The national action plan to combat human trafficking includes several types of assistance for individuals identified as victims by the authorities.
Reflection and recovery period
All persons who are granted the formal status as a victim of human trafficking are offered a 30‑day reflection and recovery period. This period may be extended by an additional 90 days upon application if the person cooperates with the assisted return or if special circumstances may justify an extension.
During the reflection and recovery period, individuals have access to a range of services tailored to their needs and wishes. These may include accommodation, counselling, legal assistance and healthcare. Each person is also assigned a contact person from the Danish Centre against Human Trafficking who supports them from the initial identification through return and reintegration.
Support is available to all victims of human trafficking, regardless of their residence status in Denmark. Cooperation with the police or reporting the traffickers is not a requirement to be eligible for support.
Asylum seekers or individuals staying illegally in Denmark fall under the responsibility of the Danish Immigration Service. Individuals with legal residence are supported either by the Danish Centre against Human Trafficking or by their municipality of residence.
If the Danish Centre against Human Trafficking has granted the person a formal status as a victim of human trafficking, the centre also grants and extends the reflection and recovery period after the initial 30 days if the person cooperates regarding their return to their country of residence. If the Danish Immigration Service or the courts have made the final assessment, the centre assists with applying for an extension through the Immigration Service.
Safe accommodation
During the reflection and recovery period, individuals are offered accommodation. The contact person from the Danish Centre against Human Trafficking coordinates accommodation with the relevant facility and the Danish Immigration Service.
The national action plan funds a specialised shelter for women who are victims of human trafficking. The centre is operated by Reden International and can house eight women. Men and women may also be accommodated in other crisis centres, shelters or private housing.
Asylum seekers or individuals staying illegally in Denmark are generally accommodated in an asylum centre. If special needs prevent accommodation within the asylum system, the person may be placed in a crisis centre or private housing.
Residence permits
Victims of human trafficking may apply for family reunification or a residence permit on the same terms as other individuals staying illegally in Denmark. The criteria for obtaining residence are set out in the Danish Aliens Act.
Temporary residence permit
Victims of human trafficking without legal residence may be granted a temporary residence permit to enable cooperation with the police and the Prosecution Service in the criminal case against the perpetrator, cf. Section 9c(4) of the Aliens Act. A temporary residence permit requires that the person’s presence in Denmark is necessary for the investigation and/or court proceedings. Applications under Section 9c(4) are initiated by the police, who confirm this necessity.
Special considerations regarding children
Children who are victims of human trafficking receive additional support beyond what is offered to adults. For example, school‑age children have the right to education on the same terms as Danish children.
When an unaccompanied child arrives in Denmark, a personal representative is appointed to safeguard the child’s interests. The representative is appointed by the Agency for Family Law upon recommendation from the Danish Immigration Service and may be a volunteer or an employee of the Danish Red Cross. The representative has the authority to make all the decisions normally made by a holder of parental responsibility. They must protect the child’s interests, support the child during case processing, provide care and make decisions regarding the child’s personal circumstances.
If an unaccompanied child who is a victim of trafficking has legal residence in Denmark, the municipality of residence has a duty to act and supervise. This means the municipality is responsible for providing support to children, young people and their families who require special assistance. The municipality must also remain attentive to whether any child or young person in the municipality may need support.
For all children and young people under 18 years of age in Denmark, the municipality of residence is obligated to supervise their living conditions. The municipality also decides whether a child should be placed in foster care or a residential institution. Unaccompanied minors are generally accommodated in a centre for children. Unaccompanied minors who seek asylum or children without legal residence may be placed in specialised reception and accommodation centres for minors.
Several actors share responsibility for safeguarding the child’s best interests, including the Danish Centre against Human Trafficking, the Danish Immigration Service, the Danish Red Cross, the Danish Prison and Probation Service and the municipality. These actors must work closely together to ensure a holistic approach based on the extended duty to protect children, especially unaccompanied minors, as they are particularly vulnerable. Children must always be heard and involved in the decisions affecting them.
The Hague Convention of 19 October 1996 (the “Hague Child Protection Convention”) on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children also requires the authorities to notify across borders if a child abroad is considered to be in serious danger.
If a person who is granted the formal status as a victim of human trafficking has children under 18 years of age, those children may also receive support.