noted that sexual relations with minors is not permitted in Estonia and the age of sexual consent is 16, which means that an adult cannot have sexual relations with a person younger than 16.
- First and foremost, you can follow the rules and regulations of your employer (hotel or restaurant). Ask what company guidelines you should follow in such situations and, if possible, consult your manager before taking action.
- The internal rules of a hotel or restaurant may provide that the establishment has the right to check the identity documents of persons on its premises and, if necessary, involve the police. In the case of minors, the hotel may require the prior written consent of a parent to accommodate the minor.
- To check the age, you can call police to the hotel by calling 112. The police identify the persons and establish their relationship.
- When in doubt, it is crucial to act so that no victim is left without help. If the person proves to the police that they are of age and that no other crime has been committed, the police will apologise and leave.
- Exploitation of a minor is not always obvious. A couple can act neutral towards each other when checking into a hotel. Similarly, an underage girl or boy can come to the hotel as a guest later. Try to spot these situations and take action, if necessary.
- If you suspect that a minor has been abused, you can get help from the Social Insurance Board’s Child Helpline on 116 111.
Why and how is abuse and trafficking taking place?
Everyone has the right not to be tortured or otherwise abused. This is one of the founding principles of the rule of law, and it is something each of us can stand up for. Abuse has many faces; an incident you notice at your place of work may seem like a small episode, but it could be part of a long-term pattern of abuse or an organised criminal scheme.
It is important to understand that the perpetrator’s behaviour is often deliberate and intentional and consistently undermines the victim’s self-confidence and independence. This is why the victim may appear to be happy with the situation.
A perpetrator of abuse and trafficking:
- separates a person from their friends or family;
- behaves aggressively or otherwise violently towards a person;
- entices a person to do things they want them to do and which at first seem acceptable to the victim;
- influences a person to submit to their will through constant threats and violence;
- threatens to disclose the acts committed, knowing that the victim would rather cover up their abuse.
Why don’t victims ask for help?
- Often, people may have experienced different types of violence – physical, emotional, sexual and psychological – and they are already used to it.
- People may not realise that they are actually being forced to do something because they have been very cleverly misled, deceived, coaxed, etc.
- They believe that they are to blame. They ask themselves: “Why didn’t I check the information, why did I trust too much and why didn’t I leave?” This may be because of fear of the abuser or fear of being exposed. The belief that no one will help them anyway and no one will believe their story also plays a part.
- People do not know they are entitled to help or where to get it.
- They do not trust fellow citizens or helpers because the situation of abuse has been going on for a long time and they have adapted to it.
- They have had bad experiences with public officials and aid organisations.
- They are often indebted to the abuser.
What to take away from this training
Test your knowledge!
Complete the test below, selecting all of the correct answer options for each question. Once you have answered all of the questions correctly, you can enter your email address and we will send you a certificate to present to your employer.
Thank you for participating! For more information on the topic see:
Social Insurance Board’s human trafficking prevention and victim assistance counselling line.