“Ensure fair, efficient & sensitive handling of human trafficking cases” – Justice George urges judiciary

As Guyana joins the international community in observing World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) on Thursday, acting Chancellor of the judiciary, Justice Roxane George, has underscored the importance of human trafficking cases being handled properly.
“The judiciary has an important role in ensuring that trafficking cases are dealt with fairly, efficiently, and sensitively. A trauma-informed response by all duty bearers, including Judicial Officers, judiciary staff, and stakeholders, requires that survivors are treated with dignity, compassion, confidentiality, and respect while receiving access to appropriate medical care, counselling, legal assistance, and other protective services,” she stated in a message to commemorate the observance.
To this end, the acting Chancellor pointed out that all Judicial Officers and staff must be aware of the many facets of this form of modern-day slavery, including new and emerging forms of trafficking in persons.

She said Judicial Officers, in particular, must be cognisant of the provisions of the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. She also added that survivors of trafficking must not be blamed for their circumstances since many have endured prolonged psychological manipulation, violence, intimidation, and exploitation.
“On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Judiciary of Guyana reaffirms its commitment to dealing with cases addressing trafficking in persons through a justice system that is impartial, efficient, and effective, while safeguarding the rights and welfare of victims and ensuring a fair hearing for offenders,” she emphasised.
According to Justice George, this annual observance provides an opportunity to raise awareness about one of the most serious violations of human rights and to reaffirm a collective commitment to preventing trafficking, protecting victims, and holding offenders accountable.
In fact, as part of this year’s observance, the Judiciary has collaborated with the Guyana Association of Women Judges (GAWJ) to raise awareness. Through this partnership, informational posters, awareness hearts, and bumper stickers bearing anti-trafficking messages were produced and distributed to courts nationwide to educate staff and members of the public.
“Combating trafficking in persons requires the participation of the entire community, including stakeholders such as the GAWJ. Awareness is the first line of defence. Everyone has a role to play in learning the signs of trafficking, sharing information, reporting suspected cases, and supporting initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable persons,” the Chancellor posited.
Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights that often begins with deception, false promises of employment, education, love, or financial opportunities that can lead vulnerable individuals into exploitation and abuse. This crime, Justice George outlined, spares no one.
“Human trafficking is often described as an invisible crime because it frequently occurs in plain sight… Trafficking affects women, men, and children of all nationalities and backgrounds and is driven by factors such as poverty, inequality, displacement, vulnerability, and the demand for cheap labour and commercial sexual exploitation,” she stated.
The acting Chancellor went on to outline that the advancement of technology has also created new opportunities for traffickers to recruit and exploit victims through social media platforms, online advertisements, and messaging applications. This, she stressed, makes public awareness and vigilance more important than ever.
“We encourage everyone to remain vigilant, recognise the warning signs of trafficking, and help raise awareness within our communities. Together, we can expose the scams, protect the vulnerable, and work towards ending human trafficking,” she posited.
According to Justice George, a common misconception is that human trafficking always involves kidnapping or physical restraint. However, she explained that many victims initially agree to travel or accept employment because they were deceived by false promises and later find themselves subjected to exploitation through threats, intimidation, withheld wages, confiscation of documents, or restrictions on their freedom of movement.
While acknowledging that identifying victims of trafficking is not always straightforward, the Chancellor noted that there are warning signs which may indicate that a person is being exploited. These include situations where a person appears fearful, anxious, intimidated, or unable to communicate freely; is under the control or influence of another person who restricts their movement, communication, or contact with others; works excessively long hours in poor conditions with little or no compensation; does not have possession of personal identification or travel documents; lives at or near their place of work under restrictive or unusual circumstances; or has limited interaction with family, friends, or the wider community.
Justice George says that the presence of one indicator alone may not necessarily mean that trafficking has occurred, but a combination of these signs may warrant concern, encourage further inquiry, and, where appropriate, reporting to the relevant authorities for further investigation.
The Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, Chapter 10:06, Guyana, provides a comprehensive legal framework for preventing trafficking, protecting survivors, and prosecuting offenders. The legislation recognises the seriousness of trafficking offences by imposing severe penalties on persons convicted of trafficking in persons.
On summary conviction, a person is liable to five years’ imprisonment and, on indictment, to imprisonment for life. The Act also empowers the courts to make forfeiture orders, depriving offenders of property or proceeds obtained through trafficking activities, and restitution orders, requiring convicted traffickers to compensate victims for the physical, psychological, emotional, and financial harm suffered because of their exploitation.