Assistance programme for women victims of trafficking in Denmark
Name of Organisation
The Nest-STOP Trafficking / Reden STOP-Kvindehandel
Contact
Colbjørnsensgade 12, st., tv.,
DK - 1652 Copenhagen V
Tel. +45 33 91 48 10 (9-16 all weekdays)
Hotline from within Denmark: 70 20 25 50
Hotline from abroad: +45 70 20 25 50
Fax: +45 33 91 04 73
Email: info@kvindehandel.dk
Aim of the Nest STOP-Trafficking
The Nest is a Danish NGO which has worked with women in prostitution for more than 20 years, and was founded as an independent organisation in 1983 in Copenhagen by social workers of the YWCA, and was later opened in the cities of Aarhus and Odense as well. The aim is to establish a social space and provide support to women victims of trafficking and women in prostitution. Today, the Nest STOP-Trafficking is the main organisation providing assistance and support to women victims of trafficking in Denmark. The aim of the Nest is to stop or minimising the trafficking and prostitution of women and girls.
Target Group The Nest STOP-Trafficking assistance and support work is oriented towards women in prostitution, and in particular women with a foreign background - constituting for more than half of the women in prostitution in Denmark. The Nest cooperates and supports the Police so that women victims of trafficking are identified as such and receive the support they are entitled to. The Nest also assists the police and other authorities in raids on brothels. All victims of trafficking are entitled to assistance including psychological and physical health care, housing, legal advice, vocational training and addiction rehabilitation.
The Nest’s Services for women victims of trafficking (VOTs) in Denmark
The Nest’s service provision for VOTs is an integral part of the Danish National Plan to Combat Trafficking in Women, and the Nest stop trafficking receive public funds to carry out their work. The Nest employs cultural workers (at present we are 7 fulltime staff and 7 part time). Concretely the Nest runs the following services:
A crisis center for women victims of trafficking
A hotline where anyone can receive anonymous counselling
Outreach work in the streets and brothels in Copenahgen
Provision of a comprehensive package of services including health, legal, and social services, support to safe returns and social work with women in police custody.
Special programme to help minors in prostitution
Counselling and support to exit drug addiction as well as the environment of prostitution.
The principles underpinning the activities of the Nest:
All services are free and anonymous for the women
All foreign women in prostitution have access to the services
Services are determined and continuously developed according to needs and constraints
– VOTs are not seen solely as victims and the Nest works deliberately with empowerment and motivation according to a women’s agenda
Characteristics of the Nest’s services:
Needs based and driven: services have been developed over three years on the basis of needs expressed by women
Flexibility: services are tailored to be easily accessible to women
Labour intensive: Accompanying women to various services is time consuming but also a good way to establish contact, trust and rapport
Partnerships: Taking advantage of existing schemes as far as possible, and developing good working relations to many partners is key
Health services provided by the Nest:
Advice on safe prostitution behavior and access to services
Advice on all reproductive health issues including and free contraception – in cooperation with hospital in Copenhangen and Danish NGO
Access to safe and legal abortion in cooperation with hospital in Copenhagen
Psychologist/psychatrist in cooperation with Danish Red Cross Trauma Center
Free dental care and surgery in cooperation with homeless clinic
Access to general practitioner as well as specialized treatment when possible (financial constraints)
Legal advisory services: Lawyer during interrogations, lawyer for advice on rights in connection with deportation or interaction with Danish judicial system; and legal support in connection with interactions with Danish police.
Social services : Advice on rights in accordance with Danish servicelaw for women with legal residence (ex. trafficking by marriage VOTs)
Shelter for VOTs : Women and Minors
Including access to all health, social, legal services
Assisted and safe returns – International network of NGO cooperation partners, and possibility of accompanying women.
Means of access to the Nest’s services:
Outreach work on the street and brothels in Copenhagen
Anonymous advisory Hotline
Informal networks among the foreign women
The Nest’s office in central Copenhagen
Social work with women in police custody
The Nest’s shelter for VOTs
Continuous work with several women since 2003 has taken the social work full circle from distributing condoms to providing support in job applications and work permits for legal occupations.