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How are victims of human trafficking treated in Austria?

In Austria there are several victim protection facilities. Two of these are particularly important for adult victims of human trafficking:

✗ The Intervention Centre for Trafficked Women (LEFÖ-IBF)

Affected women and girls aged 15 or over are looked after in psychological and social terms by LEFÖ-IBF in emergency apartments with a secret address. The team of LEFÖ-IBF accompanies the women through formal procedures and supports them during the criminal proceedings against the perpetrators.

✗ MEN VIA - Support for male victims of human trafficking

MEN VIA provides assistance to affected men with accommodations in a shelter. The goal of the psychological and social care, as well as the accompaniment during the criminal process, is to help the men receive justice, compensation and future opportunities.

For minors, the child and youth welfare services of the Austrian federal states are responsible. In addition, there is the DREHSCHEIBE in Vienna:

✗ DREHSCHEIBE WIEN – Crisis Centre of the City of Vienna

In Vienna, children and adolescents are supplied with all necessities and psychologically taken care of in the Drehscheibe Vienna. Once the best interest of the child is guaranteed, it is returned to its family in the home country.

Die zehnjährige Theodora wird beim Taschendiebstahl erwischt. Eine Polizistin bringt Theodora in eine spezielle Einrichtung für Kinder, die DREHSCHEIBE Wien. Victoria kann aus dem Haus, in dem sie als Haushälterin arbeitet, flüchten. Sie wird von einer Bekannten zur Interventionsstelle für Betroffene des Frauenhandels (LEFÖ-IBF) gebracht. Vera, die gezwungen wurde als Prostituierte zu arbeiten, vertraut sich einem Kunden an. Dieser Kunde stellt einen Kontakt zu LEFÖ-IBF her. Zoran wurde vom Betreiber eines Arbeiterquartiers auf verschiedene Baustellen von Bekannten vermittelt, bekam dort aber nie Geld und wurde mit den wachsenden Mietschulden unter Druck gesetzt, noch mehr zu arbeiten. Schließlich suchte er Hilfe bei der Botschaft seines Herkunftslandes und wurde an MEN VIA vermittelt. The ten-year-old Theodora is caught for pick-pocketing. A policewoman brings Theodora to a special facility for children, the DREHSCHEIBE Vienna. Victoria manages to escape from the house where she works as a housekeeper. She is brought by an acquaintance to The Intervention Centre for Trafficked Women ( LEFÖ-IBF ). Vera, who was forced to work as a prostitute, confides in a customer. This customer establishes a contact with LEFÖ-IBF . Zoran was sent by the operator of a workers' quarter to work on various construction sites of acquaintances, but was never paid any money and due to growing rent debts was pressured to work even more. He finally sought help at the embassy of his origin country and was led to MEN VIA .
Some victims of human trafficking only reach the victim protection centres through detours. Some victims of human trafficking only reach the victim protection centres through detours. "

Are victims of human trafficking allowed to remain in Austria?

Victims of human trafficking are allowed to stay in Austria for 30 days. During this period of recovery and reflection, they are supervised by the victim protection facilities. They can also obtain a residence permit in Austria for at least one year.