If you are in Rome for the first time, or for only a couple of days, you will inevitably end up with the crowds at the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, or St Peter’s Basilica. But if you know where to look, Rome’s less well-known and less crowded attractions can offer a lot more.

Where to go

A district which has a lot to offer is the Trastevere across the Tiber from the heart of the city. This is a great district to wander around. It’s easy to get lost and has lots of small places to eat and drink – the funky Grazia & Graziella is a personal favourite.

An unexpected treat in Rome is several surviving early churches in the Roman rectangular basilica style featuring re-purposed Roman marble. Pre-dating the Great Schism between Rome and the Orthodox Church, they contain some distinctive Byzantine mosaics. Don’t be put off by later additions such as Renaissance or Baroque porches. Three or four of these early churches are in Trastevere. Worthy of special mention is Santa Maria in Trastevere, San Crisogono, and St Cecilia in Travestere.

Where to stay

A great base with easy access to this area is the conveniently located Hotel Ponte Sisto. There is a small supermarket almost next door, a gelateria on the corner and any number of outdoors eateries in the nearby Campo de Fiori.

It is less than 15 minutes on foot to the Pantheon, about 25 minutes to the Colosseum and Forum, and just 5 minutes across the Ponte Sisto into Trastevere.

What to do – Eat

One of the great highlights of Rome is the (light) eating: working through all the major food groups – pizza, gelati, coffee, orange juice – all of which are excellent and reasonably priced.

The pizza, of course, is thin-crusted, not overladen with a mish-mash of ingredients, and quite cheap. Indeed, if two of you have pizza and beer for lunch, it is quite likely the beer will cost more than the pizza.

Gelati is ubiquitous and excellent. At most cafes and bars the orange juice is freshly-squeezed when you order. Surprisingly, you can get excellent beef in Rome, often cooked fairly rare. Try upmarket Girarrosto Fiorentino where meat is a speciality.

What to do – Culture

Of course, while in Rome you will want to visit the famous Imperial Forum. But, in many ways, more impressive is the under-visited massive and well-preserved multi-level Trajan’s Market nearby. It is located across the road which was pushed through the whole site by Mussolini and next to Trajan’s Column.

There are three very old and picturesque remains in Rome which are still in excellent condition. The 62 BC Ponte Fabricio bridge which is across the Tiber to the Isola Tiberina, the small round Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Portunus. Both are about 2^nd century BC and situated near the Ponte Palatino.

Another not overly-crowded Imperial remnant is Augustus’ Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis) with wonderful crisp reliefs dating from 13BC. It is enclosed in a modern glass pavilion.

The Baths of Caracalla, even in their present stripped-bare condition, are massive and hugely impressive. Compare them with the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Piazza della Republica) carved out of the remains of just the vast frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian

Another spectacular site readily accessed independently by train from Rome, which is less than an hour from Termini, is the archaeological site of the old Roman port of Ostia. With extensive remains of buildings two and three storeys high, it is best visited first thing in the morning.

What to expect

When travelling to Rome, or anywhere else, for that matter, a little bit of advance information and organisation can save much aggravation and ensure that you actually get to see the sites.

There is no point arriving at the Vatican Museum or the Colosseum only to spend two hours in a queue to get inside.

The internet is a great gift to travellers. You can purchase tickets online in advance (or, at the very least, check out opening hours and best visiting times). Many attractions which may be a little challenging to get to yourself like Hadrian’s Villa are readily accessible on a variety of tours. These vary in convenience and price from coach loads to small groups to personalised tours and can be easily compared on sites such as Viatour.

What experiences are on your Rome bucket list? Let us know in the comments!

Former President, Barack Obama, has said on the subject:

It ought to concern every person, because it’s a debasement of our common humanity.

It ought to concern every community, because it tears at the social fabric.

It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets.

It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organised crime.

I’m talking about the injustice, the outrage, of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name—modern slavery.” 

It is a global affront to human rights and its eradication remains an ongoing challenge.

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is recognised as an international crime, defined under international law to encompass the forced use of persons for exploitation.

According to Article 3 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, human trafficking is:

the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

Sexual exploitation is the most documented form of abuse, followed closely by forced labour, forced marriage, organ removal, warfare and domestic service.

Global Slavery Index reports that 161 countries are responding to the issue of modern slavery. Of those 161 countries, 124 countries criminalised human trafficking in line with the UN Trafficking Protocol, however, convictions are reportedly low. In 2011, of 7206 prosecutions for trafficking, only 4239 resulted in convictions, while 41,210 victims were identified.

Who does modern slavery impact?

Anyone can be a victim of modern slavery.

Statistics show that there are 27-36 million victims in modern slavery at any given time.

68% are victims of forced labour exploitation, in economic activities such as agriculture, construction, domestic work or manufacturing. 22% are victims of sexual slavery. Of this statistic, 21% or are children.
The remaining 10% of individuals are in state-imposed forms of forced labour.

The majority of victims are female, making up 55% of all trafficked victims globally, with trafficking of children on the rise (approximately 20%, although this statistic increases in some regions).

How does modern slavery occur?

There are a number of factors that make persons vulnerable to human trafficking and modern slavery. Often things like the absence of protection and respect for basic rights, physical safety and security and access to basic necessities such as food, water and health care. Other factors such as displacement and conflict play a role.

Victims are often recruited through false advertising for what appears to be genuine employment, such as in cleaning, waitressing or farming.

Where is human trafficking most prevalent?

Human trafficking occurs all over the world and has been documented in 167 countries.

The crime is often carried out by traffickers who are of the same nationality as the victim, which accounts for why statistics show the trade is usually limited to a national or regional context.

By proportion to population, the countries with the highest estimated prevalence of victims of modern slavery are:

• Bangladesh
• Cambodia
• China
• India
• North Korea
• Pakistan
• Qatar
• Uzbekistan

Human trafficking also occurs in popular travel destinations throughout Europe – including England – and North America.

Unsurprisingly, countries with the lowest estimated incidence of modern slavery by the proportion of their population are:

• Luxembourg
• Ireland
• Norway
• Denmark
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Sweden
• Belgium
• United States
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand

Many factors contribute to the low incidence of human trafficking in these countries, including greater economic wealth, higher government response, low levels of conflict, political stability as well as a commitment to protecting basic human rights and fighting modern slavery.

The unexpected difference you can make while travelling

As global citizens, we not only have a responsibility to ourselves but also to other humans.

We all have the power, however small, to make choices that contribute to the promotion and protection of basic rights and that make a positive and lasting change and that can transform lives.

If you know where to look, there are countless ways that you can be a more informed, responsible and ethical traveller. Making small, seemingly insignificant, choices (like choosing one travel company over another) can make a difference at a grassroots level in the fight against human trafficking. Here are a few of our favourites ways you can help:

1. Research your accommodation and tour operators

Tour operators or hotels often have policies on human trafficking, which are included on their website.

The Code (of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism) is an industry-driven initiative designed to prevent sex trafficking of children worldwide through education, awareness, tools and support.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children under 18 years (which includes child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, the prostitution of children, and child pornography) involves children being bought and sold for sexual purposes. It’s a crime that often occurs in hotels, which is why responsible tourism companies are encouraged to voluntarily become members and implement the Code’s principles to help fight exploitation of children.

You can search the full list of companies who have already joined the Code and choose to stay at and support hotels, hostels or other travel industry service providers who are committed to keeping children safe.

If your tour operator does not openly communicate its position on child sexual exploitation, why not suggest that they take a stand and demonstrate their corporate social responsibility by becoming a member of the Code?

2. Take photos of your hotel room

Traffickcam is an app that allows users to upload photos of their hotel room while travelling.

No matter where you travel, this is a simple, easy and positive step you can take to actively make a difference in the fight against human trafficking. The app works by helping authorities identify the locations in which sex trafficking crimes occur as victims are often positioned and photographed on the beds of hotel rooms.

All you have to do is upload 4 pictures of your hotel room, enter your hotel and room number and hit ‘submit.’ The app works because sex traffickers post online ‘advertisements’ of victims posing on beds in hotel rooms. By taking images of your room, and contributing to a database of over 1.5 million images of hotels snapped from around the world, you can help investigators to match the inside of hotel rooms with images taken of victims of sex trafficking. This helps law enforcement locate sex trafficking rings, save victims and prosecute offenders.

3. Identify a victim

Sometimes victims of slavery are held away from the public, however, in many situations victims are hidden in plain sight. They may work frontline in restaurants, on farms, at hotels, at construction sites, and in beauty salons. There is a good chance that you have already come face-to-face with a victim of modern slavery without realising it.

Being informed, being observant, staying aware of your surrounding as well as some of the common indicators of modern slavery may mean that you can help to identify a victim of trafficking.

General signs may include situations where a person is:

• Living with their employer in poor conditions
• Paid very little
• Submissive or fearful of their employer (or their interactions with others are tightly controlled)
• Speaking in a way that seems scripted or rehearsed
• Without any travel documents or their employer holds their travel documents (for example at the airport or in other transport hubs)
• Dressed inappropriately
• Appears to be under-aged, or
• Showing signs of abuse.

There may also be over-the-top security or guards on site.

If several of the above warning signs are present, and if you are able to speak with the person you suspect is a victim of trafficking without putting yourself, or the suspected victim in any danger, the US Department of State recommends discreetly asking the following questions:

• Can you leave your job if you want to?
• Can you come and go as you please?
• Have you been hurt or threatened if you tried to leave?
• Has your family been threatened?
• Do you live with your employer?
• Where do you sleep and eat?
• Are you in debt to your employer?
• Do you have your passport/identification? Who has it?

The most important thing is to avoid endangering anybody, including yourself, by doing something reckless like confronting the suspected trafficker or raising your suspicions aloud at the time.

Instead, follow your instincts and report your concerns to local law enforcement (if reliable) or to a global or local NGO which is known to combat trafficking in the area. If the victim is foreign, you can also contact their embassy (contact details below).

4. Be a conscious and safe traveller

On your next overseas trip, you can volunteer your time or donate to local charities that are working towards the eradication of modern slavery.

While it is important, wherever possible, to play a part in helping to fight the proliferation of human trafficking by being conscious of your surroundings and reporting suspicious behaviour, it is equally important to be mindful of your personal safety while travelling.

The reality is that anyone can become prey to a human trafficker, so avoid taking unnecessary risks, placing yourself in dangerous situations, travelling to particular regions alone.

If you can, try to travel in groups and make sure that you leave a copy of your current itinerary (as well as your local phone number) with family and friends. Check the travel advisories associated with your destination countries before travelling and register with Smart Traveller.

A difference to be made closer to home?

On a day-to-day basis, we might consider the impact of human trafficking in Australia.

Have you ever stopped to think about who produces the clothes you wear and where the food you eat comes from?

Further Information

To report a suspected case of human trafficking or offer authorities a tip while overseas, contact:

• European National Human Trafficking Hotlines
• Abolishion Hotlines Listed Alphabetically by Country
• National Human Trafficking Hotline
• US Domestic Trafficking Hotlines

To report a suspected local case of human trafficking in Australia contact:

• Australian Federal Police (AFP) by filling out an online form; or
• Call 131 AFP (131237); or
• Email AOCC-Client-Liaison@afp.gov.au

To access free legal services if you, or someone you know, has experienced trafficking or slavery in Australia contact:

• Anti-Slavery Australia

Further Reading

• For comprehensive reports on human trafficking by region and country visit the Global Slavery Index.
• For a look at the Australian context visit Freedom Partnership
• To watch an awareness-raising video from Crimestoppers UK visit Read the Signs
• For an extensive journalistic investigation into human trafficking visit Lydia Cacho’s Slavery Inc
• For a documentary on sex trafficking and abuse recommended by United States State Department. visit Price of Sex.
• For a comprehensive look at preventing and addressing forced marriage in Australia visit My Blue Sky
• To download the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) global report on trafficking in persons click here.

How many slaves work for you?? Find out by taking the slavery footprint survey.

9.2 million Australians left our wide brown land for a short-term jaunt overseas in the 2014-2015 period, with departures of Australians traveling overseas now exceeding arrivals of international travellers entering Australia.

The places we visit are diverse. The most popular destinations for young Australian travellers are New Zealand, Indonesia, the United States, United Kingdom and Thailand. China, Singapore, Fiji, India and Japan not far behind.

At the heart of it, travel is an adventure. So it’s easy to see why many young Australians get caught up in the excitement of exploring a new country and can forget that cultures, customs and laws differ significantly from what we know and understand.

A little planning, foresight and consideration from the get go will not only help ensure that you travel safe but also that your holiday is as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible.

Research local laws & customs before you go

The internet is your best friend when it comes to planning your trip, and that goes beyond booking flights and researching hotels.

Your first stop is Smart Traveller. You can quickly and easily check travel advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for each country on your itinerary, as well as visa requirements and anything else you may need to look out for.

Your next stop is to arm yourself with facts by scanning travel forums such as TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet and relevant travel blogs to learn from the experiences of other travellers, as well as any local customs, cultural differences and applicable laws you may need to be aware of.

Register your trip before you leave Australia

Once you have booked your flights and checked relevant travel advisories, make sure you register your travel plans with Smart Traveller before heading off.

It is a quick and easy way to ensure your safety while you travel. Registering your itinerary makes it easier for the Australian Government to contact or locate you in case of an emergency.

It is also worth subscribing to email notifications for the duration of your trip.

Make sure you have everything you need to travel legally & safely

Make a checklist which can include:

• A valid Australian passport with at least 6 months of validity remaining
• Any necessary visas, or the correct currency to pay for them on arrival
• Up-to-date vaccinations, travel or otherwise
• Any medications you need. Be sure to check that it is possible to take your medications into the countries you are visiting, and carry all relevant supporting documentation. This can include a letter from your doctor, a prescription, or a letter from the relevant embassy
• Travel insurance. Make sure you have the appropriate level of cover and understand your coverage
• Double check that you are not travelling with anything prohibited. For example, foods, medications, vitamins, media (magazines, books, video, music), religious materials, alcohol or cash.

Are You A Dual National?

If you hold dual nationalities, you are a citizen of Australia and another country.

For example, your parents are nationals of another country, or you marry someone of another nationality.

If you are a dual national, there may be implications if you travel to the country of your other nationality. For example:

• you may be liable to complete military service
• you may be liable for prosecution for offences under the laws of that country, even if they were committed elsewhere
• the Australian Government may be limited in its ability to provide you with consular assistance if you seek it.

Always depart and re-enter Australia on your Australian passport

All Australians, including dual nationals, are advised to leave and enter Australia on their Australian passport. If you have a passport from another country, you can use this once you have left Australia.

Laws abroad may surprise you

Many countries have unexpected rules and regulations which can catch unsuspecting travellers. For example:

• In Singapore, it is illegal to import chewing gum
• The legal drinking age in Bali is 21
• Sharia law is in place in parts of Malaysia
• Sex outside of marriage is punishable by imprisonment in Dubai
• It is illegal to deface or step on the Baht (local currency) in Thailand
• Pseudoephedrine and codeine-based medications are illegal to bring into Japan
• You must carry your passport with you at all times in China
• Homosexuality is a criminal offence in India

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Making sure you respect cultural differences and customs is a good way to avoid drawing unwanted attention and accidentally landing in trouble with the authorities.

Some common things to consider:

• Eye contact – In some parts of the world, such as China and Japan, prolonged eye contact is considered rude and akin to staring. In other countries such as the United States and Canada, however, eye contact is considered essential and a way to demonstrate that you are interested and engaged in the conversation.
• What not to wear – In Dubai, for example, it is important to cover your shoulders and back and wear garments that end no higher than the knee. In Barcelona, it is illegal to wear swimwear in any locations other than the beach, and streets very close to it.
• To tip or not to tip – In some countries tipping is expected. But in others it is frowned upon. For example, it very rude to tip in Japan. In the United States, on the other hand, tipping makes up a significant portion of income for many industries – so expect to tip 15%-25% for meals, drinks, and cabs.
• Physical contact – Different parts of the world consider differing levels of physical proximity appropriate, and public displays of affection may be encouraged, tolerated, frowned upon, or even illegal depending on where you travel.

Dealing with local authorities if something goes wrong

Although it is uncommon, in some cases gross injustices are done when victims of sexual assault have been imprisoned after reporting the crime to police.

If you are a victim of crime while traveling overseas, the most important thing is to get yourself to safety and contact someone you trust. Get in touch with the nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate.

Report the crime to the local authorities as soon as possible, however, your first port of call should be Australia’s 24-hour consular emergency service.

Further Information

For 24 hour consular assistance visit the SmartTraveller 24 Hour Emergency Assistance tool or contact:

• 61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas)
• 1300 555 135 (from within Australia)
• 61 421 269 080 (for SMS)

To register your trip visit:

•  SmartTraveller

For passport information visit:

• Australian Passport Office

To be the first to hear about official government advice when travelling sign up via:

• SmartTraveller’s Sign Up Form

For more resources to visit before you travel visit:

• DFAT’s Guide for Travellers – What To Do Before You Go
• SmartTraveller Travel Advisories