Trafficking victims center set up

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The first free medical recovery center (PPM) designed for victims of human trafficking in Indonesia was officially opened on Friday at the Kramat Jati Police Hospital in Jakarta.

The center was established in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the National Police, non-governmental organization Save the Children and the U.S. Embassy.

"The building of the recovery center is a serious step forward for the National Police in fighting a new form of human slavery," said IOM mission chief Steve Cook.

Program manager of the Counter Trafficking Unit for IOM Kristin Dadey said the center consisted of a one-stop crisis center to provide services to all victims of violence, and a special in-patient facility especially for victims of trafficking.

"To admit patients, our social workers will first have to identify the patients as a victims of trafficking. The patients will then be given comprehensive medical services, including psychological care, testing for sexually transmitted disease (STD) as well as HIV testing with the patients' permission," Kristin said.

She said the patients, who would be under supervision of doctors and social workers, would be allowed to stay in the recovery center for no more than three weeks.

"Some victims would have no medical problems, so they wouldn't need to stay here, but they might come in for a brief medical check-up," she said.

After receiving medical services, the IOM with its non- governmental organization partners and faith-based organizations, would facilitate the patient's return home, she said.

"If the patient does not want to go home, IOM will help arrange appropriate living quarters for the victim," she said, adding that all the services at the PPM were free.

"This US$1.2 million program is funded for the next two years by the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Population, Refugees and Migration and the U.S. Department of Labor ," she said.

Deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy Lewis Amselem said that in addition to the program, the embassy had committed more than US$10 million to help Indonesia accomplish its own National Action Plan to fight trafficking.(004)