'Naked Facts' fight human trafficking in Serbia
18 July 2008 - A new anti-trafficking campaign has been launched in Serbia by the non-profit organization ASTRA. With support from the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the campaign will run until the end of the year.
"Naked Facts" aims to raise awareness among the general public on the ongoing existence of human trafficking in Serbia and to encourage youth and women in particular, to be cautious when offered job, education or travelling opportunities. It also seeks to mobilize the Serbian authorities to enhance their fight against the crime and to provide better assistance to rescued victims.
Human trafficking is a significant problem in Serbia. The country is an origin, transit and destination area, with internal trafficking on the rise. Sexual exploitation is the main form of abuse, although child trafficking for forced begging and trafficking of men for force labour are of increasing concern.
To draw attention to the cause and challenge the marketing cliché of naked women, the campaign features seven eminent almost naked men. "When we were designing the campaign, we decided to go one step further and put special emphasis on the way we presented the facts," says ASTRA's President, Marija Andjelkovic. "We also wanted to break the stereotype that only women are victims of trafficking. The public neglects other forms of exploitation, for example forced labour, of which men are often the victims."
The men who appear on the campaign's posters, billboards and TV spots are Željko Bodružić, well-known journalist with the largest number of law suits raised against him in Serbia; Jugoslav Cosic, TV presenter known for his uncompromising attitude towards scandals; Dejan Anastasijevic, known for his writing on organized crime and war crimes; Milutin Petrovic, the campaign's director known for his activism; Ivan Tasovac, director of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra; Branislav Lecic, actor and former Minister of Culture in Zoran Djindjic's Government; and Vukasin Markovic, actor and front-man of a popular reggae band.
"We want once again to stress that at the beginning of the 21 st Century we cannot tolerate any form of slavery. We need to remind people that women are not meat. Children are not slaves. People are not a commodity. These are the naked facts," says Andjelkovic.
The campaign includes two TV spots and accompanying radio jingles. The first set was broadcast as of June when students look for summer jobs. The second will be aired as of September when schools resume and many students leave home.
Alongside radio and TV, billboards and posters will be placed in select towns in Serbia, which analysis has demonstrated to be places of exploitation or recruitment. Leaflets targeting youth will also be disseminated informing them on the dangers of trafficking and the ways of seeking help. All the materials include ASTRA's SOS Hotline number, which people can call to report incidents, request assistance or receive information on the authenticity of job, study or travel offers.
In the last six years, ASTRA's Hotline has received more than 7,500 calls. Over the last two years alone, it received more than 3,500 calls, the majority of which came from victims of human trafficking.
See ASTRA youth flyer and leaflet