INFORMATION

In Japan, a business model has emerged in recent years that often surprises observers abroad: renting “girlfriends” and, increasingly, “boyfriends.” These services let customers book a companion for a few hours in exchange for payment. The rented girlfriend treats the customer as if she were his partner. All costs incurred during the date are paid […]

The 8th of March is International Women’s Day. Weeks before this date, a wide variety of campaigns and events are launched here in Vienna to draw attention to this day and its significance. We at Hope for the Future are also joining in. Forced prostitution, human trafficking and exploitation are everyday phenomena that almost always

If you travel to Ghana, there are few places where history can be experienced at first hand in such a way as Cape Coast Castle. Now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, the former slave fort serves not just as an entertainment programme, but also as a place to learn about and understand the terrible atrocities committed by

When prostitution and human trafficking are discussed, the focus is usually on the people who are exploited, controlled, and harmed. Far less often are the perpetrators – the buyers of sexual services – placed at the center. Yet they are the reason this market exists. Without demand there is no supply, and without money there

Modern slavery is not a phenomenon of the past – it manifests itself in many ways and inconspicuously in private households today. Whether as cleaners, nannies, employees or carers, these people work hard and are often exploited because of their situation.  Modern human trafficking in private households Human trafficking is a serious human rights violation

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has forcibly removed thousands of Ukrainian minors from their families, their homes, and their homeland. These children have not only been abducted but, on a disturbing scale, put up for adoption in Russia.  The numbers are shocking: there are reports of 19,546 unlawful deportations and forced transfers

A new digital system promises to make police work in the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation significantly easier. The system, “STIM” (Sexual Trafficking Identification Matrix), was developed at the University of Sheffield in the UK, and has already been used successfully by several investigating authorities and NGOs. Sexual Trafficking Identification Matrix The tool analyses ads

In our fast-paced digital world, we often speak of great progress and prosperity for all that technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are supposed to bring. Yet while the benefits of digitalisation are celebrated in the Global North, a troubling pattern is emerging in the Global South: digital colonialism. How click farms fuel neocolonialism Digital

When danger is imminent and you cannot scream for help – how can you protect yourself? Many of us have wondered that, but who truly knows the answer? A six-year-old girl did. She reported her own abduction to the police because she stayed alert and used the right hand signal at the right moment.  The

Glamour, flashbulbs and an international career – this is how numerous supposed modelling agencies lure young people who dream of breaking into the fashion business. But behind the glittering promises often lies a dangerous business model that destroys dreams and leaves those affected with high costs. Invitations reach interested parties by email, post or social