One of the ways in which traffickers use and exploit their victims is through exploitation for criminal activities.
Exploitation for criminal activities means involving the victim of human trafficking in committing a criminal or otherwise illegal act for the benefit of the trafficker. These acts could include pickpocketing, shoplifting, drug trafficking or other similar activities which are subject to punishment and involve financial gain for the trafficker. In many cases, victims of trafficking who were exploited for other forms of human trafficking, are later coerced to be the traffickers themselves. That is, they recruit, transport, or harbour new victims, especially in cases of sex trafficking. Thus, former victims can become perpetrators.
Non-punishment of victims of trafficking
Victims of human trafficking should not be punished for the crimes of the perpetrators. Therefore, if a victim of human trafficking has committed a crime or other illegal activity, his or her status as a victim should be taken into account in all investigative activities and sentencing.
example If a person is found guilty of drug-trafficking, the fact that he or she did it as victim of human trafficking should be taken into account as mitigating circumstances in determining the punishment.
Lithuanian Law
The Lithuanian Criminal Code provides that a person may be released from criminal liability, if he or she has committed a criminal offence during a period when he or she was subjected to human trafficking and the crime’s commission was forced.