U.S. Department of State 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report - Norway

Norway (Tier 1)

Norway is a destination country for women trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation, mostly from Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Baltic countries. A significant increase in the number of African women in prostitution was noted in Norway in 2004. Their total number remains small, but the sudden increase may suggest the growth of organized trafficking rings.

The Government of Norway fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons. Norway is a leader in anti-trafficking efforts. The government achieved progress in the areas of prosecution and protection during the reporting period, mainly as a result of Norwegian political attention to the issue and sustained funding for anti-trafficking efforts. The Norwegian Government should consider expanding its prevention program to include domestic demand-reduction programs.

Prosecution

The Norwegian Government demonstrated progress in prosecuting and convicting traffickers during the reporting period. The Norwegian Penal Code criminalizes all types of trafficking in persons and provides sufficiently severe penalties. Traffickers can also be prosecuted for violation of laws against pimping and slavery. In February 2005, the government successfully prosecuted Norway's largest trafficking case to date and convicted eight persons – three Georgians, two Lithuanians, two Norwegians, and one Turk. The leader of the group was convicted under Norway's trafficking statute – as well as under laws against assault, rape, confinement, and threats – and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment. The remaining seven individuals received sentences of four months to four and a half years' imprisonment. The court also ordered the perpetrators to pay the two victims approximately $170,000 in compensation. In another case, the police charged three alleged traffickers under pimping, organized crime, and human trafficking laws, and have requested the extradition of two alleged traffickers from Germany. The Norwegian police have a two-day training seminar for officers working on trafficking issues. The Directorate of Immigration also provides counter-trafficking training to its personnel. There was no evidence of trafficking-related official corruption in Norway during the reporting period. The Norwegian Government cooperates with other governments in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases through Interpol and Europol, and bilaterally.

Protection

The Government of Norway significantly increased its efforts to protect victims of trafficking. In January 2005, the Norwegian Government launched a formal trafficking victim assistance program featuring a government-funded NGO operating a network of trafficking victim assistance centers and a 24-hour hotline. The government-funded NGO is also opening two centers dedicated to delivering follow-up assistance to victims as they recover. The Government of Norway can suspend decisions to remove trafficking victims for a 45-day grace period, regardless of whether they cooperate with police or prosecutors, in order to provide assistance and counseling. In Norway's largest trafficking case, a victim involved immediately received a temporary residency permit and skipped the reflection period. The police have offered the reflection period to over 60 women nationwide and none has chosen to use it; the government is reviewing possible adjustments to include having assistance providers offer it rather than the police. Police continued to develop witness protection guidelines for trafficking cases.

Prevention

The Norwegian Government continued to move forward in implementing its National Plan of Action to combat trafficking in 2004. The Norwegian inter-ministerial task force on trafficking is required to submit a written report every six months to a higher steering committee, comprised of the deputy ministers of all nine ministries represented on Norway's inter-ministerial task force. During the reporting period, the government funded NGOs that conducted public awareness and outreach, as well as regional and international projects in source countries on the risks of trafficking. Norway continued to play a prominent role in the international campaign against trafficking, in NATO and in other multilateral organizations. Norway educated its embassy and consulate staff on trafficking issues and encouraged them to work with local NGOs to counter trafficking in host countries.