The Public Prosecution Service today demanded a seven-year prison sentence and TBS with compulsory treatment against a 43-year-old man accused of human trafficking with incitement to prostitution and possession of child pornography. According to the Public Prosecution Service, he has violently and manipulatively placed a now 30-year-old man in a position of dependency and forced him to engage in sex work.
Both men met in 2016 during their studies. The victim was 20 years old at the time, and the then 34-year-old defendant offered him study advice and acted as a mentor figure. In the autumn of 2020, the victim moved in with the defendant in an attic room.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the defendant gradually brought the victim into a situation of total control and dependency. This reportedly began with small loans and help with home and study matters but escalated into manipulation and violence. The defendant allegedly blamed the victim for his problems, including a failed renovation and dropping out of his studies, and forced him to make monthly payments.
Modern Slavery
The exploitation reportedly began in December 2019 when the victim had to finance and carry out the renovation of a room in the defendants home. The period of exploitation included both labor exploitation and, later, sexual exploitation, during which the victim allegedly handed over hundreds of thousands of euros to the defendant.
The prosecutor stated: “Through his actions, the defendant has placed the victim in a situation of forced labor, sexual services, and practices comparable to slavery.”
Coercion and Control
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the victim became entangled in a web of ‘coercive control’, a coercive control that virtually took over his life. “What began as helping a fellow student turned into a situation where free will no longer existed,” said the prosecutor.
The victim was forced to live under inhumane conditions. If he did not adhere to the rules imposed by the defendant, he was punished. These punishments included sometimes going days without food and water. His mattress and blanket were also removed from his room, and he was not allowed to leave the room. The defendant allegedly controlled every aspect of the victims life, from daily activities to contact with the outside world.
Child Pornography
In addition to sexual exploitation, the Public Prosecution Service also suspects the defendant of possessing over 25 thousand child pornographic images. These images were discovered by the police on storage devices belonging to the defendant during a search of his home. The defendant has been extensively examined, and experts have determined that he has, among other things, a narcissistic personality disorder. Ultimately, the Public Prosecution Service concludes, based on the dossier and advice from experts, that a prison sentence of seven years and long-term treatment is appropriate for the alleged committed offenses.
The court will deliver its verdict in two weeks.