Explorative research on the risk of victimization at Brussels Airport - Belgium Tony Verachtert – Head of Federal judicial police, airport division Valesca

Explorative research on the risk of victimization

at Brussels Airport - Belgium

Tony Verachtert – Head of Federal judicial police, airport division

Valesca Lippens – researcher Free University of Brussels

Dr Ilse Derluyn – Ghent University

The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?


PART I: INTRODUCTION


• Over 20.000 children • 1500 unaccompanied minors • 300 Brussels Airport• They didn’t fall out of the sky …• What happens to those who don’t get

intercepted ….• How can we better protect their safety…

• The true story ……


Child Trafficking (4)

Saved from child traffickers ….

But not for long...



2. Towards a research project• Shared my concern with Child Focus

• Focus of the research: How can organised crime use or abuse the existing legal aviation procedures to traffic children by air???

• Potential risk for minors to fall victim of traffickers

• Find loopholes in the current legislation and practice

• Complex – divers partners

4. Target group

1. Unaccompanied Minors:– Escort airline company obliged– 5 to 12 yrs.– Extra, charged service– Visibility


2. Young Passengers:– Travel completely autonomously– > 12 yrs.– No registration of the age in reservation- or

travel documents (“adults” from 12 yr)– Relatively invisible


3. Minors Third Party:– Accompanied by a third party (not the parent or

legal guardian) – 0 – 18 yrs.– Seemingly not travelling alone → relation with

sponsor?– Relatively invisible

De luchthaven, een veilige plek voor alleenreizende minderjarigen?


PART II: RESEARCH FINDINGS


Minors

34%

36%

29%

1%

Unaccompanied

Young Passengers

Minors Third Party

Unknown

1.2.1 Partition 3 categories (N=922)


1.2.2. Partition age (N=922)

6 5 9 819 17 20

3948

6471

84 8276

86

124117

47

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

leeftijd in jaren

aant

al a

lleen

reiz

ende

m

inde

rjarig

en


• Only for UM, no procedures for other categories

• Lack of uniform international, European and national regulations and legislation

• Exception: IATA– “recommended practices”– NGO: limited obligation

2. Procedures @ Brussels Airport


• Control identity sponsor: responsibility handling company? • Use of diverse UM documents: diversity complicates the

administrative procedures and regulations

• Parental authorisation: confusion on the field

• No sponsor present

2.1. Procedures for UM: loopholes


1. Authentic passport fraudulently obtained– Most frequent MO: sensitization of the communities

2. Imposter– Physical appearance not alike

3. Photo change– Less frequent

4. Inscription in passport – photo (un)necessary

2.4. Modus operandi false or falsified travel documents


PART III CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


Conclusion Number• Yearly more than 20.000

Unaccompanied Minors (airline assistance)

• An important part of our population is unknown due to a lack of registration

Recommendation • Augmentation of the age

for obliged assistance to 14 yrs.

• Introducing a uniform and obliged registration


Conclusion Procedures

• Ad hoc problem solving

• Lack of regulations and legislation

Recommendation

• Need of a more professional approach

• Need of uniform, written and obliged procedures


Conclusions care

• Potential risk situations

• Interrogation minor

• Care and risk disappearance

• Role guardian

Recommendation

• Need of a risk assessment

• Specialised training, confidant, interpreter, psychologist

• Use risk assessment: secured care

• Initial and permanent training


Conclusions policing• Control identity sponsor

• Parental authorisation

• Modus operandi irregular entry on the territory

• Lack of intensive cooperation between different partners

• Preliminary detection impossible

• Problem Schengenzone

Recommendation• Official Border Control desk

• Document (inter)nationally obliged

• Personal travel documents obliged and sensitization about the use of fraudulently obtained documents

• A circular letter and cooperation protocols

• Passenger information required (age!)

• Intelligence led policing in Schengenzone


General conclusion• Need of:

– More coherent regulations and legislation– Harmonized procedures and practices

• Risk of victimization unacceptable

• Need of further research– Geographical– Focus – Federal judicial police: UM Unit– Implementation recommendations → task force


21


Summary of the report:http://www.childfocus.be/en/activities_5_2.php?id=114

French version of the report:http://www.childfocus.be/uploads/documents/101-476-aeroport_zaventem-fr-print.pdf

Dutch version of the report:http://www.childfocus.be/uploads/documents/102-478-aeroport_zaventem-nl-print.pdf

http://www.childfocus.be/en/activities_5_2.php?id=114

http://www.childfocus.be/uploads/documents/101-476-aeroport_zaventem-fr-print.pdf

http://www.childfocus.be/uploads/documents/101-476-aeroport_zaventem-fr-print.pdf

Thank you for your attention …

[email protected]

De luchthaven, een veilige plek voor alleenreizende minderjarigen?

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Explorative research on the risk of victimization at Brussels Airport - Belgium Tony Verachtert – Head of Federal judicial police, airport division Valesca