[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

AUSTRIA (Tier 1) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report - Austria

The Government of Austria fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Austria remained on Tier 1. These efforts included identifying and assisting more victims, increasing identification of trafficking among domestic workers, and increasing monitoring of social media platforms to identify traffickers and victims. Additionally, the government increased funding for specialized anti-trafficking NGOs to provide shelter, services, and legal support to victims. Moreover, courts awarded restitution to more victims and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) issued a directive mandating a 30-day recovery and reflection period for victims. Finally, the government created a new working group under the national anti-trafficking task force to review and improve reporting, monitoring, and evaluation of the government’s anti-trafficking efforts and undertook several efforts to prevent trafficking among refugees fleeing Russia’s war against Ukraine and to protect potential victims. Although the government meets the minimum standards, the government investigated fewer trafficking cases and gaps remained in the identification of labor trafficking victims and of victims among vulnerable populations, particularly children. The government did not maintain a standardized law enforcement database on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentencing.

Recommendations
Increase efforts to vigorously investigate and prosecute alleged traffickers and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers involving, as appropriate, significant prison terms, consistent with those imposed for other serious crimes such as rape.

Increase efforts to identify labor trafficking victims, such as by expanding training to help front-line responders recognize indicators of labor trafficking, including subtle means of fraud or coercion.

Strengthen the protection system for children, including by ensuring each unaccompanied child is quickly appointed a guardian, to prevent trafficking among this vulnerable population.

Increase efforts to identify victims among vulnerable groups – including children, asylum-seekers, and seasonal migrant workers – and ensure all victims have access to services.

Strengthen efforts to guarantee effective access to compensation for victims, including by enforcing court compensation orders.

Ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

Standardize the government law enforcement database on investigations, prosecution, convictions, and sentencing to include all cases of trafficking and disaggregate information on convictions and sentencing where defendants have committed multiple crimes.

Appoint an independent national anti-trafficking rapporteur.