Get tough on firms trafficking migrant workers, US official urges

In a recent news , LUIS CdeBaca, ambassador at large for the US State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, urged Thailand on August 6th 2013 to impose harsh sentences on employers found guilty of trafficking migrant workers.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Act calls for four to 10 years in prison and fines of Bt80, 000-Bt200, 000 against those convicted of such crimes.

CdeBaca expressed his concern over the seizure of migrant workers' passports and docking of their pay to cover middlemen's commissions.

CdeBaca said, “The US would send an advisory team to help improve the Thai Labour Ministry's worker-inspection system and human-trafficking prosecution process which was rather slow, not strict enough, and encouraged employers to repeatedly commit trafficking offences".

C deBaca wished stricter controls on employment agencies, some of which charge Thai workers placed in jobs overseas fees so high they fall within the framework of human-trafficking offences. He also urged the government to ensure that a good worker-protection system was in place before it goes forward with its plan to import 50,000 Bangladeshis to work in the Thai fishery industry.

Acknowledging that most employers faced only fines and civil lawsuits, Labor Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwon said he would speak to the minister about stricter measures and criminal charges for those who commit human trafficking. He would also talk with the departments of Employment and Labour Protection and Welfare about a probe into agencies that overcharge Thais for placement in overseas jobs, and the possibility of prosecuting these agencies under the criminal code.

Courtesy : The NATION - Thailand news

Human Trafficking of Uganda, Rescued in South India

(According to Times of India, Bangalore, Aug 3, 2013, 06.58PM IST)

Prostitution, the system that commodities and dehumanizes the bodies and persons of women and children of both sexes for the use and profit of men, is today the object of an intense and international mainstreaming campaign that is working for the social and political acceptance of the hugely profitable industries of sex.

 Prostitution in India is a serious social problem and its solution has been rendered difficult by the problem of poverty, illiteracy, Poverty, Unemployment, High government corruption, Political instability, Organized crime, armed conflict, Natural disasters (Eg. Tsunami in Indonesia; earthquake in Haiti).  Prostitution is widely rampant in India and its main markets are in the big cities. The statistics available on the number of prostitutes operating in the country is not exact because there is so much of clandestine prostitution, in spite of such undetected prostitution the situation is horrifying. A very accurate, comprehensive picture of prostitution in India is not available since sexual exploitation and sale of women and children are mostly unreported crimes.

(Recently a case has been found in bangalore, below are the details..)

The women and narcotics cell of the central crime branch rescued 11 Ugandan women from two of their countrymen in a raid on a house in Srinivasapura Main Road near Bengaluru on Friday night. 

The operation, conducted on a tip-off, revealed that the women were promised jobs in India and brought here. "The women complained they were forced into prostitution. Of the 11 women, only one had a valid passport and visa. Others didn't possess passports and visas or didn't have it with them when they were rescued," ACP (crime) Pranav Mohanty said. The arrested men are Brian Albert, 23, of Kampala, and Kawuta Michael, 23, of Entebbe. 

"Besides rescuing them, we found the house they were staying in was stocked with liquor bottles worth Rs 1.25 lakh. The liquor was allegedly sold to their customers. Seven mobiles were seized from them," an officer said. 

Police said an alert had been sent to the Ugandan embassy in New Delhi to ascertain the identity of the women. It's not clear when they entered the country. The women are sent to a shelter and they'll soon be deported home, police said. A case was registered at Bengaluru police station.

Atrocities on women

Male violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon. Although not every woman has experienced it, and many expect not to, fear of violence is an important factor in the lives of most women. It determines what they do, when they do it, where they do it, and with whom. Fear of violence is a cause of women's lack of participation in activities beyond the home, as well as inside it. Within the home, women and girls may be subjected to physical and sexual abuse as punishment or as culturally justified assaults. These acts shape their attitude to life, and their expectations of themselves.

There are various forms of crime against women. Sometimes, it begins even before their birth, sometimes in the adulthood and other phrases of life. In the Indian society, the position of women is always perceived in relation to the man, from birth onwards and at every stage of life, she is dependent on him. This perception has given birth to various social customs and practices. One important manifestation of these customs and practices has been that of Sati. It is seen as a pinnacle of achievement for a woman. This custom of self-immolation of the widow on her husband's pyre was an age-old practice in some parts of the counter, which received deification. The popular belief ran that the goddess enters into the body of the woman who resolves to become a sati. The practice of sati has been abolished by law with the initiative of Raja Ram Mohan Roy in the early decades of nineteenth century. However, there has been a significant revival of the practice of sati in the last few decades. Indeed, Rajasthan has been the focal point for this practice in recent years.

Violence against women both inside and outside of their home has been a crucial issue in the contemporary Indian society. Women in India constitute near about half of its population and most of them are grinding under the socio-cultural and religious structures. One gender has been controlling the space of the India's social economic, political and religious fabric since time immemorial.

The condition of widows is one of the most neglected social issues in India. Because of widowhood the quality of life is lowered for many Indian women. Three percent of all Indian women are widows and on an average, mortality rate is 86 percent higher among elderly widows in comparison to married women of the same age group. Various studies indicated that

1.              legal rights of widows are violated,

2.              they suffer forceful social isolation

3.              they have limited freedom to marry

4.              restrictive employment opportunities for widows,

5.              most widows get little economic support from their family or from the community.

It is common to read news about violation or wrongs committed on women every day. Our orthodox society is so much prejudiced by age-old habits and customs that a violated woman, whether she is forced or helpless, has no place in the society.

Another danger in India is that, Indian law does not differentiate between major and minor rape. In every ten-rape case, six are of minor girls. In every seven minutes a crime is committed against women in India. Every 26 minutes a woman is molested. Every 34 minutes a rape takes place. Every 42 minutes a sexual harassment incident occurs. Every 43 minutes a woman is kidnapped. And every 93 minutes a woman is burnt to death over dowry. One-quarter of the reported rapes involve girls under the age of 16 but the vast majority are never reported. Although the penalty is severe, convictions are rare.

Recently A female physiotherapy intern was beaten and gang raped in Delhi on 16 December 2012, and died thirteen days later while undergoing emergency treatment in Singapore for brain and gastrointestinal damage from the assault. She and a male companion boarded a bus in South Delhi in the evening after watching a film, and were assaulted by five passengers already aboard. She was taken to Safdarjang Hospital, received multiple surgeries, and was placed on mechanical ventilation. On 26 December, she was moved to Singapore for further treatment, and she died on 29 December.

As of 21 December 2012, six men, including the bus driver, have been arrested. The incident has generated international coverage and was condemned by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, who called on the Government of India and the Government "to do everything in their power to take up radical reforms, ensure justice and reach out with robust public services to make women’s lives more safe and secure". Public protests took place in Delhi, where thousands of protesters clashed with security forces. Similar protests took place in major cities throughout the country.

UN report: Opium cultivation rising in Burma

Opium growing has increased in Burma for a sixth year running despite eradication efforts, a UN report says.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime said land used for opium had risen by 17% this year, from nearly 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) to 51,000 hectares.

Burma is the second largest opium grower in the world after Afghanistan.

Almost all of the opium it produces is grown in Shan and Kachin states, which have seen longstanding conflict between the military and ethnic rebel groups.

'Toxic combination'

Citing figures from the Burmese government, the report said almost 24,000 hectares of poppy fields had been eradicated in 2012 - about four times the figure in 2011.

Gary Lewis, UNODC representative in South East Asia, said the situation on the ground was "very complex". In areas where opium was grown, there was ''a toxic combination of guns, money and drugs'', he said.

The army and rebel fighters often profit from allowing the trade to continue. Farmers, meanwhile, say the instability means they have little choice but to continue growing the lucrative poppy plant - which is used to make heroin.

Burma accounts for 25% of opium grown in the world, while Laos accounts for 3%, said the report, entitled the South East Asia Opium Survey 2012.

In Laos, land used to grow opium increased almost four-fold between 2007 and 2012 to 6,300 hectares.

The recent rise contrasts with the situation from 1998 to 2006, when both Burma and Laos saw big drops - with an 83% reduction in the case of Burma.

Most of Burma's opium is refined into heroin - about half goes to meet the growing market in China, with the rest being sold across South East Asia.

Part of the reason for the sustained growth in the cultivation of this crop is the demand for heroin in Asia, said the report.

But the good news, in the case of Burma, was that there was now ''momentum to find the solution'', Mr Lewis said.

There is support from President Thein Sein's government, which has embarked on a series of reforms.

Ceasefires and political opening up also meant that international organisations such as the UN now have better access to the areas.

The Golden Triangle - where Burma, Thailand and Laos meet - has been notorious for opium and drug smuggling for decades.

Reference:

http://www.skynews.com.au/world/article.aspx?id=811414

http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/17682

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/un-says-myanmar-opium-production-rise

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20150082

Research body for Anti Trafficking

Research Body for Anti Trafficking - Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN):

             The Research body PSN, with the mission to render safety to the Neighborhood with dedicated  commitment  has been supporting the mission of addressal of Human Trafficking, directly and indirectly with its work force.  The vision of this body is to revitalize and re-energize the existing system in operations of Anti Trafficking with the following dignitaries.

1. Dr. Arvind Verma (Former IPS), Professor of Criminology, Indiana University, Indiana,  USA
2. Prof. Praveen Patkar, Researcher on human Trafficking – Women issues, R/o Mumbai, India.
3. Dr. Chandrasekhar Bhatt, Professor, Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam, India.
4. Mr. A. Jaisankar, Director – Technology & Researcher GIS - Environmental Criminology , Neer Interactives, R/o Hyderabad.
5. Mr. P. David Raj, Researcher on Women and Child Issues, R/o  Hyderabad.
6. Dr. Sridhar Madhubhushi, Researcher, Law and issues- Child and Women Trafficking, R/o    Hyderabad.
7. Dr. Ramesh Kanneganti, Researcher, International security - Transnational crimes, R/o Hyderabad.

              Project Safe Neighborhood, PSN will be working and modeling with a comprehensive strategic approach to reduce crime and violence by promoting safety protocols, starting with the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

   The operations will be based upon five essential elements :   

a. Partnership between the state and local agencies to a strategic plan that will be tailored to local  circumstances and resources.

b. Strategic plan that will be tailored to local circumstances and resources.  

c. Coordination of specialized training for state and local law enforcement officers and others respective personnel. 

d. Community outreach and public awareness programs to convey the program's message to the general public.   

Influence of Fashion in Human Trafficking.

Child Sexual Exploitation and  Trafficking

Series-1

Child trafficking is only one aspect of child exploitation in Central Asia that needs to be addressed, says UNICEF

http://images.scotsman.com/2006/09/24/2409abuseb.jpg

Sex trafficking has become a multi-billion dollar business, and is the third most profitable business for organized crime, after drugs and arms dealing. Due to its very nature, the exact statistics of sex trafficking are extremely hard to estimate. Anywhere from 700,000 and 4 million women and children are trafficked for the purpose of sex and sexual exploitation every year.

Trafficking in Trafficking in children is on rise,  Child shall mean any person under eighteen years of age,  and nearly 60% of the victims of trafficking are below 18 years of age (NCRB, 2005), is a global problem affecting large numbers of children.

It is estimated that 1.2 million children being trafficked every year.  There is a demand for trafficked children as cheap labour or for sexual exploitation. 

In data recently collected by UNODC on the number of victims detected by state authorities around the world, two thirds of the detected victims were women, and 79% of the victims were subject to sexual exploitation.

·         Every thirty seconds, another person becomes a victim. 

·         The age of the average trafficking victim is becoming younger and younger.

·         Girls as young as 7 are being trafficked for child prostitution.

·         The average age of prostitutes being trafficked into certain Asian brothels is 14.

·         In South America, children as young as 12 are being kidnapped off the streets and then trafficked into Mexico. In the United States, trafficking has started to become a large problem.

·         In India, a large number of children are trafficked not only for the sex ‘trade’ but

·         also for other forms of non-sex based exploitation that includes servitude of

·         Various kinds, as domestic labour, industrial labour, agricultural labour, begging,

·         organ trade and false marriage.

 Why Child at risk/vulnerability:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGsEeIhWHSA&feature=related(vidieo clippings)

Trafficking in human beings take place for the purpose of exploitation which in general could be categorized as (a) Sex -based and (b) Non-Sex-based. The former category includes trafficking for prostitution, Commercial sexual abuse, Pedophilia, Pornography, Cyber sex, and different types of disguised sexual exploitation that take place in some of the massage parlors, beauty parlors, bars, and other manifestations like call girl racket, friends clubs, participation in beauty contests, modeling opportunities, affordable vacations, study abroad programmes or marriage services. etc. Non sex based trafficking could be for different types of servitude, like domestic labor, industrial labor, adoption, organ transplant, camel racing marriage related rackets etc. But the growing traffic in women is principally for the purpose of prostitution

All these situations occur due to the risk and vulnerable situations of innocent children as stated, according to Routine Access Theory, three things happen at the same place and at the same time.

When “Demand” (Buyer/User), “Distribution” (suitable target), “Supply” (Victim with guardian less environment) are happened to be at same place and at the same time the crime takes place
.

The terms ‘at risk’ and ‘vulnerable’ can mean the same thing – specifically that a child is at heightened risk that one or more of their human rights may be violated. However, the term ‘at risk’ is used here for children who are exposed to one or more of the specific risk factors that are used internationally as indicators of risk/ vulnerability, while the word ‘vulnerable’ is used to describe children whose rights are threatened.

Further Vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of a person, group, society or system to physical or emotional injury or attack. The term can also refer to a person who lets their guard down, leaving themselves open to censure or criticism. Vulnerability refers to a person's state of being liable to succumb to manipulation, persuasion, temptation etc.

Children and their families are often unaware of the dangers of trafficking, believing that better employment and lives lie in other countries. Child trafficking is lucrative and linked with criminal activity and corruption. It is often hidden and hard to address. Trafficking always violates the child’s right to grow up in a family environment. In addition, children who have been trafficked face a range of dangers, including violence and sexual abuse. Trafficked children are even arrested and detained as illegal aliens.

Unfortunately, society remains tolerant of this abominable crime against children.

The factors that include for the child vulnerability are: poverty and unemployment; lack of proper reintegration services, lack of options; stigma and adverse social attitudes; family expectations and pressure; resignation and acclimatization to the lifestyle them and though significant but are not in focus such as bad influence of fashion, media, movies, entertainment that is in rise.

Because most conditions causing vulnerability of child into sex trafficking is result of bad influence of loads factors mentioned below:

Series –I focuses on Fashion:

Most of the fashion, diet and lifestyle advice is directed toward being desirable to men. Magazines emphasize sexuality as a central identity, minimizing all other attributes. The girls reading teen magazines begin to digest and believe the message that they are only sexual objects.

Fashion effects to our lives by getting us involved something new there are two points’ positive and negative effects of fashion on youth

• The American Psychological Association estimates that teens are exposed to 14,000 sexual references & innuendos per year on TV.
• In a recent survey by Teen People magazine, 27% of the girls felt that the media pressures them to have a perfect body.
• A 1996 poll conducted by Saatchi and Saatchi found that ads made women fear being unattractive or old.
• By the time a young person is 17 years old, they have received over 250,000 commercial messages through the media.
• Three out of four teens say ‘TV shows and movies make it seem normal for teenagers to have sex.’
• Four out of ten teenagers say they have gotten ideas for how to talk to their boyfriends and girlfriends about sexual issues from the entertainment media.
• A recent report from the Center for Media & Public Affairs found music videos to contain more sex per minute than any competing media genre.
• A study of 4,294 network television commercials found that nearly one in 4 commercials includes some type of sexual attractiveness as a base for the message.
• Young teens (13-15) indicate that a major source of sex education is from TV.

Let the children be protected from bad influences of fashion, media, entertainment so as to minimize the exposure to sexual exploitations, and let the families, NGO’s, Government, and socially responsible individuals build the  healthy attitudes towards human sexuality in children and also flesh out a safe guardian environment and protect them from all sorts of sex trafficking. Lets join hands in this mission of protecting the innocent kids prevent them from vulnerable and painful sufferings.

Invitation - KNOCKOFF MEETING - TAPAS (Trafficking Analysis and Prevention Aiding system) Pilot Project