Dedicated Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers specialising in victim-based crimes, including human trafficking and online child sexual exploitation, have been deployed nationwide to enhance community engagement and reporting. This move comes in response to a significant rise in exploitation cases across Australia.
The newly appointed AFP Human Exploitation Community Officers (HECOs) support existing teams tackling human trafficking and child protection, focusing on vulnerable communities at risk of these crimes. Their mission includes delivering targeted outreach and education aimed at preventing victimisation in areas such as online child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Reports of human trafficking, encompassing forced marriage, servitude, forced labour, exit trafficking, and slavery, rose to 382 in the 2023-2024 financial year, compared to 340 in the previous year. Additionally, the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) recorded over 58,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation in the same period, reflecting a yearly increase.
HECOs are instrumental in raising awareness among at-risk communities, ensuring they understand their rights and encouraging them to report crimes to law enforcement. By engaging directly with these groups, HECOs aim to disrupt criminal activity before it occurs.
The HECO initiative, launched in 2023, now includes five specialised officers stationed in AFP Commands across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. These officers, informed by AFP intelligence and operational outcomes, focus their efforts on high-risk communities vulnerable to human exploitation.
Their interventions are tailored to prevent crimes such as human trafficking and forced marriage, with HECOs also spearheading engagement programs like the AFP’s ThinkUKnow, which targets online child sexual exploitation.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider emphasised the significance of this initiative, noting its role in protecting potential victims. “This capability provides an important opportunity for law enforcement to intervene to protect potential victims and prevent criminal offending,” she said.
“We know that education is key.”
Schneider also highlighted the challenge of identifying victims.
“Many victims of human trafficking and slavery offences may not understand the crimes committed against them, or they may not even identify as victims.”
HECOs will work closely with community stakeholders to deliver prevention and response messaging, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups. Their outreach will cover topics such as online grooming and sextortion, helping communities identify unsafe situations and encouraging them to seek help.
With ACCCE intelligence suggesting that only 12 per cent of victims report online child sexual exploitation to law enforcement, HECOs are expected to play a crucial role in boosting awareness and reporting.
In addition, HECOs will engage with schools following reports of individuals at risk of forced marriage, offering presentations and resources to inform students and staff about the dangers of human trafficking and the support available to those at risk.
The AFP’s efforts underline the critical need for proactive community engagement in combating rising exploitation across Australia.
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