Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Global human trafficking roundup (February 22, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Georgia: A new house bill was proposed to impose tougher penalties on traffickers. The bill, if implemented, will increase the minimum sentence for child trafficking to 25 years. For trafficking an adult, the minimum sentence will increase from one to 10 years in prison. Also, the victim of sex trafficking will not be charged with prostitution but be treated as victim.

New Mexico: The state Attorney General revealed a manual for law enforcement to fight human trafficking. The manual will be distributed to the law enforcement during the training session conducted by the Attorney General's staff.

Arizona: Human trafficking is growing in Arizona, but it is hard to distinguish the problem from other crimes such as prostitution and illegal immigration. One victim says that she was forced into sex industry when she was 16 year old. However, she said that many girls in the age between 14 and 16 work at strip club and are prostituted in Arizona.

Ohio: Police busted a trafficking ring that forced many migrants into indentured servitude in Zaneville. The woman arrested allegedly received a large sums of money in exchange of false high school diploma and cosmetology diploma.

ASIA

India: Activists blame the increasing number of missing persons in Bengal region on lack of job opportunity and political instability. According to the government report, the number of missing persons in the region went up from 196 in 2000 to 6514 in 2010. Activists further warned that the number would likely increase even more because the closure of tea garden and the abysmal condition of tourism sector.

Malaysia: Two men were charged with sex trafficking Indonesian women into prostitution. The women are in the age between 16 and 27, and exploited with commercial sex. They were confined in a room at an apartment, and their movement were closely monitored by the two men. However, one of them denied the allegation when another one pleaded guilty to the charges and sentenced three years in jail.

AFRICA

Benin: A government authority reports that over 5000 victims of trafficking were rehabilitated, and 1000 victims received job training. Also, it reports that approximately 700 victims successfully reintegrated into the society by establishing in the businesses of their choices, and more than 60 victims pursued further education.

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