11. Brokers often state that the journey will take a few weeks, but for some it can take months. In other situations, travellers never reach their destination. They may be arrested, abandoned, or die on route. Others are abused or exploited on route. In cases where women and girls travelling for marriage become pregnant as a result of rape on route, they are sometimes rejected for marriage on arrival at their destination, which also leaves the family in debt or financial difficulty. Experiences of abuse and exploitation on route include: • • • • • • Extortion from brokers such as: o A four or five-fold rise of transportation fees after departure or demands of extra payments for passengers to be able to disembark the boats or make the full journey. o Threats, violence and sometimes abduction of family members located in different countries to recover debts or extra costs. Violence, torture and rape by brokers and security forces Being ‘sold on’ to other syndicates on route for the purposes of extortion. Forced labour on route, including portering for brokers. Food and water shortages, ill-equipped, over-crowded vehicles and unseaworthy boats. Injury and death as a result of abuse and inhumane conditions. Experiences of exploitation at the destination include: • • • • • • • early marriage forced/abusive marriage commercial sexual exploitation domestic servitude child labour unsafe and unregulated work unpaid wages/wage theft Rights violations and abuses by State security forces on route and at destination include: • • • • • • • Failure to provide humanitarian assistance to travellers in distress at sea. ‘Push-backs’ of boats even into high seas. Failure to allow passengers to disembark. Lack of access to asylum procedures or identification of trafficking victims and stateless people Detention upon arrival, no access to UNHCR screening in detention, indefinite detention, torture and abuse in custody, inhumane conditions in detention for example in Malaysia and India.10 Refoulement to Myanmar following ‘rescue’ at sea, even in cases of refugees registered in Bangladesh. Arrest and detention of travellers on route through Myanmar, preventing their access to legal assistance. Sentences of 2 to 5 years for immigration offenses to Rohingyas due to lack of Myanmar identity documentation. 10 Reuters, Malaysia pressed to probe deaths of 150 foreigners in detention last year, 2023, Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/malaysia-pressed-probe-deaths-150-foreigners-detention-last-year-2023-02-23/, [accessed 28 February 2023] 3