On the eve of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Ukraine, an online game “Magic Journey” was presented. The product is designed for children aged 7 to 10 and aims to teach them to recognize danger while communicating online and in real life. The initiative was developed by the International Organization for Migration with the financial support of the US State Department.
The Scale of Threat and Change in Tactics of Criminals
The full-scale invasion and migration processes have significantly increased the vulnerability of the population. The National Social Service has established 433 statuses of victims of human trafficking in the first half of this year. Marina Roy, the head of the department for compliance with equality standards at the National Social Service, notes a significant increase in crimes against minors. She provides specific data:
“Today, this includes 5 cases of child sale and 2 cases of children adopted for exploitation,” says Marina Roy.
Criminals are actively moving their activities to the virtual space. Yuriy Hanoshchak, the head of the third department of the Migration Police Department, states:
“Traffickers are actively using digital technologies to commit their crimes, and this is at all stages.”
Recruitment, movement, and exploitation are taking place using digital tools.
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Digital Vulnerability of the Youngest
Statistics show a high level of danger for minors on the network. Ninety-one percent of children aged 8 to 10 years use the internet daily, mostly through their own smartphones. Sixty-five percent of the children surveyed reported receiving messages from strangers with various offers. An analysis of the International Organization for Migration database confirms a high risk of recruitment through messengers and social networks. During the first half of the year, the organization identified 214 victims of human trafficking and exploitation. Most of these people have the status of internally displaced persons.
Game Mechanics to Overcome Danger
The developers of the game “Magic Journey” refused to use intimidation and chose an adventure plot. The main character passes through portals, encountering simulations of risky situations. The child is offered to make a decision during communication with strangers, finding strange things, or receiving job offers. Correct actions allow the child to gain superpowers to fight against the embodiment of evil – Morok. The player is accompanied by a virtual cat assistant who suggests safe steps. The plot includes getting acquainted with the National Hotline 527 and the concept of a family code phrase. Representatives of the IOM say that the main idea of the project is to show children their greatest superpower – knowledge of how to act safely, and this knowledge is within each of us.
Prevention through Educational Environment
The new tool is planned to be actively implemented in schools and leisure centers. Olena Tyapka, a representative of the Ministry of Education and Science, believes that educational institutions are a key center for preventive work. The expert formulates the approach of the department:
“We must create not fear, but competence in children.”
Natalia Kolikova, the head of the coalition of non-governmental organizations on human trafficking strategy, explains the choice of format due to the characteristics of the age group:
“If it’s not a game, the child is not interested, unfortunately, it will be information that you can bring.”
The interactive approach keeps the child’s attention and creates a convenient reason for discussing safety rules with parents or teachers. The game is already available for free at the link: play.stoptrafficking.org
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July 30 - World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
