PAYOKE
Payoke is a Belgian non-profit NGO founded in 1987 and one of three government-recognized specialized centers providing free shelter, psychosocial counseling, legal aid, and long-term guidance to victims of human trafficking across Flanders, with exclusive mandate for loverboy cases.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersAntwerp, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PAYOKE does
Payoke is a Belgian non-governmental organization (vzw – vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) founded in Antwerp in 1987 by Patsy Sörensen, recognized as the first anti-trafficking NGO in Europe. It is one of three government-recognized specialized centers in Belgium for victims of human trafficking, alongside Pag-Asa (Brussels) and Sürya (Liège), and since 2019 holds exclusive designation as the referral center for loverboy/teen-pimp victims across Flanders. The organization delivers a 45-day safe-housing reflection period, multi-year psychosocial counseling (average duration 2-3 years), legal and administrative assistance, repatriation support via partnerships with IOM and Caritas, and emergency shelter cooperation with CAW Antwerp (Asmodee facility). All services are free and confidential, and victims may engage anonymously.
The business model is non-commercial and grant-funded. Primary revenue derives from Belgian federal and Flemish government recognition and subsidies, supplemented by donations, EU project co-funding (DAPHNE, Vona), and corporate sponsorships. There is no pricing model applied to beneficiaries; instead, funding follows mandated caseload and scope. The organization has 22 employees and operates from its headquarters at Italiëlei 98 A, 2000 Antwerp, with mobile outreach across Flanders via the Praatmobiel unit. Distribution of services is direct (phone +32 3 201 16 90, email, WhatsApp) and indirect through professional referral networks, training programs for frontline workers, and public-awareness campaigns including the Blue Heart Campaign with UNODC and the Flemish 'Mensen zijn niet te koop' campaign.
The product surface comprises four core service lines (Safe Housing & Support, Guidance & Psycho-social Counseling, Education & Training, and specialized Loverboy Support) plus digital awareness tools (Relatietest, Examen Tienerpooiers, victim-identification checklists), a 22-language multilingual brochure, and the published 'Payoke Way' methodology manual. Payoke's intellectual and policy contributions are notable: the 1994 'Payoke's scheme' providing residence permits to cooperating victims was incorporated into Belgian law and adopted across the EU as best-practice counter-trafficking legislation, and Payoke holds formal authorization to act as plaintiff in trafficking cases under Royal Decree of April 18, 2013. Governance is led by General Director Inge Saris, with founder Patsy Sörensen as active board member and Hans De Ceuster as President of the Board since 2020.
PAYOKE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PAYOKE
- Legal name
- Payoke vzw
- Website
- https://payoke.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Payoke is a Belgian non-profit NGO founded in 1987 and one of three government-recognized specialized centers providing free shelter, psychosocial counseling, legal aid, and long-term guidance to victims of human trafficking across Flanders, with exclusive mandate for loverboy cases.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PAYOKE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Human Trafficking Victim Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)
Keywords
Where PAYOKE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Antwerp
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PAYOKE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Payoke is one of three government-recognized specialized centers in Belgium for victims of human trafficking. Government recognition and funding form the primary revenue base.
- Donations and Contributions: The organization accepts donations to support victims directly, fund prevention work, early detection, and improve services offered.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Payoke welcomes corporate sponsorships and partnerships to continue and scale up the fight against human trafficking, with sponsorship options for businesses of all sizes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Free victim support services |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
PAYOKE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PAYOKE is a non-governmental organization that fights against human trafficking and exploitation by providing specialized victim support services. Its core offering consists of safe housing with a 45-day reflection period, individualized guidance and psychosocial counseling (averaging 2-3 years until self-sufficiency), legal and administrative assistance, education and training programs for professionals and the public, and specialized intervention for loverboy/teen pimp exploitation across Flanders. All services are provided free of charge and confidentially to victims.
Product overview
PAYOKE is a non-governmental organization and one of three government-recognized specialized centers in Belgium for victims of human trafficking. The organization operates as a unified service offering with interconnected programs: Safe Housing & Support provides a 45-day reflection period and shelter; Guidance & Psycho-social Counseling delivers individual life planning and legal support; Education & Training conducts awareness campaigns and professional training; and specialized Loverboy Support addresses teen pimp exploitation through mobile outreach. The organization also provides digital tools including the Relatietest quiz, Examen Tienerpooiers educational campaign, multilingual brochures, and victim identification checklists. EU-funded projects like Vona enhance specialized services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Safe Housing & Support Services Provides safe housing, crisis support, and a 45-day reflection period for potential victims of human trafficking and smuggling, offering psychosocial, administrative, and legal assistance free of charge and confidentially.
- Guidance & Psycho-social Counseling Individual life planning services including psycho-social counseling, legal and administrative support, outpatient care, continuing education guidance, vocational training, and job placement assistance to help victims rebuild their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.
- Education & Training Programs Awareness campaigns (Blue Heart, Mensen zijn niet te koop) and professional training programs for frontline workers, governments, civil society, and individuals on detecting and preventing human trafficking, including speaker presentations for events.
- Loverboy/Teen Pimp Support Program Specialized team providing guidance and intervention for victims of loverboy/teen pimp trafficking, including the Praatmobiel (mobile conversation unit) that travels throughout Flanders to reach vulnerable youth in their environments, plus dedicated training for professionals.
- Vona Project EU-funded project to enhance gender-sensitive and trauma-informed care for non-EU survivors of human trafficking in Belgium, implemented jointly by the three Belgian specialized centers (Payoke, Pag-Asa, Sürya).
Quantifiable outcome
- 150 victims in care during 2021
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PAYOKE
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PAYOKE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PAYOKE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vona Project ConsortiumcoreEU-funded project launched January 2023 implementing gender-sensitive and trauma-informed care for survivors of human trafficking from non-EU countries. Implemented jointly by the three Belgian specialized centers with targets to improve access for 110 trafficked women and provide psychological support to 60 trafficked women.
- Pag-AsacoreOne of three specialized centers for victims of human trafficking in Belgium. Pag-Asa serves the Brussels region. These three centers work together on national anti-trafficking efforts and share protocols for data sharing with Myria.
- SüryacoreOne of three specialized centers for victims of human trafficking in Belgium. Sürya serves the Wallonia region. Works together with Payoke and Pag-Asa on national anti-trafficking efforts.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreInternational Organization for Migration works with Payoke on repatriation of clients who wish to return to their country of origin and facilitates cooperation for victim support.
- CaritascoreWorks closely with Caritas and recognized NGO referral networks to facilitate repatriation of clients who wish to return to their country of origin.
- CAW AntwerpcorePartnership for specialized emergency shelter (Asmodee). CAW Antwerp provides shelter and proximity care while Payoke provides legal, administrative, and long-term guidance. Both organizations share information within 48 hours for smooth follow-up.
- MyriacoreFederal migration center that studies human trafficking phenomenon in Belgium. Payoke has data sharing protocol with Myria for exchanging information about victims.
- Universiteit AntwerpenminorAcademic partnership for research and knowledge exchange on human trafficking issues.
- La Strada InternationalminorInternational anti-trafficking network that Payoke participates in for knowledge exchange and best practice sharing across European countries.
- Child FocusminorBelgian child protection organization. Payoke refers individuals to Child Focus for additional resources about loverboy phenomenon. Tel: 116 000.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PAYOKE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- International Justice Mission: International Justice Mission is a large global anti-trafficking and modern slavery organization operating across multiple continents. It pursues victim rescue, prosecution, and restoration similar to Payoke's model, but at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
- Anti-Slavery International: Anti-Slavery International is the world's oldest human rights organization focused on slavery and trafficking, with advocacy and victim support functions comparable to Payoke, but operating globally rather than nationally.
- Polaris Project: Polaris operates the US National Human Trafficking Hotline and runs shelter and advocacy programs parallel to Payoke's services. It is a broader-scale incumbent in the same anti-trafficking NGO category.
Regional players
- Child Focus: Child Focus is the Belgian center for missing and exploited children, where Payoke refers loverboy-related cases (116 000 hotline). It shares overlapping youth-protection mandate but is focused on missing children and online sexual exploitation rather than shelter-based trafficking support.
Others
- Caritas International Belgium: Caritas works closely with Payoke on victim repatriation and support referrals. It is a humanitarian network with overlapping client populations in social services but distinct organizational mission (poverty, migration, emergency aid).
- Myria (Federal Migration Centre): Myria is Belgium's independent federal migration center that produces the annual trafficking report and partners with Payoke on data-sharing protocols. It functions as a regulatory/analytical counterpart rather than a service-delivery peer.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM): IOM is a Payoke partner that supports repatriation of trafficking victims. While not a direct competitor, IOM operates complementary victim-assistance and migration programs that intersect with Payoke's service scope.
Direct peers
- La Strada International: La Strada International is a network of anti-trafficking NGOs across Europe. Payoke is an active member, and the network focuses on the same human trafficking prevention and victim support activities as Payoke, including trafficking awareness and policy advocacy.
- Pag-Asa: Pag-Asa is one of the three government-recognized specialized centers in Belgium for victims of human trafficking, serving the Brussels region. It works jointly with Payoke on national anti-trafficking efforts and shares data protocols with Myria, making it the closest operational peer.
- Sürya: Sürya is the Wallonia-based specialized center for trafficking victims in Belgium, the third member of the government-recognized trio alongside Payoke and Pag-Asa. It co-implements the EU Vona Project with Payoke and shares identical victim-support mandates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PAYOKE social profiles
Digital presencePAYOKE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PAYOKE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
PAYOKE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PAYOKE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PAYOKE
What does PAYOKE do?
PAYOKE is a non-governmental organization that fights against human trafficking and exploitation by providing specialized victim support services. Its core offering consists of safe housing with a 45-day reflection period, individualized guidance and psychosocial counseling (averaging 2-3 years until self-sufficiency), legal and administrative assistance, education and training programs for professionals and the public, and specialized intervention for loverboy/teen pimp exploitation across Flanders. All services are provided free of charge and confidentially to victims.
Is PAYOKE a public or private company?
PAYOKE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PAYOKE founded?
PAYOKE was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PAYOKE based?
PAYOKE is headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does PAYOKE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are PAYOKE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are International Justice Mission, Anti-Slavery International and Polaris Project. Child Focus is listed as a regional player. Others are Caritas International Belgium, Myria (Federal Migration Centre) and International Organization for Migration (IOM). Direct peers are La Strada International, Pag-Asa and Sürya.
Does PAYOKE have an API?
No public API is recorded for PAYOKE.
What industry is PAYOKE in?
PAYOKE's product category is Human Trafficking Victim Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAHAF, Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding), with a secondary code of BPAGAEAM, Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.