VZCZCXRO5504
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0122/01 0540614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230614Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2997
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0026
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4743
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4676
RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK 0280

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 HELSINKI 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/NB AND EUR/PGI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND:  2007 ANNUAL TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS REPORT 
 
REF: A. 06 STATE 202745 
 
     ¶B. 06 HELSINKI 1156 
     ¶C. 06 HELSINKI 724 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  The following responses are keyed to the checklist 
in ref A.  Post's point-of-contact on TIP is Political 
Officer David Allen Schlaefer; SchlaeferDA2@state.gov; 
 358-9-6162-5482 or  358-050-322-7923. 
 
 
Overview of Trafficking in Finland 
---------------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU)  A:  Finland is a transit and destination country 
for trafficked men, women, and children; it is not a source 
country.  There are no reliable estimates as to the actual 
incidence of TIP in Finland, and there have been no 
comprehensive studies of the phenomenon.  The GoF is 
considering funding an IOM survey of trafficking in Finland, 
but as of early 2007, the project has not yet begun. 
Destination cases are probably much lower than transit cases. 
 Most victims trafficked through Finland are probably women 
and girls destined for western Europe's commercial sex 
industry and come from Russia, China, and, to a lesser 
extent, Moldova, the Baltic countries, and the Caucasus. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  B:  There is both commercial sex and labor 
trafficking in Finland.  The distinction between trafficking 
and smuggling, especially in labor cases, is often murky. 
Trafficking of women and girls for purposes of sexual 
exploitation is probably the larger problem.  There are no 
"red light" districts in Finland, and there are only a 
handful of nightclubs and casinos in cities such as Helsinki, 
Turku, and Tampere that are associated with the Russian 
mafia.  Russian women (primarily) work as prostitutes inside 
some of these nightclubs, and Finnish authorities and NGOs 
believe some of these women have been trafficked.  Since the 
last TIP report, Finnish law enforcement authorities have 
cracked down on prostitution and some of the clubs have 
closed.  In July 2006, the most "infamous" of the Russian 
clubs in Helsinki--Mikado--closed after successive raids by 
Finnish police.  This has led to most prostitutes working out 
of private apartments.  Services are solicited using internet 
ads or through word of mouth.  Some prostitutes using this 
method are "independent", and others may be trafficking 
victims involved with organized crime syndicates.  In 
general, Finnish women working as prostitutes are 
"independent", and Russian and other East European women are 
involved in trafficking.  There are also a few "Thai Massage" 
parlors where Asian women may work as de facto prostitutes. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  B, cont.:  Authorities believe that most women and 
girls who are trafficked to Finland are aware that they will 
work as prostitutes upon arrival; they do not, for example, 
believe that they will be domestic servants or agricultural 
workers.  After arrival, the "rules" are changed, and they 
receive less compensation and are pressured to see more 
clients than anticipated.  Most of these women come from 
larger cities in Russia and the former Soviet world.  Finnish 
authorities believe that economic coercion and exploitation 
of women with limited financial resources plays a larger role 
than physical coercion in the recruitment and retention of 
these women by crime syndicates.  In most cases, the victims' 
passports are taken by the traffickers, and their finances 
are controlled as well.  The Finnish police believe that in 
order to elude authorities, Russian syndicates "rotate" women 
in and out of Finland frequently; a practice facilitated by 
the short traveling distances between major Russian cities 
like St. Petersburg and Finland. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  B, cont.:  The GoF began focusing on labor 
trafficking in 2006.  It is believed that most labor 
trafficking is small-scale and tied to ethnic businesses like 
restaurants.  Labor victims are predominantly Asian or 
Indian.  There is often a family or clan connection between 
the organizers/owners and the trafficked workers.  The 
workers voluntarily enter Finland (legally or smuggled) for 
economic reasons, but after arrival, are forced to work long 
hours for minimal wages.  Passports may be taken and the 
threat of violence or turning the victim over to immigration 
authorities is used.  Finnish law enforcement authorities 
report that it is extremely difficult to investigate such 
cases due to the closed nature of immigrant communities in 
Finland, language barriers, and the unwillingness of victims 
and material witnesses (of the same ethnic group) to 
cooperate with the police.  The incidence of labor 
trafficking to Finland is unknown, but authorities believe 
there may be dozens of trafficked workers in major cities. 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  002 OF 008 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  B, cont.:  Despite the presence of Russian 
criminal organizations in Finland, the actual number of TIP 
victims inside the country appear low.  However, Finnish 
police are increasingly concerned about the transit dynamic, 
particularly trafficking from Asia.  Chinese snakehead gangs 
began using expanded air routes among Helsinki, Beijing, 
Shanghai, and Bangkok several years ago to facilitate human 
smuggling and trafficking.  Migrants and TIP victims that 
arrive at Helsinki's Vantaa airport then change planes and 
fly to their final destination elsewhere in the Schengen 
region.  Since the travellers usually have valid visas for 
their final destination and--even in TIP cases--are often 
uncooperative when referred to secondary inspection, it is 
difficult for Finnish Frontier Guard and Customs officials to 
intercept them.  Moreover, any migrant of any type who is 
detained has the opportunity to claim asylum before 
deportation or other legal proceedings begin, and any 
smuggled or trafficked persons intercepted in this way are 
typically taken to an asylum and refugee processing center 
(reception center) the first night that they are in Finland. 
Finnish reception centers are "open," and almost all of the 
referred persons disappear within 24 hours of arrival.  It is 
presumed that they left the centers voluntarily, met their 
organizers, and continued on toward their destination by 
ferry. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  B, cont.:  There is strong political will at the 
highest levels to combat TIP.  President Tarja Halonen, 
Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, and Interior Minister Kari 
Rajamaki make frequent public statements on trafficking.  The 
National Bureau of Investigation (Finland's FBI equivalent), 
the Frontier Guard, the Immigration and Customs Service, and 
the police are all active in the fight against TIP.  An 
interagency GoF task force exists to coordinate 
anti-trafficking policy. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  C:  Corruption is not a problem in Finland.  Law 
enforcement and legal authorities suffer from some 
underfunding due to budget constraints. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  D:  The government makes periodic reports and 
statements about its anti-TIP efforts; and the interagency 
working group holds an annual review of government 
activities.  The MFA maintains a list of projects outside of 
Finland's borders that the GoF contributes to.  The 
government also disseminates information through multilateral 
organizations like the Nordic-Baltic Task Force Against 
Trafficking. 
 
 
Prevention Efforts 
------------------ 
¶10.  (SBU)  A:  The Finnish Government acknowledges that TIP 
is a problem in Finland. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  B:  An interagency task force exists comprised of 
the following ministries and agencies:  Foreign Affairs, 
Interior, Justice, Social Affairs and Welfare, Labor, 
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Frontier Guard, local 
police, and NGOs.  The task force is co-chaired by the Labor 
and Interior Ministries.  The Labor Ministry currently has 
the lead coordinating role. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  C:  Domestic Finnish Government programs 
typically target demand reduction.  The Social Affairs and 
Welfare Ministry has the lead on domestic prevention 
programs.  Several programs specifically target Finns who 
might travel abroad to engage in sex tourism, and in 2006 
there was more attention paid to this phenomenon and the 
responsibility of men who engage in such behavior for 
trafficking.  As in past years, during the reporting period 
posters and other media targeting clients and challenging the 
view that sex tourism is a "victimless" crime have been 
displayed at ports-of-entry, post offices, and other 
locations.  A separate information campaign also ran from 
2003-2006 in northern Finland that aimed at discouraging 
potential clients and advising Russian women that they could 
seek help from Finnish authorities.  Similar campaigns took 
pace in Finnish Karelia and Oulu.  The Education Ministry 
includes education about trafficking in its curriculum for 
high school students.  The GoF also funds an NGO-operated 
hotline for TIP and domestic violence victims. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  D:  Finland's largest prevention projects are 
outside its borders, aimed at creating economic opportunity 
for at-risk women and girls before they are caught up in the 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  003 OF 008 
 
 
trafficking dynamic.  Projects that are currently being 
funded by the GoF include: 
 
 
Russia: 
 
--  In St. Petersburg, Finland has funded a 400,000 Euro 
ILO-IPEC (International Program for the Elimination of Child 
Labor) program to combat the abuse of homeless children 
preyed on by traffickers and sexual predators.  The program 
runs from 2005-2007. 
 
--  In Kaliningrad, Finland has funded a 151,040 Euro project 
called "Trafficking Assessment and Counter-trafficking 
Capacity Building for the Kaliningrad Oblast."  The aim of 
the project is to prepare an extensive study on human 
trafficking in the region and promote cooperation among local 
judicial, police, and NGO actors, to combat TIP.  The project 
was slated to end in 2006, but is still running with Finnish 
funding. 
 
--  In Moscow, Finland has funded a 300,000 Euro ILO-IPEC 
program to combat the abuse of homeless children at-risk for 
trafficking.  The program runs from 2005-2007. 
 
--  The Finnish missions in St. Petersburg and Moscow have 
given small grants to local NGOs for counter-trafficking 
work. 
 
Uzbekistan: 
 
--  Finland plans to fund a UN Office of Drugs and Crime 
project called "Measures to prevent and combat trafficking in 
human beings in Uzbekistan" that is set to begin in 2007. 
The funding level has not yet been determined. 
 
Moldova: 
 
--  Finland is currently financing a project by the 
International Helsinki Foundation (IHF) that aims to combat 
human trafficking through a combination of police training 
and education campaigns for women's rights. 
 
IOM Projects: 
 
--  Finland is a donor to the IOM counter-trafficking project 
"Prevention and Capacity-Building in Kosovo and Macedonia", 
which is an ongoing project that began in 2004. 
 
--  Finland is a donor to the IOM counter-trafficking project 
"Prevention of All Forms of Trafficking in Women and Children 
in Cambodia", which is an ongoing project that began in 2003. 
 
 
Other Multilateral/Multinational Projects; 
 
--  Finland's support for UNICEF is partly allocated to 
anti-trafficking measures. 
 
--  Finland supports ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child 
Pornography, and Trafficking of Children for Sexual 
Purposes), an international NGO active in Russia and the 
Nordic-Baltic region. 
 
--  In addition to the above projects, Finland plays an 
active role in the anti-TIP efforts of the Nordic-Baltic Task 
Force Against Trafficking, the Council of Baltic Sea States, 
the Barents-Euro Arctic Council, and provides additional 
funding to these organizations. 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  E:  Finland is a social welfare state where the 
government is expected to assume responsibility for many 
services that elsewhere are largely provided by NGOs.  As a 
result, there are no NGOs working exclusively on TIP, and 
only a few that address it among other issues of concern to 
women.  Finnish NGOs receive almost all of their funding from 
the GoF with few restrictions on their activity; however, 
Finnish NGOs in the past have been critical about the 
government's response to the problem.  This began changing in 
2004-2005 when NGOs were invited to participate in the 
drafting the country's National Action Plan on TIP, and 
throughout 2006 relations continued to improve.  The Labor 
Ministry has formed a partnership with several NGOs that run 
shelters for victims of domestic violence so that identified 
TIP victims can be referred there (rather than remain in 
government-run shelters) whenever possible.  NGO 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  004 OF 008 
 
 
representatives are also participating in police training 
programs on victim identification, and during the reporting 
period, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
held a series of training seminars for Finnish law 
enforcement authorities and police.  Finn Church Aid, the 
Finnish Lutheran Church's assistance organization, has formed 
a particularly close collaborative relationship with the GoF, 
and the Finnish Orthodox Church in 2006 took similar steps to 
draft an action plan to assist in the fight against 
trafficking. 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  F:  Finnish law enforcement authorities monitor 
immigration patterns and screen applicants at ports-of-entry 
for TIP victims.  The NBI and Frontier Guard maintain liaison 
officers throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia, and cooperate 
with other law enforcement services (including EU agencies 
like Europol and Eurojust) to detect and monitor trafficking 
patterns.  In 2006, the GoF particularly concentrated on 
detection of Asian smuggling and trafficking routes.  Given 
the close geographic proximity of St. Petersburg to the 
Finnish border, Finnish consular officers face a difficult 
task in screening visa applicants.  Russian applicants with 
modest resources may still credibly claim they intend to make 
a short, inexpensive visit to Finland for shopping or to 
visit friends, making adjudication tricky.  Political 
pressure from Russia to keep visa refusals low also 
complicates adjudication.  In response to this, the GoF 
designed and implemented a training program for consular 
officers to assist them in better detecting trafficking 
situations as well as how to follow up when TIP is suspected. 
 The program was developed in cooperation with the Frontier 
Guard and is now a standard part of consular training. 
 
¶16.  (SBU)  G:  Finland's interagency working group is 
described in para 11. 
 
¶17.  (SBU)  H:  Finland's National Action Plan was formally 
adopted in April 2005.  The interagency working group is 
responsible for its implementation.  Each agency also has its 
own "sub-plan" for carrying out its particular areas of 
responsibility.  NGOs were a part of the working group that 
drafted the plan.  The NAP has been published by the GoF and 
widely disseminated in Finnish society, beginning with a 
"kick-off" press conference in 2006 by Foreign Minister Erkki 
Tuomioja; the US Embassy was invited as a guest at the press 
conference. 
 
 
Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶18.  (SBU)  A:  Trafficking-in-persons for both sexual 
exploitation and forced labor is illegal.  The definition of 
trafficking used in the law mirrors that of the Palermo 
Protocol.  The maximum penalty for trafficking is up to 7 
years, allowing Finnish law enforcement authorities to use 
electronic surveillance techniques when investigating TIP 
cases.  Trafficking of minors is considered an aggravated 
offense, and penalties could be higher.  Related offenses 
such as human smuggling, kidnapping, pimping, pandering, and 
child rape can and have been used to prosecute traffickers. 
Finnish prosecutors have successfully prosecuted Finnish 
citizens who traveled abroad to have sex with minors 
(Thailand and Estonia).  These laws are adequate to cover the 
full scope of trafficking. 
 
¶19.  (SBU)  B:  Persons convicted of trafficking can receive 
up to 7 years imprisonment.  Aggravated circumstances such as 
trafficking of minors, etc., can add additional jail time to 
the sentence. 
 
¶20.  (SBU)  C:  See 18 and 19 above.  The law does not 
differentiate between trafficking for sexual exploitation and 
labor trafficking as regards possible sentences.  Both the 
organizers in source countries and the employer(s) in Finland 
could be prosecuted for labor trafficking under Finnish law. 
 
¶21.  (SBU)  D:  The maximum penalty for rape is 7 years, the 
same as that for trafficking.  An aggravated offense could 
carry a longer penalty. 
 
¶22.  (SBU)  E:  Prostitution is legal, but the sale and 
purchase of sex in public is illegal.  The law is interpreted 
in such a way that brothels and other clubs with sex on 
premises are prohibited.  There are no "red light" districts 
in Finland.  Pimping, pandering, and organized prostitution 
are illegal.  The laws are generally enforced in practice, 
and there are periodic raids on nightclubs where prostitutes 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  005 OF 008 
 
 
are known to operate.  In 2006, one of Helsinki's more 
infamous nightclubs known for prostitution was repeatedly 
raided and eventually closed its doors.  Most "Finnish" 
prostitution is facilitated through the internet and takes 
place in hotel rooms or private apartments.  Foreign 
prostitutes, chiefly Russian, meet their clients at 
nightclubs and casinos.  In 2006, the GoF introduced 
legislation to criminalize prostitution along the lines of 
the Swedish model; however, the bill was rejected by 
Parliament owing to strong opposition from left of center 
parties and feminist organizations that support legalized 
prostitution.  A compromise bill was passed that criminalized 
the purchase of sexual services from trafficked persons only. 
 It is too early to know if the new law has had any effect on 
prostitution inside Finland. 
 
¶23.  (SBU)  F:  In July 2006, eight Finnish and Estonian 
nationals were convicted of trafficking-in-persons and 
sentenced to jail terms ranging from 27 months to 5 years. 
The seven men and one woman were involved in an operation 
that trafficked women from Estonia to Finland where they 
worked as prostitutes in nightclubs and out of rented 
apartments.  In some cases, closed circuit television cameras 
(CCTVs) were used by the traffickers to monitor activity 
remotely from Estonia.  The most egregious case involved a 
mildly mentally retarded woman who was forced to see multiple 
clients each day for virtually no compensation. 
 
¶24.  (SBU)  F, cont.:  In November 2006, a Russian national 
was convicted of trafficking-in-persons and sentenced to 35 
months in prison for his role in a ring that brought Russian 
women to Finland to work as prostitutes in nightclubs. 
Several other individuals associated with this ring were 
convicted of related offenses such as organized prostitution. 
 
¶25.  (SBU)  F, cont.:  In September 2006, police arrested the 
owners of a Chinese restaurant in Savonlinna and seized over 
500,000 Euros in assets.  The subjects were accused of 
forcing as many as ten Chinese workers over an 8 year period 
to work for virtual slave wages, and for hours far exceeding 
those prescribed by Finnish labor law.  The initial 
trafficking charges were dropped to facilitate prosecution, 
but the owners were successfully convicted under profiteering 
and kidnapping charges, and the assets were forfeit. 
 
¶26.  (SBU)  F, cont.:  In October 2006, two Vietnamese 
nationals were arrested in Pietarsaari on suspicion of labor 
trafficking in a similar case involving 5 Vietnamese 
restaurant workers.  The case is still being investigated. 
 
¶27.  (SBU)  F, cont.:  In January 2007, a Bangladeshi sea 
captain was convicted of trafficking-in-persons and sentenced 
to 18 months in prison.  The case involved 8 Bangladeshi 
nationals who arrived at Helsinki's Vantaa Airport in 
September 2006, claimed political asylum immediately upon 
arrival, and then subsequently disappeared from the reception 
center where they had been taken to.  They were later 
determined to have been part of a transit-trafficking 
operation. 
 
¶28.  (SBU)  F, cont.:  Finnish authorities confirm that there 
are additional cases of both sexual trafficking and labor 
trafficking under investigation. 
 
¶29.  (SBU)  G:  Finnish authorities believe that most 
trafficking to and through Finland is facilitated by large 
organized crime syndicates, chiefly based in Russia and Asia. 
 An exception may be small-scale labor trafficking 
facilitated by conspiracies of a few individuals.  The 
traffickers typically remain outside of Finland.  Government 
officials are not involved.  Employment, travel, and tourist 
agencies are not involved.  Marriage brokers are not 
involved.  Profits are believed to be channeled back to the 
organized crime syndicates. 
 
¶30.  (SBU)  H:  Finland actively investigates trafficking. 
As part of its national action plan, the National Bureau of 
Investigation formed a dedicated anti-trafficking unit. 
Finnish liaison officers with anti-trafficking responsibility 
are now stationed in Murmansk, Petrozavorsk, St. Petersburg, 
Moscow, Tallinn, The Hague, Lyon, Malaga, and Beijing. 
Finland also participates in the "Nordic Cooperation 
Network", a network of Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, 
and Icelandic law enforcement liaison officers scattered 
throughout Europe, Asia, and the MIddle-East.  Maximum 
penalties for traffickers are sufficient (7 years) to allow 
law enforcement to use electronic surveillance techniques 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  006 OF 008 
 
 
when investigating trafficking rings. 
 
¶31.  (SBU)  I:  The GoF provides specialized training for law 
enforcement personnel regarding TIP.  In April 2006, the 
Embassy and the US LEGATT in Copenhagen facilitated the visit 
to Finland of three FBI Special Agents involved in TIP 
investigations in the United States.  The Special Agents 
presented a series of training seminars for Finnish law 
enforcement personnel from the National Bureau of 
Investigation (NBI), the Special Security Police (SUPO), 
Frontier Guards, and local police officers.  More than 100 
Finnish personnel participated in the training.  Finland 
assumed the EU Presidency on July 1.  Combating 
trafficking-in-persons was one of Finland's top Justice and 
Home Affairs priorities during the Presidency.  Finnish 
Interior Minister Kari Rajamaki referred to TIP as a 
"scourge" afflicting the EU during his initial address in 
July on Finland's JHA agenda and committed the GoF to finding 
new ways to enhance trans-Atlantic cooperation against 
trafficking.  In October 2006, Rajamaki organized an EU-wide 
conference on child victim identification and interview 
issues as part of Finland's EU Presidency anti-trafficking 
initiative.  The Embassy again worked with our LEGATT in 
Copenhagen to bring back Kimberly Poyer--one of the FBI 
Special Agents who had visited Finland in April--to reprise 
her performance during two days of seminars and workshops. 
The GoF has also worked with IOM during the reporting period 
to train law enforcement personnel; and continued its 
consular officer training program in association with the 
Frontier Guard. 
 
¶32.  (SBU)  J:  Finland cooperates with Europol, Eurojust; 
with the Nordic-Baltic countries, through multilateral 
processes such as the Nordic-Baltic Task Force and Arctic 
Council; with Nordic-Baltic countries through the 
Nordic-Baltic information sharing network; and bilaterally 
with Russia, the Baltic countries, and any other relevant 
countries.  The case detailed in para 23 was investigated and 
prosecuted with the assistance of Estonian authorities, and 
the case detailed in para 24 was aided by Russian 
authorities.  Finland in the past has also cooperated with US 
law enforcement to try and intercept a trafficking case. 
 
¶33.  (SBU)  K:  Finland will extradite persons charged with 
trafficking to any country with which it has an extradition 
treaty.  Finland will extradite its own nationals on a case 
by case basis to other countries with which it has an 
extradition treaty provided that the individual would not be 
subject to the death penalty if convicted of an offense. 
Finland has ratified the EU Arrest Warrant. 
 
34,  (SBU)  L:  Government officials are not involved in 
trafficking and do not tolerate trafficking. 
 
¶35.  (SBU)  M:  Government officials are not involved in 
trafficking. 
 
¶36.  (SBU)  N:  Finland is not a source or destination 
country for child sex tourism.  However, at least two Finns 
have been prosecuted for having sex with minors abroad 
(Estonia and Thailand). 
 
¶37.  (SBU)  O:  Finland is a signatory to the listed ILO, 
CRC, and UN conventions. 
 
 
 
Protection and Assistance to Victims 
------------------------------------ 
¶38.  (SBU)  A:  Trafficking victims are taken to reception 
centers for refugees and asylum seekers operated by the Labor 
Ministry.  The system has a capacity for 2,539 persons 
country-wide, and operates at any point in time at 60%-80% 
capacity.  Several centers have been designated as 
"preferred" TIP shelters, including one in Helsinki and 
another near the Russian border.  TIP victims are housed in 
separate units within the centers.  Finnish reception centers 
are open (residents can come and go), but visitors are 
screened and not allowed to contact residents without their 
consent.  Victims receive legal counseling, medical and 
psychological services, and monthly stipends.  Recently, 
after urging from IOM and other NGOs, the GoF has revised its 
policy and is now encouraging victims to leave the reception 
centers as soon as possible for private, NGO-run shelters. 
There are several shelters for victims of domestic abuse that 
have expanded their services to include counseling and care 
for trafficking victims.  During the reporting period, a TIP 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  007 OF 008 
 
 
victim who was scheduled to testify against her traffickers 
was allowed to stay in her private apartment awaiting the 
proceedings, and was subsequently abducted by members of the 
criminal organization in question.  She was later found 
unharmed.  The incident prompted speculation about whether 
Finland's "open door" policy and reluctance to keep victims 
in institutional settings was too lax and failed to offer 
adequate protection to victims, irrespective of the victims' 
stated preferences. 
 
¶39.  (SBU)  A, cont.:  The reception centers are clean and 
well-run, and medical services are adequate, but Finnish 
officials admit the current system could be improved.  The 
shelters are not dedicated TIP shelters and are designed to 
handle political and, chiefly, economic refugees and 
migrants, not victims of violent and/or sexual abuse and 
exploitation.  Psychologists from Finland's National Health 
Service have experience with domestic violence victims, but 
less experience with TIP victims, and need specialized 
training.  The GoF in 2006 had hoped to pool resources with 
other Nordic countries to sponsor a seminar to address these 
issues; but this failed to happen due to budgetary 
constraints and the competing demands of other events and 
projects during Finland's EU Presidency.  Finnish officials 
hope that the project can be revived in 2007.  The language 
barrier can also be a problem.  There are few Chinese or Thai 
speakers in Finland, and Asian TIP victims may have problems 
communicating with Finnish caregivers.  Finally, the already 
identified problem of victims disappearing from the "open" 
shelters remains outstanding.  Victims are usually only 
placed in protective custody in a "closed" facility when they 
are minors. 
 
¶40.  (SBU)  B:  The GoF provides the majority of funding to 
Finnish NGOs for victim services.  The GoF also provides 
funding to IOM, the Nordic-Baltic Task Force, and the OSCE to 
fund anti-TIP projects.  Finn Church Aid receives its funding 
directly from a "religious tax" that is levied on all Finns 
for the Lutheran Church (Finns can opt out if they choose to 
leave the Church). 
 
¶41.  (SBU)  C:  Finnish law enforcement and social workers 
have a system in place to identify TIP victims or at-risk 
individuals.  Depending upon the circumstances of the case, 
the victims may be referred to a private shelter or put in 
one of the government-run reception centers.  In the case of 
minors and persons deemed particularly at-risk or threatened, 
protective custody in "closed" reception centers may be used. 
 Potential witnesses in trials are supposed to remain in 
protective custody, although the case mentioned in para 38 
shows that this is not always done in practice if the victim 
is resistant to the idea.  The GoF emphasizes that it used 
protective custody arrangements only when absolutely 
necessary, and that any victims who choose to return to their 
country of origin will be allowed to do so as soon as 
arrangements can be made.  TIP victims are kept in 
sex-segregated units, and juveniles are kept apart from 
adults. 
 
¶42.  (SBU)  D:  The rights of TIP victims are generally 
respected.  Identified TIP victims will not be jailed or 
detained for crimes like prostitution or solicitation.  They 
will not be fined.  Finland has stopped the practice of 
deporting likely TIP victims.  TIP victims may apply for a 
special residency permit that allows them to remain in the 
country for a "stabilization" period, and also allows them to 
apply for permanent residency at a later period if they so 
desire. 
 
¶43.  (SBU)  E:  The GoF encourages victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking.  Police and 
prosecutors have an informal system in place to protect 
witnesses that cooperates with investigations, and the GoF is 
working toward a formal witness protection program. 
 
¶44.  (SBU)  F:  See paragraphs 38, 39, and 41 for a detailed 
description of government-run shelters and the types of 
services they provide. 
 
¶45.  (SBU)  G:  See paragraphs 15 and 31 for a description of 
specialized training for government officials in the 
recognition of trafficking and in the provision of assistance 
to trafficking victims, including children. 
 
¶46.  (SBU)  H:  There are no known cases of Finnish 
trafficking victims. 
 
 
HELSINKI 00000122  008 OF 008 
 
 
¶47.  (SBU)  I:  Major NGOs addressing trafficking (in 
addition to other issues) include:  IOM, Finn Church Aid, 
League of Finnish Feminists, Pro-tukipiste, MonikaNaiset, the 
Refugee Advice Center, the National Council of Women in 
Finland, and SALLI (commercial sex workers union).  Several 
of these NGOS operate shelters that provide assistance and 
counselling to TIP victims.  Pro-tukipiste operates a phone 
hotline.  IOM in 2006 organized training seminars for Finnish 
law enforcement authorities.  Some NGOs are also involved in 
demand reduction efforts.  All NGOs (with the exception of 
the international NGO IOM) receive the bulk of their funding 
from the GoF.  NGOs participated in the drafting of the 
National Action Plan and are frequently consulted by the GoF 
on TIP issues.  NGOs also participate in government-run 
seminars, such as the April 2006 seminar that three FBI 
Special Agents were at, as well as the October 2006 EU-wide 
seminar. 
 
¶48.  (SBU)  A FINNISH HERO:  EVA BIAUDET. 
 
Eva Biaudet was appointed as the OSCE Special Representative 
on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in October 2006. 
This is the highest position that a Finn has held in any 
multilateral organization as regards combatting trafficking. 
Biaudet's appointment caps a long history of work against TIP 
in Finland and the Nordic-Baltic region.  As a former 
Minister of Health and Social Services, Biaudet was one of 
the First Finnish officials to highlight the problem and urge 
concerted government action to address it.  Through the 
Nordic-Baltic Council, she launched a campaign against 
trafficking and was strongly engaged throughout the region in 
raising awareness and fostering public debate on the problem. 
 As a member of Parliament, Biaudet played a leading role in 
drafting Finland's anti-TIP legislation in 2005 and 
subsequently securing its approval and implementation. 
Biaudet was one of a handful of influential Finns who used 
their political capital and profile to raise the TIP issue to 
the highest level in Finland and institute a sea change in 
how the GoF thinks about and responds to TIP.    Biaudet has 
also participated for many years in the TIP-related 
activities of NGOs.  As OSCE Special Representative, Biaudet 
will assist the OSCE's member states in implementing the OSCE 
Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, originally 
adopted at the 2003 Maastricht Ministerial Council. 
WARE