Global human trafficking roundup (April 8, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Texas: House passes human trafficking bill. The bill makes it a felony to force children into prostitution, extends the statute of limitations for the crime, and requires any sex trafficking offenders to register as sex offenders.

Hawaii: Senate Judiciary Committee passes packages of the bills that will crackdown johns and pimps in the state. According to one advocate, Hawaii is one of the four states that do not have a comprehensive anti-human trafficking law in the U.S. But, under the new bills, buying sex and forcing someone into prostitution are made to be a felony. The legislation is expected to pass both the House and Senate as soon as next week.

Maryland: Two anti-human trafficking bills passed the state Senate. The bills, if implemented, will provide funding for education on human trafficking and investigations for the crimes. They will also allow the state to seize the profits from human trafficking activities and post National Hotline Numbers in truck stops and rest area.

ASIA

Taiwan: US officials says that Taiwan has improved its effort to combat human trafficking. U.S. Ambassador at large, Luis CdeBaca said that both Taiwan and South Korea the two most active countries to fight against human trafficking in Asian countries during the Senate hearing.

Israel: A Russian tourist was charged with human trafficking. According to the indictment, he conspired with others to transfer women from Russia to Israel for prostitution.

The Philippines: Women and Child Protection (WCP) unit says that victims refuse to file lawsuits against their predators. The WCP chief believes that the victims are hesitant to file a lawsuit against the predators because they think that their relatives are involved in falsifying the documents to facilitate illegal recruitment by the predators.

India: A victim pleads the authority not to legalize prostitution. She was sold to the brothel when she was ten years old. She was forced into prostitution until she was rescued by an activist 10 years later. She argues that legalizing prostitution will not benefit women. Instead, she argues that the state should crackdown on demand for prostitution.