DISRUPT

The project DISRUPT – Enhance Digital led InvestigationS, pRosecutions and jUdicial resPonses for dismantling Trafficking chains of children – brings together 5 partners from 5 different countries with the aim to improve investigations, prosecutions and the judicial response based on digital evidence in the area of trafficking of children.

Starting from the need for an effective and comprehensive response in terms of overcoming challenges related to technology-facilitated trafficking of children, as well as aiming to reduce the risk of secondary victimisation when relying solely on victims’ testimonies, the DISRUPT project will develop an innovative framework for the future use of digital evidences. This will increase the capabilities of digital-evidence-based investigations, prosecutions, as well as judicial responses in the area of THB.

The project, funded by the ISF programme of the European Commission, runs for 24 months and started in April 2023.

Partners

• University of Malta (Malta, coordinator)
• Law and Internet Foundation (Bulgaria)
• CESIE (Italy)
• VICESSE (Austria)
• Victim Support Europe (Belgium)

Objectives:  

The objectives of the project are to:

• Identify the state-of-the-art, as well as the gaps of the use of digital evidence regarding cases of THB, especially that of children.
• Enhance professionals’ capabilities in terms of digital evidence-based investigations, prosecution and judicial response in THB cases, especially when it comes to children.
• Establish guidance for Public-Private-Partnership as a cooperation mechanism for relevant authorities and practitioners to cooperate regarding THB, especially in the case of child victims.
• Raise awareness on the issues of trafficking of children and the potential of digital evidence at national and EU level.

Activities: 

1. Mapping of legislations, cases, gaps and best practices in the field of prevention and countering of human trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, with a special focus on the collection and use of digital evidence
2. Production of a Manual on how to use digital evidence as an advantage in cases of human trafficking with child victims during the criminal procedure
3. National capacity building workshops introducing multidisciplinary with a focus on acquisition, decryption and analysis of digital evidence as well as their admissibility
4. EU level workshops for the exchange of best practices and identification of European-wide solutions
5. Development of a framework for Public-Private Partnership on multi-stakeholder cooperation
6. EU advocacy and awareness raising actions on the prevention and countering of THB 

(Expected) outcomes:

• Desk research findings on legislations, cases, gaps and best practices in the field of prevention and countering of human trafficking of children for sexual exploitation
• Practical insights from field research
• DISRUPT Manual on how to use digital evidence as an advantage in cases of human trafficking with child victims during the criminal procedure.
• DISRUPT Events Guidelines and Training materials for capacity building activities
• Public-private partnership (PPP) framework
• DISRUPT Advocacy strategy
• DISRUPT graphic novel

Funded by

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