Review and Excerpts from: Voice of America .
22-Sep-95 8:01 AM EDT


> IN THE POST COLD WORLD ERA, ONE INCREASINGLY
>TROUBLESOME BUT LITTLE REPORTED PHENOMENON IS THE RISE
>IN TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN.

>V-O-A'S STEPHANIE RECENTLY SPOKE WITH EXPERTS ON THIS >ISSUE AT THE UNITED NATIONS FOURTH WORLD
>CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN BEIJING, AND HAS THIS REPORT.

>TEXT: THE PROMISE OF A BETTER JOB IS USUALLY THE BAIT
>TRAFFICKERS USE TO LURE YOUNG WOMEN FROM ONE PLACE TO
>ANOTHER ILLEGALLY.

This infantilizes women. Although this is sometimes the case, I would not categorically portray women as dupes of seducers. This isn't the 19th century, but this mentality reminds me of that. This is not to say that trickery and kidnapping is not part of it, only that it is very important to see the whole picture in order to find solutions.

>THEN, ONCE A WOMAN IS IN THEIR CONTROL,
>THE TRAFFICKERS SELL HER TO WORK AS A PROSTITUTE OR AS >A VIRTUAL SLAVE LABORER.

>ACCORDING TO LIN LAP, OF THE NETHERLANDS-BASED >FOUNDATION AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN, THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS IN EUROPE OFTEN COME FROM POORER >COUNTRIES AND HAVE MANY REASONS FOR WANTING TO LEAVE.

// LAP ACT //

> WOMEN ARE JUST SOMETIMES TRYING TO LEAVE A BAD
> FAMILY SITUATION. THEY'RE NOT HAVING A CHANCE IN
> THEIR OWN COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE, AND THEY
> COULDN'T GET A HOUSE TO STAY SEPARATE FROM THEIR
> FAMILY. THEY DON'T HAVE JOBS OR THEY JUST CAN'T BE
> INDEPENDENT. SO THEY THINK, WELL, IT'S POSSIBLE IN
> WESTERN EUROPE, IT'S POSSIBLE SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND
> THEY JUST GO AND TRY. THEN, WHEN THEY COME THERE,
> IT'S IMMEDIATELY PASSPORTS TAKEN AWAY, [WITH THE
> TRAFFICKER] SAYING "NO, YOU'RE HERE NOW AND I'VE
> ARRANGED ALL THIS FOR YOU. YOU HAVE TO PAY ME SO
> MUCH MONEY, SO YOU WORK."


// END ACT //

>AS FOR THE TRAFFICKERS, LIN LAP SAYS GREED IS THEIR
>INCENTIVE.

// LAP ACT //

> IT IS FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT COMES
> OUT OF IT. THE TRAFFICKER DOESN'T KEEP THE WOMEN
> HIMSELF; IT ISN'T A ONE-TO-ONE SITUATION WHERE
> SOMEONE JUST KIDNAPS A WOMAN HIMSELF OR MISLEADS
> HER AND THEN JUST USES HER FOR HIS OWN PLEASURE OR
> USES HER SERVICES. BUT HE SELLS HER TO ANOTHER
> PERSON OR ESTABLISHMENT OR INDUSTRY.

// END ACT //

> THE BREAKUP OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION HAS ALTERED
> SOME OF THE OLDER MIGRATION PATTERNS. PETER SCHATZER, > EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE GENEVA-BASED
> INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION, SAYS ONE
> EXAMPLE IS THAT MORE
> WOMEN FROM EASTERN EUROPE ARE NOW SHOWING UP IN THE
> BROTHELS OF WESTERN EUROPE.

// SCHATZER ACT //

> LET'S LOOK FIRST AT THE SEX TRADE, IF YOU WANT TO
> CALL IT THAT. THERE, EAST EUROPEANS ARE DEFINITELY
> REPLACING WOMEN FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES -- IN
> PARTICULAR FROM THE CARIBBEAN, FROM SANTO DOMINGO,
> THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- WHICH WAS A FAMOUS
> SUPPLIER OF WORKERS IN THE SEX TRADE IN EUROPE.
> THERE'S ALSO A REGIONAL FLOW FROM SOUTHERN CHINA
> INTO THAILAND, FROM BURMA INTO THAILAND.

// END ACT //

> MR. SCHATZER SAYS ALTHOUGH MIGRATION IN GENERAL IS >NOT NEW, THE INCIDENTS OF TRAFFICKING ARE DEFINITELY >INCREASING BECAUSE OF STRICTER CONTROLS ON LEGAL >IMMIGRATION TO SOME COUNTRIES.

That's the problem, but this article doesn't deal with that. Stricter laws against trafficking are just going to drive it even more underground.

>HE ADDS THAT WOMEN WHO FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED
>IN A TRAFFICKING SITUATION OFTEN HAD BELIEVED THEY WOULD
>BE FINE ONCE THEY REACHED THEIR DESTINATION.



// SCHATZER ACT //

> THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD REALLY WALK ON ROADS PAVED
>WITH GOLD, AS MANY IMMIGRANTS USED TO THINK. THEY
> VERY OFTEN FIND OUT THAT NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT
> PAVED, BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO PAVE THEM
> THEMSELVES.


// END ACT //

>BOTH EXPERTS SAY GOVERNMENTS NEED TO DO MORE TO CRACK >DOWN ON TRAFFICKERS. LIN LAP SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO >CLEARLY DEFINE THE CRIME IN LEGAL TERMS, AND THEN STEP >UP ENFORCEMENT. PETER SCHATZER POINTS OUT THAT IN MANY >CASES, PEOPLE WHO TRAFFIC DRUGS OR WEAPONS USUALLY >RECEIVE STIFFER PUNISHMENTS THAN THOSE WHO BUY AND >SELL HUMAN BEINGS. (SIGNED)


Sometimes people refer to pimping in just that way, and to prostitution as selling one's body, however many prostitutes feel that this is a stigmatizing way to regard prostitution. Prostitutes are selling a service. Persons who force others to work as prostitutes, and buy and sell them like slaves is another story, but the term and laws against trafficking are enforced against any business arrangements around prostitution and travel, not simply against those who truly do 'buy and sell human being.'