Last week in Flanders Today, Heidi De Pauw, director of PAG-ASA, an organisation that provides support to the victims of human trafficking, explained how the agency’s work is mostly concerned with the victims of economic exploitation. In 2010, PAG-ASA dealt with 164 cases, which De Pauw described as the tip of the iceberg.

Indeed, as the latest figures from SIOD show, the number of cases uncovered is more than 20 times greater – and the actual number of illegal immigrants employed here is sure to be many times greater still.

Last year the cleaning sector brought the largest number of cases – 829 compared to 48 in 2009 – ahead of construction (333 cases, mainly Brazilians) and food services (525 cases, mainly Chinese). Almost 70% of those found working in the cleaning industry illegally were from Brazil, with another 26% from Ecuador. The figures suggest that organised crime is involved in the sector.

The workers in general mostly come to Belgium as visitors and overstay their visas, rather than being physically trafficked here. Taking all industries together, Brazilians accounted for 784 of the cases uncovered. The other main countries of origin were Romania, Morocco and Bulgaria (see table).

“There will always be fluctuations between the nationalities,” commented Wim Bontinck, head of the federal police’s human trafficking division. “But the fact remains that they can earn €1,500 to €1,700 a month here in the black – a lot more than in their homelands. And foreigners who work here attract their compatriots by telling them how good life here is.”

But many are working, continues Bontinck, “in conditions we would consider inhuman in terms of working hours, pay and safety. Analysis carried out by the federal police recently shows that economic exploitation is one of the most damaging forms of crime for Belgian society, even more than computer crime or armed robbery. And if the economy gets worse, the problem will only get bigger."

Country of origin  2009  2010

Brazil                               238       784
Romania                         402       326
Morocco                         187       289
Bulgaria                          394       224
Ecuador                               5       223
China                               154       185
India                                   96         90
Pakistan                           68         90
Turkey                               91         77
Algeria                              46          44

Source: SIOD via De Tijd