Specialised Training: Local Action to Combat Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking.

This is a specialised training programme designed to provide participants with the knowledge and tools needed to implement, within the scope of local authorities’ competences, a comprehensive plan to combat prostitution and the trafficking of women and girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It addresses all the key pillars required to achieve this objective, based on the prosecution of the offence, support for survivors and prevention.

This training is aimed particularly at local authorities and, more generally, at public administrations with competences in implementing legislative, regulatory and social measures to combat, address and prevent trafficking offences.

The training programme can be adapted according to the organisation commissioning it, offering different learning pathways based on the interests of participants. These may focus on actions aimed at prosecuting offences (for State security forces and bodies, judges and lawyers), supporting victims of trafficking (NGOs and municipal social services), or education for prevention (teaching professionals).

Other universities have conducted research studies on the diagnosis of prostitution in Spain and other countries, as well as on the characterisation of the masculinities associated with prostitution, among other areas. However, none currently offers training and consultancy for the implementation of comprehensive programmes at local level or educational actions aimed at preventing trafficking and prostitution.

As the UMH representative appointed to participate in the “Mesa Alicante Trata 0”, where all the relevant organisations (police, public prosecution service, Government Subdelegation, specialised NGOs working on trafficking, local authorities, etc.) work in a coordinated manner and meet regularly to collaborate and improve efficiency in combating this crime, I have been able to establish and maintain close links with the sector and with professionals working in this field. Within this forum, I am a member of the training and research committee. This proposal arises precisely from the work of contributing to the forum through my capacity to organise events and training sessions, analyse data generated by the activities of the participating organisations, and develop training to transfer knowledge to entities that require it. I have also recently directed a three-hour introductory training course on trafficking in women and girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The course will be offered free of charge to the public and was funded through the University Cooperation for Development (CUD) project “Socially Responsible Citizenship for the Eradication of Trafficking in Women and Girls for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation”, managed by the UMH Development Cooperation Service and funded by the Generalitat Valenciana.

The proposal presented in this profile is a much more specialised and comprehensive training programme that provides local entities involved in this area with the capacity to organise comprehensive plans to combat sexual exploitation in their municipalities or to train different professional groups (social workers, education professionals, police officers, etc.), equipping them with tools to address this crime from the perspective of their respective fields of expertise.

Fully operational. The training programme has already been successfully implemented, receiving positive feedback from participants and organisations. It is designed to be continuously updated in line with legislative developments and criminal trends identified by experts.

• Local and Regional Authorities.
• State Security Forces and Bodies.
• Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
• Educational Centres and Secondary Schools.

María Jesús Navarro Ríos – Department of Agri-Food Technology