Papua New Guinea - Following a call alerting the IOM mission in Port Moresby to the situation of potential victims of sexual slavery in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), an IOM protection team, working with a specialized police squad, has completed a successful rescue operation.

The victims are currently undergoing medical treatment and psychological rehabilitation, before IOM helps them return to their home provinces.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated case, according to George Gigauri, Head of IOM in PNG. “We are finding more and more innocent people subjected to forced labour and sexual slavery whose lives are in grave danger. We all must spare no effort in aiding the government to save the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he notes.

IOM and its government counterpart, the Department of Justice and Attorney General, are working closely with law enforcement and protection agencies to ensure the legal and humanitarian needs of victims are met. 

The rescue of this group comes shortly after the identification and response to the first international case of trafficked fishermen in PNG in July 2015.

These cases will help to further develop the counter-trafficking work IOM has been conducting in PNG for the past five years in both the law enforcement and protection areas.    

The funding assistance for this mission was made possible by the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TiP).

For more information please contact George Gigauri at IOM Port Moresby, Email: ggigauri@iom.int, Tel. +675 73200136