SCOPE-THB. Scoping emerging forms of trafficking in human beings in the Nordic countries

HEUNI, with funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers, launched the SCOPE-THB project in 2025. This research initiative focused on identifying and analysing emerging forms of human trafficking and their intersections with broader criminal trends across the Nordic countries. The project engaged with law enforcement, criminal justice authorities, and other stakeholders to map current challenges, practices, and opportunities for intervention.

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Focus areas

The SCOPE-THB project will concentrate on lesser-known and evolving forms of trafficking and exploitation, with specific focus areas:

Finland: exploitation of international students.
Sweden, Norway, and Denmark: criminal exploitation linked to organized crime, with an emphasis on children and youth recruitment into criminal activities and their potential classification under human trafficking.
Cross-Nordic scope:exploring whether similar phenomena are emerging in Iceland.

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Research goals

The project aims to:

  • Enhance awareness and understanding of new trafficking patterns among Nordic law enforcement and criminal justice actors.
  • Evaluate the advantages and implications of framing these crimes within the human trafficking framework, particularly for victim protection and the principle of non-punishment.
  • Identify and recommend effective measures for prevention, detection, and intervention.

Methodology

HEUNI will employ its extensive experience in uncovering hidden crimes to adapt proven methodologies for this research. The approach includes:

  • Collecting case studies in each participating country.
  • Desk reviews and media analysis.
  • Semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including law enforcement, NGOs, migration authorities, and education sector representatives.
  • Coding and analyzing data using N-Vivo software.

Outputs

The project will deliver the following:

  • A comprehensive research report in English, including key findings and recommendations.
  • A policy brief available in English, Swedish, and Finnish. Stakeholder workshops and consultations to share insights and best practices.
  • Presentation of the project findings to policymakers and practitioners during Finland’s presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2025.

By facilitating cross-Nordic collaboration and knowledge exchange, the SCOPE-THB project seeks to advance strategies for combating human trafficking, enhance victim protection, and improve operational responses to emerging threats.

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This project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

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