Gender, Crime and Justice

Trafficking of Women

“Wherever there is organised off-street prostitution, our view now is that you will find trafficked women there. It is that lucrative.” (UK police officer)

Case Study - Elina

Definitions

“All acts involved in the recruitment and/or transportation of a woman within and across national borders for work or services by means of violence or threats of violence, abuse of authority or dominant position, debt bondage deception or other forms of coercion” (Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), 1999)

“Sex trafficking; the recruitment, transportation within or across borders, purchase, sale, transfer, receipt or harbouring of a person for the purpose of prostitution or exploiting the marriage or such a person” (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), 1999)

“Trafficking in human beings means subjection of a person to the real and illegal sway of other persons by using violence or menaces or by abuse of authority or intrigue with a view to the exploitation of prostitution, forms of sexual exploitation and assault of minors or trade in abandoned children… These forms of exploitation also include the production, sale or distribution of child pornography material” (EUROPOL, cited in COE, 1997)

Profit

US$ 7 billion per year - trafficking in women The European Parliament in 2004 published

research that stated that the overall profits from the global sex trade is $5,000 - $7,000 billion per year - greater than the military budget of the whole world.

Victims

4 million people trafficked annually 500 000 victims of trafficking enter Western Europe

annually 80% of prostitutes in Europe are immigrants Trafficked women are from Central and Eastern

Europe (from Albania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine).

In the Netherlands 70 % (80 % in Amsterdam), in Germany between 60 and 80 %, in Austria 80% and in Italy 80% of all trafficked women come from Eastern Europe.

Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police investigated 75 brothels in Soho, central London. They found that they had a combined turnover of £1 million per month, with each woman bringing in £350 a day on average.

76% of the brothels were staffed by foreign prostitutes, mostly from Albania and Lithuania.

Who are the men?

“What I like most was the male-chauvinist aspect of being able to choose without being rejected … It was great choosing like a feudal lord, and being absolutely sure you wouldn’t be rejected by the other person”

“I go with these girls because I’ve been pushed into it by the feminist fashion that’s demolished traditional male-female relations … Womens demands have grown and grown; they’ve become more and more difficult and complicated for us men”

(Monzini, P (2005) Sex Traffic. Zed Books p11 )

“When there is violence, it is mostly the prostitute’s fault. See I am going to buy something. If I am satisfied with what I am buying, why should I be violent? I will be violent when I am cheated, when I am offered a substandard service … sometimes [violence] is because the prostitute wants to use a condom. They force it on the client”

Techniques

Lover-boy Adverts Graduated networks

International Law

The UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and three attached Protocols, one of which specifically relates to trafficking of women and children –

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons

Take all steps necessary to protect trafficked persons and their close relatives from intimidation, threats and reprisals, especially those trafficked persons who act as witnesses.

Ensure trafficked persons are not detained, prosecuted or punished for crimes related to them being trafficked.

Prevent immediate deportation of trafficked persons and ensure all trafficked persons are given a temporary right to stay.

Ensure the temporary right to stay includes a rest period during which time trafficked persons can recover from their ordeal whilst being provided with shelter, counselling, health and legal services and other forms of support.

National Law

Trafficking for sexual exploitation - Sexual Offences Act 2003

Facilitating illegal entry into the UK - Section 25(1) of the Immigration Act 1971

Financial investigations and seizure of assets - Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Proceeds of Crime Act 1995

Partnerships

The Andrea Network – based in Sheffield - works with the Northern Refuge Centre and the Human Trafficking Centre

The Poppy Project – based in London - funded by the Home Office and the Association of Local Government (ALG)

http://www.eaves4women.co.uk/POPPY_Project/POPPY_Project.php http://andreanetwork.pbwiki.com/