DOCSLIB.ORG

COURT CASE SUMMARIES These Court Case Narratives Were Provided by Member States

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
COURT CASE SUMMARIES These Court Case Narratives Were Provided by Member States GLOBAL REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS 2020 COLLECTION OF COURT CASE SUMMARIES These court case narratives were provided by Member States. The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC, and nor does it imply any endorsement. DISCLAIMER The texts presented in this document comprise court case narratives provided by Member States between 2010 and 2020 which were used for analysis in the Global Report on Trafficking of Persons 2020. The court case narratives were compiled and provided by Member States. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC. In order to protect the identity of the persons mentioned in the cases, direct identifiers were removed from the original text and the cases anonymized. Legend: • Victim 1: In original text, victims may be identified through their initials, depending on other contextual details given. Their names and initials were deleted and replaced with “Victim”. Victims were numbered in order of appearance in the file. • Offender 1: In original text, Offenders may be identified by full names or initials. Their names and initials were deleted and replaced with “Offender”. Offenders were given numbers in order of appearance in the file. • Person 1: In original text, persons not considered as a victim or offender were mentioned in the narrative e.g. uninvolved family members; neighbour; etc. Their names and initials were deleted and replaced with “Person”. Persons were given numbers in order of appearance in the file. • Restaurant X, Bar Y, Shop Z: In the original text, locations such as restaurants, bars and shops were named. Any location or business that may be identifiable from other contextual information provided (e.g. street name) was anonymized. When minor errors occurred in the transmission of the text, those were addressed by UNODC; all related changes to the original language are marked in red font in the text. 1 These court case narratives were provided by Member States. The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC, and nor does it imply any endorsement. TABLE OF CONTENTS Case 1 – Armenia, 2012 ........................................................................................................... 13 Case 2 – Armenia, 2012 ........................................................................................................... 15 Case 3 – Armenia, 2012 ........................................................................................................... 17 Case 4 – Armenia, 2011 ........................................................................................................... 18 Case 5 – Armenia, 2011 ........................................................................................................... 20 Case 6 – Australia, 2012 .......................................................................................................... 24 Case 7 – Australia, 2012 .......................................................................................................... 25 Case 8 – Australia, 2012 .......................................................................................................... 26 Case 9 – Australia, 2012 .......................................................................................................... 27 Case 10 – Australia, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 28 Case 11 – Austria, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 29 Case 12 – Austria, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 31 Case 13 – Austria, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 32 Case 14 – Austria, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 34 Case 15 – Belarus, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 35 Case 16 – Belarus, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 36 Case 17 - Belarus, 2012 ........................................................................................................... 37 Case 18 – Thailand, 2016 ......................................................................................................... 38 Case 19 – Thailand, 2010 ......................................................................................................... 40 Case 20 – Brunei Darussalam, 2010 ........................................................................................ 41 Case 21 – Brunei Darussalam, 2012 ........................................................................................ 43 Case 22 – Brunei Darussalam, 2009 ........................................................................................ 44 Case 23 – Bulgaria, 2010 ......................................................................................................... 45 Case 24 – Canada, 2010 ........................................................................................................... 46 Case 25 – Canada, 2011 ........................................................................................................... 47 Case 26 – Canada, 2012 ........................................................................................................... 48 Case 27 – Canada, 2011 ........................................................................................................... 49 Case 28 – Chile, 2011 ............................................................................................................... 50 Case 29 – Chile, 2011 ............................................................................................................... 52 Case 30 – Denmark, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 53 Case 31 – Denmark, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 54 Case 32 – Denmark, 2011 ........................................................................................................ 56 Case 33 – Denmark, 2011 ........................................................................................................ 57 Case 34 – Ecuador, 2011 ......................................................................................................... 58 Case 35 – EL Salvador, 2009 .................................................................................................... 59 Case 36 – EL Salvador, 2009 .................................................................................................... 60 Case 37 – El Salvador, 2009 ..................................................................................................... 61 Case 38 – El Salvador, 2009 ..................................................................................................... 62 Case 39 – El Salvador, 2012 ..................................................................................................... 63 Case 40 – Israel, 2012 .............................................................................................................. 64 Case 41 – Israel, 2009 .............................................................................................................. 66 Case 42 – Israel, 2010 .............................................................................................................. 68 Case 43 – Israel, 2010 .............................................................................................................. 69 Case 44 – Thailand, 2016 ......................................................................................................... 71 2 These court case narratives were provided by Member States. The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC, and nor does it imply any endorsement. Case 45 – Latvia, 2012 ............................................................................................................. 73 Case 46 – Latvia, 2008 ............................................................................................................. 74 Case 47 – Latvia, 2010 ............................................................................................................. 77 Case 48 – Latvia, 2010 ............................................................................................................. 79 Case 49 – Lithuania, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 82 Case 50 – Lithuania, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 85 Case 51 – Lithuania, 2010 ........................................................................................................ 86 Case 52 – Lithuania, 2012 ........................................................................................................ 87 Case 53 – Lithuania, 2012 ........................................................................................................ 89 Case 54 – Canada, 2011 ........................................................................................................... 90 Case 55 – Mexico, 2011 ..........................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • General Assembly Distr
    UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/11/6/Add.1 26 May 2009 ENGLISH/FRENCH/SPANISH ONLY HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Eleventh session Agenda item 3 PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Yakin Ertürk* Addendum COMMUNICATIONS TO AND FROM GOVERNMENTS** * The report was submitted late in order to reflect the most recent information. ** The report is being circulated in the languages of submission only as it greatly exceeds the page limitations currently imposed by the relevant General Assembly resolutions. GE.09-13435 (E) 090609 A/HRC/11/6/Add.1 page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 1 - 3 4 II. OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS .......................................... 4 - 10 4 III. COMMUNICATIONS SENT AND GOVERNMENT REPLIES RECEIVED ....................................................................... 11 - 671 6 Afghanistan ........................................................................................ 12 - 24 7 Bahrain ............................................................................................... 25 - 43 8 Brazil .................................................................................................. 44 - 46 11 Canada ............................................................................................... 47 - 64 11 Colombia
    [Show full text]
  • The Promise and Pitfalls of Unilateral Pressure to Combat Human Trafficking: U.S
    1 THE PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF UNILATERAL PRESSURE TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING: U.S. PRESSURE ON ISRAEL, THE PHILIPPINES, AND THAILAND A dissertation presented By Noam Perry to The School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the field of Law and Public Policy Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts December 2016 2 THE PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF UNILATERAL PRESSURE TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING: U.S. PRESSURE ON ISRAEL, THE PHILIPPINES, AND THAILAND A dissertation presented By Noam Perry ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law and Public Policy in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of Northeastern University December 2016 3 Abstract In the late 1990s, the United States started pressuring other countries to combat human trafficking. Since 2001, the State Department has been evaluating the anti- trafficking efforts of governments around the world. The analysis is published annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which has become the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy on this issue. Governments whose efforts are deemed “insignificant” may be subject to economic and diplomatic sanctions by the U.S. government. Through analysis of media coverage, government proceedings, and interviews with select stakeholders, this study explores the ways in which the U.S. system of unilateral pressure influenced the anti-trafficking policies of Israel, the Philippines, and Thailand. Findings show that, for U.S. anti-trafficking pressure to be successful, it had to be combined with pressure “from below” by civil society organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Criminalization of Sex Work in Norway
    THE HUMAN COST OF ‘CRUSHING’ THE MARKET CRIMINALIZATION OF SEX WORK IN NORWAY Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. © Amnesty International 2016 Except where otherwise noted, content in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons Cover photo: Empty street in Oslo in area where sex is sold. (attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives, international 4.0) licence. © Samfoto Dagsavisen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode For more information please visit the permissions page on our website: www.amnesty.org Where material is attributed to a copyright owner other than Amnesty International this material is not subject to the Creative Commons licence. First published in 2016 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW, UK Index: EUR/36/4034/2016 Original language: English amnesty.org CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 METHODOLOGY 14 1. HUMAN RIGHTS AND COMMERCIAL SEX IN NORWAY 16 1.1 “The Nordic Model” 18 1.2 Norway’s Human Rights obligations 19 2. HOW NORWAY HARDENED ITS APPROACH TOWARDS COMMERCIAL SEX 21 2.1 Changing demographics: An increasingly internationalized context 21 2.2 Expansion and contraction: the developing indoor market and subsequent crackdowns 22 2.3 The “threat” of foreign prostitution and human trafficking concerns 23 2.4 The introduction of the ban on purchasing sex 25 2.5 Current legal framework 26 3.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Issues and Questions in Relation to the Ninth Periodic Report of Norway
    CEDAW/C/NOR/Q/9/Add.1 Distr.: General 29 June 2017 Original: English ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Sixty-eighth session 23 October-17 November 2017 Item 4 of the provisional agenda Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women List of issues and questions in relation to the ninth periodic report of Norway Addendum Replies of Norway* [Date received: 29 June 2017] * The present document is being issued without formal editing. Note: The present document is being issued in English, French and Spanish only. CEDAW/C/NOR/Q/9/Add.1 Question 1 1. As referred to in Norway's ninth periodic report paragraph 4, the Norwegian Constitution was revised in 2014 in order to strengthen the protection of human rights, including the principle of equality and prohibition against discrimination. 2. The Gender Equality Act (2013) shall promote equality and protect against discrimination based on gender. The act aims in particular at improving the position of women. The act is enforced by the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (LDO) and the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Tribunal in addition to the ordinary court system. 3. In June 2017, Stortinget (the Parliament) adopted a comprehensive equality and anti- discrimination act. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act will enter into force in January 2018. The act prohibits discrimination on grounds of gender, pregnancy, maternity/paternity leave in connection to birth or adoption, caring for children or close family members, ethnicity, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or age, or a combination of the above-mentioned grounds.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rhetoric of Networked Publics by Studying the Practices and Experiences of Expert Citizens on Twitter and Facebook in Norway
    7KH5KHWRULFRI1HWZRUNHG3XEOLFV 6WXG\LQJ6RFLDO1HWZRUN6LWHVDV5KHWRULFDO$UHQDVIRU6WXG\LQJ6RFLDO1HWZRUN6LWHVDV5KHWRULFDO$UHQDVIRU 3ROLWLFDO 7DON (LULN9DWQ¡\ Avhandling for graden philosophiae doctor (ph.d. ) ved Universitetet i Bergen 'DWRIRUGLVSXWDV Abstract As social network sites have become a central part of the modern media landscape, they have also become important arenas for political talk between citizens. The possibilities these new arenas offer for social interaction and public participation have generated what social theorists describe as a restructuring of publics into “networked publics”. Numerous studies and theories suggest how the emergence of networked publics influences political participation and democracy. Still, we know little about the nature of discourse in these arenas and how they shape rhetorical practice. This dissertation explores the rhetoric of networked publics by studying the practices and experiences of expert citizens on Twitter and Facebook in Norway. It asks: What characterizes social network sites as rhetorical arenas? And what characterizes political rhetoric on social network sites? The dissertation adds to the growing research literature on vernacular rhetoric and political talk in everyday settings, and offers new ways to explore these perspectives in qualitative studies of online political discourse. Theoretically, it combines perspectives from the fields of rhetoric, political communication and sociology in a new framework designed to analyse and describe how changes in technological and social circumstances affect rhetorical action. The main empirical contribution is a series of 32 in-depth interviews with “expert citizens”. The informants are identified through a snowball sampling process as central actors in a network of well-established voices from the media, politics and academia that use Twitter and Facebook as arenas for political talk and public debate.
    [Show full text]
  • The Problem of Human Trafficking in Azerbaijan
    CARIM EAST – CONSORTIUM FOR APPLIED RESEARCH ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION Co-fi nanced by the European Union The Problem of Human Traffi cking in Azerbaijan Arif Yunusov CARIM-East Explanatory Note 13/61 Demographic-Economic Module May, 2013 © 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be distributed, quoted or reproduced in any form without permission from the CARIM East Project. The problem of human trafficking plays a significant role in migration flows from Azerbaijan. It was first addressed at the beginning of the early 1990s. The mass unemployment that followed the collapse of the USSR and the Karabakh conflict with Armenia led to the emergence of informal “slave markets” in the centre of the capital city, Baku, in the mid-1990s (in Azeri “gyl bazari”). These were gathering places for unemployed men, mostly refugees and internally displaced persons, who were prepared to take up any jobs, including jobs that involved forms of enslavement. At that time, a number of publications appeared in the national media documenting the trafficking of men, as well as women and children, from Azerbaijan, for the purposes of forced labour and enslavement (Yunusov, 194). However, such occurrences were perceived as an inevitable consequence of the unresolved Karabakh conflict and of “temporary” economic and social turmoil. Most importantly, these were of episodic character and so, did not attract much attention. The socio-economic situation in the country continued to deteriorate, and this had a certain impact on women. In the late 1990s, the four male “slave markets” in the capital were joined by a fifth “female slave market” (in Azeri “gadin gyl bazar”).
    [Show full text]
  • Sex Work Legal Frameworks in CEECA, SWAN
    SEX WORK LEGAL FRAMEWORKS in Central-Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CEECA) Briefing paper THE SEX WORKERS’ RIGHTS ADVOCACY NETWORK (SWAN) In Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia Bertalan Lajos u. 22. fsz.6. Budapest, H-1111, Hungary Phone: +36 1 787 6267 Fax: +36 1 782 2199 www.swannet.org [email protected] THE SEX WORKERS’ RIGHTS ADVOCACY NETWORK (SWAN) is a network of 24 civil society organizatons in 17 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia advocatng for the human rights of female, male and transgender sex workers. SWAN member organizatons work with or are led-by sex workers and sex worker leadership is an organizing principle of the network. SWAN was founded in 2006 and was ofcially registered as the SWAN Foundaton in January of 2012. SEX WORK LEGAL FRAMEWORKS in Central-Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CEECA) Briefng paper Copyright©SWAN 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 5 A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEX WORK LAWS AND POLICIES IN THE REGION ... 7 ADMINISTRATIVE AND CRIMINAL PROVISIONS ON SEX WORK ............ 12 Sex workers .......................................................................................... 13 Clients ................................................................................................... 20 Third parties .......................................................................................... 21 FURTHER LEGAL PROVISIONS IMPACTING SEX WORKERS ................... 24 Public health
    [Show full text]
  • Research on Norwegian Prostitution Policy | Nordic Prostitution Policy Reform 7/29/12 2:28 PM
    Research on Norwegian prostitution policy | Nordic Prostitution Policy Reform 7/29/12 2:28 PM Nordic Prostitution Policy Reform A comparative study of prostitution policy reform in the Nordic countries Field Notes Neighbours Project news Prostitution policy news Denmark Elsewhere Finland Norway Sweden Relevant Literature Upcoming Events Research on Norwegian prostitution policy Posted by Johan Karlsson Schaffer on 8/17/10 • Categorized as Field Notes,Norway While a coherent, explanatory study on the politics of prostitution policy reform in Norway is yet to be written, existing research provides essential pieces to a puzzle that is yet to be laid out completely. As the second country in the world to ban the purchase of sexual services, Norway stands out as a key case in NPPR’s comparative analysis, not least because of the sudden shift in policy. In late 2004, for instance, a Justice Department Working Group on Legal Regulation of Purchase of Sexual Services advised against criminalising the purchase of sexual services. Yet, only a few years later, proponents of the ban had achieved the necessary parliamentary majority for criminalisation, the tipping point being the Labour Party congress in April 2007. Two years earlier, the congress had turned down criminalisation. This year, too, party leadership argued against the proposal, suggesting instead to give government more time to consider the issue. Among those who entered the podium during the debate were party heavy-weights such as Knut Storberget (Minister of Justice), Dag Terje Andersen (Minister of Industry), Helga Pedersen (Minister of Fisheries and http://nppr.se/2010/08/17/existing-research-on-norwegian-prostitution-policy/ Page 1 of 7 Research on Norwegian prostitution policy | Nordic Prostitution Policy Reform 7/29/12 2:28 PM vice party chairman) as well as Anniken Huitfeldt, leader of the women’s network, who all endorsed postponing the decision.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender, Trafficking, and Slavery
    Gender, Trafficking, and Slavery Edited by Rachel Masika Oxfam Focus on Gender The books in Oxfam's Focus on Gender series were originally published as single issues of the journal Gender and Development, which is published by Oxfam three times a year. It is the only British journal to focus specifically on gender and development issues internationally, to explore the links between gender and development initiatives, and to make the links between theoretical and practical work in this field. For information about subscription rates, please apply to Carfax Publishing, Taylor and Francis Ltd, Customer Services Department, Rankine Road, Basingstoke, Hants RG24 8PR UK; fax: + 44 (0) 1256 330 245. In North America, please apply to Taylor and Francis Inc, Customer Services Department, 325 Chestnut Street, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA; fax (+1) 800 8218312. In Australia, please apply to Carfax Publishing Company, PO Box 352, Cammeray, NSW 2062, Australia; fax: +61 (0) 2 9958 2376. E-mail: [email protected] or visit http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Publisher. The views expressed in this book are those of the individual contributors, and not necessarily those of the Editors or the Publisher. Front cover: Children working as bonded labourers in a carpet-weaving shed, Pakistan Photo: Ben Buxton, Oxfam © Oxfam GB 2002 Published by Oxfam GB, 274 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DZ, UK. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/publications Typeset in Palatino by Oxfam; printed by Information Press, Eynsham Oxfam is a registered charity No.
    [Show full text]
  • Pernian Shafiei Ranjbar 22.12.14.Pdf (496.9Kb)
    The Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Noragric, is the international gateway for the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Eight departments, associated research institutions and the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine in Oslo. Established in 1986, Noragric’s contribution to international development lies in the interface between research, education (Bachelor, Master and PhD program) and assignments. The Noragric Master thesis are the final theses submitted by students in order to fulfill the requirements under the Noragric Master program “International Environmental Studies”, “International Development Studies” and “International Relations”. The findings in this thesis do not necessarily reflect the views of Noragric. Extracts from this publication may only be reproduced after prior consultation with the author and on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation contact Noragric. © Pernian Shafiei Ranjbar, December 2014 [email protected] Noragric Department of International Environment and Development Studies P.O. Box 5003 N-1432 Ås Norway Tel.: +47 64 96 52 00 Fax: +47 64 96 52 01 Internet: http://www.nmbu.no/noragric Declaration I, Pernian Shafiei Ranjbar, declare that this thesis is a result of my research investigations and findings. Sources of information other than my own have been acknowledged and a reference list has been appended. This work has not been previously submitted to any other university for award of any type of academic degree. Pernian Shafiei Ranjbar Date 22.12.2014 ii Acknowledgement I would like to express my gratitude to: Professor May-Len Skilbrei for her tolerance, advice, and patience. I am very grateful for her willingness to share insights, knowledge and time.
    [Show full text]
  • The Study on Rehabilitation Process of Victims of Human Trafficking and Analysis of Financial Resourсes Allocated for Purpose Combat Human Trafficking in Azerbaijan
    ЕКОНОМІЧНА НАУКА UDC 339.194; 339.727.244; 344.012 Nazarova Gulnar R., defender of thesis, Scientific Research and Training Center on Labour and Social Problems, Baku, Azerbaijan THE STUDY ON REHABILITATION PROCESS OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL RESOURСES ALLOCATED FOR PURPOSE COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN AZERBAIJAN Назарова Гюльнар Р., докторант, НИУЦ по труду и социальным проблемам, Баку, Азербайджан ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ РЕАБИЛИТАЦИИ ЖЕРТВ ТОРГОВЛИ ЛЮДЬМИ И АНАЛИЗ ФИНАНСОВЫХ РЕСУРСОВ ВЫДЕЛЕННЫХ ДЛЯ ЦЕЛИ БОРЬБЫ С ТОРГОВЛЕЙ ЛЮДЬМИ В АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНЕ Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime specifies that "Trafficking in persons" shall mean 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 abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of 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, exploitation of prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or removal of organs. The most prevalent forms and causes of trafficking in human beings — identification of the gender of a victim, assistance and social rehabilitation measures to and for victims, ensuring confidentiality of victims — has been studied in the article. The survey was conducted between 4 experts and ultimately provide recommendations to combat human trafficking.
    [Show full text]
  • Trafficking in Women and Children: the U.S
    Order Code RL30545 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Trafficking in Women and Children: The U.S. and International Response Updated March 18, 2002 Francis T. Miko Specialist in International Relations Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Grace (Jea-Hyun) Park Research Associate Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Congressional Research Service The Library of Congress Trafficking in Women and Children: The U.S. and International Response Summary The trafficking in people for prostitution and forced labor is one of the fastest growing areas of international criminal activity and one that is of increasing concern to the United States and the international community. The overwhelming majority of those trafficked are women and children. More than 700,000 people are believed to be trafficked each year worldwide; some 50,000 to the United States. Trafficking is now considered the third largest source of profits for organized crime, behind only drugs and weapons, generating billions of dollars annually. Trafficking affects virtually every country in the world. The largest number of victims come from Asia, with over 225,000 victims each year from Southeast Asia and over 150,000 from South Asia. The former Soviet Union is now believed to be the largest new source of trafficking for prostitution and the sex industry, with over 100,000 trafficked each year from that region. An additional 75,000 or more are trafficked from Central and Eastern Europe. Over 100,000 come from Latin America and the Caribbean, and over 50,000 victims are from Africa. Most of the victims are sent to Asia, the Middle East, Western Europe and North America.
    [Show full text]