Global human trafficking roundup (July 20, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Canada: Hamilton police receives funding supports to fight human trafficking in the area. The funding will be used to increase education campaign, special investigations targeting sex trade, etc. Last year, Hamilton police arrested ten adults and a youth in connection to the largest human trafficking case in Canada.

Georgia: Authorities found a missing 15 year old Wisconsin girl and her infant son. The report says that she was a victim of sex trafficking in Georgia. The victim has been missing since May 2011, when she ran away from home in Belmar Hills, Wisconsin. Police are still investigating to discover who was involved in sex trafficking the victim.

US: U.S. authority launches a public campaign to fight against human trafficking. The campaign includes the ads based on the feedback from Homeland Security. The ads will run across the states including District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The campaign's primary target is to countermeasure labor trafficking in the U.S.

North Carolina: human trafficking is an ongoing problem in the state, police says. The crime is so lucrative that it is difficult to track it down, according to the police. Currently, the legislation is available to help victims in the state, but the funding is for the initiatives are up for discussion in Congress.

EUROPE

UK: Home Secretary warned that human traffickers likely would target Olympics. The warning came as the Home Office launched a new measure to combat human trafficking. The Home Office will examine tougher penalties to seize assets from the convicted smugglers and traffickers.

Turkey: Human trafficking persists to be a problem in Turkey. One woman shares her story as a victim of sex trafficking in Turkey. She came to Istanbul to be a housekeeper after responding to a newspaper advertisement. But, upon arrival, she was locked into a house for several months and forced into prostitution. One law enforcement pointed out the male dominated culture and inadequate law enforcement as main causes of human trafficking in Turkey.

Czech Republic: Police dismantled sex trafficking ring that preyed on Czech women in Britain. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with British police. The police arrested six people that recruited young Czech women for sham marriages and prostitution.

ASIA

Myanmar: Myanmar steps up its effort to combat human trafficking. The authority established 26 new special police squads to curb female trafficking in the border region. It also increased its awareness raising effort by using pamphlets, billboards, etc. to combat human trafficking.

India: Police arrested a placement agency owner for running a human trafficking ring. He allegedly recruited girls from rural area in Assam for domestic servants. The victims, however, never received the wages.

The Philippines: Three women were charged with trafficking other women and children. According to the report, the arrests were made during the operation conducted by IJM and the Intelligence Unit. Police also rescued eight victims during the operation.

AFRICA

Nigeria: The national authority announced that over 20,000 girls were sex trafficked in Mali last year. Young women were subject to forced prostitution as well as emotional and physical abuse by the traffickers. They were also required to see at least 20 men a day. The critics point out the Nigerian government's failed effort to combat human trafficking in the country, such as Operation Timbuktu.

South Africa; A woman was sentenced to life in prison for trafficking three girls from Mozambique. According to the report, the convicted trafficker locked the girls in the age between 14 and 17 in a house and forced them into prostitution.

Global human trafficking roundup (May 20, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Kentucky: Two parents were indicted on human trafficking charges for selling their daughters' sexual flavors. They arranged their 13 and 14 year old daughters to provide companionship and affection to men for money and goods, according to the indictment. Their mother recruited men at local grocery stores and encouraged them to touch and kiss her daughters to receive money and clothing from the men.

Hawaii: Labor company was fined $340,000 for exploiting more than 400 Thai farm workers. The court ordered the company to pay $153,000 in back wages to 88 temporary workers and $197,000 for penalties. The back wages were calculated based on what was originally promised to the Thai workers.

Nevada: Governor signed a bill to assist women forced into prostitution in Las Vegas. The Assembly bill 6 would allow women forced into prostitution or trafficked to request a district court to erase her conviction.

Georgia: A man gets 12 years in prison for sex trafficking women. When the then 21 year old victim had escaped from the man, he tracked her down and brought her back to his motel. He ordered other streetwalkers to beat her up. Then, he locked her up in a dog kennel.

EUROPE

UK: A woman forced to work as a domestic servant was awarded £5,000 damages after the judge criticized the Metro police for failing to promptly investigate the case. The victim was regularly stripped and beaten with a stick or belt by the church pastor in front of her three children. In 1999 the pastor also stabbed the victim in her head with a heavy meat cleaver. The pastor was sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison after being convicted of trafficking the woman and two other children to UK as domestic slaves.

ASIA

India: Police found a 21 year old woman who was victimized by a trafficking ring. According to the victim, she was sent to Dubai with a promise of a good job but ended up being forced into performing a dance at a bar. She also stayed at a hotel with 20 other girls in the similar situation. When she tried to committed a suicide to escape an enslaved lifestyle, Her trafficker sent her back to India. She was weeping at the Delhi airport, when police found her.

Taiwan: Two teenage boys are arrested for pimping on dozens of girls. The girls as young as twelve years old were recruited through internet for prostitution, working at tea house, and hotels in the capital city. Police said that the teenage boys are the youngest pimps ever.

AFRICA

Senegal: ILO and other international organizations report that Talibes, students of Islam, are forced into begging on the students. They estimate that over 7000 boys are working on the street in the capital city alone. And Human Rights Watch estimates that 50,000 children are exploited nationwide. Children are initially recruited to learn how to read and recite Quran by the religious teachers but ended up living under a poor condition and being forced to beg on the street.

Global human trafficking roundup (May 19, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Nebraska: U.S. authority says that corporation needs to wake up to fight against human trafficking. Currently, awareness raising led to legislations in many states to punish traffickers and protect victims. But, authority says that further action is necessary to include corporation to collaborate with countries across the regions to trace supply chains of cheap goods to fight against slavery.

Tennessee: The recent study on human trafficking in Tennessee shows that many children in the age between nine and 17 are transferred from city to city and sexually exploited. Hamilton County, according to the study, is one of eight in the state to report more than 100 cases of adult sex trafficking for the past 24 months. Because of it's geographical proximity to Atlanta and interstates that cross the state, it is conducive to a traveling business.

Canada: RCMP says that the case against a woman to enslaved an African woman is solid. According to RCMP, the woman is a well respected in the community without any criminal record. However, he lured a 24 year old victim from Africa and forced her into long hours of labor without pay in her home for years. The woman is now facing one count of human trafficking and one count of smuggling charges.

Florida: FBI arrested a couple who forced children into prostitution. They are facing charges of recruiting, providing and maintaining minors for commercial sex in a house. According to the criminal complaint, the couple prostituted children as young as 14 year old to have sex with men. One victim said that there were many women and children dancing in front of men when she first walked into the house. She also said that she had sex with the suspect who told her ti was part of orientation.

EUROPE

Belgium: EU proposes better help for victim protection. Currently, the level of protection and assistances for victims differ in each member state. EU argues that this creates confusion about their rights among the victims. EU further argues that a new directive will provide a more unified protection for the victims regardless of where they are from or where they are located in Europe.

ASIA

India: Police busted a human trafficking ring and arrested two people. During the raid, police rescued nine children who were trafficked. The children, including three boys and three little children, were sold to Delhi as domestic servants. The allegedly traffickers received the initially payment from the employers. But, neither the parents nor the children received any monthly salaries for their labor.

AFRICA

Congo: Children are vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation, a report says. Many of them grew up in a poor family, and they often share financial burdens of their parents. Some are neglected by their own parents and ended up being forced to beg for living on the street or recruited by a brothel madam. While child protection law is in place, it is rarely enforced, according to the report.

Global human trafficking roundup (May 7-9, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Texas: A Milwaukee couple were charged with trafficking a woman for prostitution. They allegedly kidnapped the woman to their house and forced her into prostitution in New Orleans and Dallas. If the victim failed to make $500 a day, the couple denied the victim of privileges including watching TV. The suspect also held the victim's head underwater until she agreed to stay when her first attempt to escape failed.

Oregon: Police are investigating an allegedly sex trafficking case at a local motel. The investigation began after they were informed that a 15 year old girl was held against her will. She was given drug and forced into prostitution. According to the report, the victim was taken to the hospital for recovery, but her mental recovery may take longer.

ASIA

India: Police busted a human trafficking ring that sent people to Gulf countries for labor trafficking. Police arrested a 55 year old man and 23 year old man for trafficking people abroad. The suspects allegedly lured the victims with a promise of good jobs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but the victims ended up working at a poor working environment without pay.

AFRICA

Zimbabwe: Interpol is tracking down on a South African based human trafficking ring that allegedly recruited more than 100 girls from neighboring countries. The victims are mostly from Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Mozambique. They are also transferred to Europe and Asia for prostitution or labor exploitation.

Global human trafficking roundup (April 30-May 2, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Missouri: The U.S. Attorney's office is applying to be part of a pilot program to fight against human trafficking. Recently, a man from Ellisville was sentenced five years in prison for his role in a human trafficking scheme. In another case, the U.S. Attorney's office prosecuted an owner of Chinese restaurant for exploiting Mexican and Chinese workers with labor.

New York: A 30 year old man was convicted of pimping on a 11 year old child. The victim met him when she was under foster care in the age of 10. She continued to see him after she moved into her grandmother's care. Soon, the man forced her into prostitution. She said that she had to sleep with several men for $500 or sometimes $1000.

EUROPE

Malta: International human trafficking in Europe is on the spotlight. Many victims from Eastern Europe and Asian countries are trafficked to Europe for forced labor or prostitution. Children are also trafficked in the early age and sold for adoption or child labor.

ASIA

India: Corporates in Goa say that they will support trafficking victims. Corporates agreed to support victim assistance and rehabilitation programs. Goa State Women's Commission therefore plans to form a few committees to implement policies to help the victims with corporates' help.

Iraq: An army reservists save Ugandan women from trafficking in Iraq. According to the report, at least 150 Ugandan women were believed to be lured into coming to Iraq with a promise of jobs on American military base. But, they were sold into wealthy Iraqi families for $3500. To escape physical and sexual assaults by their employers, 17 of the Ugandan women fled to the U.S. military base. Despite the lack of jurisdiction, the army reservists decided to help Ugandan women instead of turning the matter to Iraqi security.

Global human trafficking roundup (April 27, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Hawaii: An anti-human trafficking bill passed its conference committee. The new bill, if implemented, will criminalize labor trafficking in Hawaii. According to the report, the bill may well be on its way to the governor's desk for his signature after the final reading at House. Hawaii reminds as one of the four states with no comprehensive anti-human trafficking legislation.

New York: Hilton Worldwide signs a tourism Code of Conduct to combat child trafficking and sexual exploitation. Though thousands of hotel industries signed the Code worldwide, Hilton worldwide is only the fourth U.S. company to agree to work with ECPAT-USA.

EUROPE

Czech Republic: Authorities announced that the number of human trafficking cases has increased over the past. The authorities uncovered 24 cases in 2010, an increase from seven in 2009. Also, police rescued 76 victims last year, up from 42 victims in 2009. In particular, the report notes that victims of labor exploitation include Mongolians, Romanians, Bulgarians, and Vietnamese.

ASIA

Tonga: The court made the first conviction in a human trafficking case. A Chinese national was convicted of multiple charges, including human trafficking, keeping a brothel, and running a prostitution ring. The Chinese national is facing maximum penalty of 25 year jail sentence.

India: A former cricketer was charged with human trafficking on Wednesday. According to the report, he allegedly trafficked Indian children to UK with a promise of allowing them to play cricket abroad. He also collected money from the children. Police however discovered that he was traveling with a forged passport, and the cricket team he claimed does not exist.

Malaysia: Law enforcement made over 700 arrests up until March this year. They also rescued 50 women, 55 men, and 23 children during the same period.

Azerbaijan: Authority announced that three women are charged in connection with three human trafficking cases. One woman was charged with trafficking other women for sexual exploitation in UAE, and the other two women were charged with sex trafficking young females to Turkey.

Global human trafficking roundup ( April 22, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Florida: A woman's human trafficking sentence was cut in half after helping local police to recognize the signs of human trafficking. She was convicted of trafficking three other women for prostitution. She and her boyfriend ran an escort service in Bonita Spring and used drug addiction to force the victims into prostitution.

Maryland: The governor is signing a bill that would allow the law enforcement to use wiretapping and electronic devices during human trafficking investigation into the law. Under the new legislation, judge may grant an order authorizing the interception of wire, oral, and electronic communications.

EUROPE

Bulgaria: Police uncover a human trafficking ring. The police were able to arrest the gangs in cooperation with Greek police. A 29 year old ring leader promised the victims a better life at charity organizations in Greece. Many of the victims were disabled. However, he forced them into begging in Athens upon arrival, and they were subject to poor living conditions.

ASIA

India: The Central Bureau of Investigation raided several recruitment agencies for human trafficking. The raid was conducted in six travel agencies in New Delhi yesterday, and CBI is planning on raiding other agencies in other cities. The CBI believes that two travel agencies in New Delhi are working with recruitment agencies to trafficking people abroad.

Malaysia: A 22 year old man was convicted of trafficking 13 Indonesian women and sentenced to 91 years in jail. He denied the allegation at the court stating that the victims came to Malaysia voluntarily and that he was only helping them with daily activities and welfare.

Global human trafficking roundup (April 16-18, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Pennsylvania: A new legislation cracks down on sex trade in massage parlors. The legislation will require parlors to display license to practice massage from the state Board of Massage Therapy. To be eligible to obtain license, a person needs to either attend a massage school or be able to show a five years of experience.

Nebraska: Experts recognized that victim treatment has been improved for the past two decades In the past, the victims are thrown out on the street after the rescue and were told to get better. But, many people recognize the needs of victim assistance and become part of the healing process. In addition, the U.S. attorney applauded the increasing effort of Omaha law enforcement in cracking down on human trafficking.

ASIA

UAE: Two Chinese women are convicted of trafficking two other women and a man. They forced the victims into performing sexual services and massage at a parlor without getting paid. The victims were also subject to threat and confinement.

India: Police arrested three men and rescued three girls in the age between 15 and 17 from a human trafficking ring during the raid. Police suspected that the children were recruited from poor villages to work at a service sector but were going to be forced into prostitution.

Qatar: A new law to combat human trafficking is awaiting for final approval. The legislation will protect trafficking victims in domestic servitude sectors from their abusive employers. It will prevent employers from physically and emotionally abusing their maids and forcing them into labor at a harsh work environment and failing to pay their wages. If convicted, an employer will face up to 15 years and fines running up to QR300,000 under the new legislation.

The Philippines: The local authority in Cebu urged the immigration office to ensure background check on foreign tourists in an effort to fight against human trafficking. The urge to toughen up the measure came about after the recent human trafficking incidents that victimized women and children. Many women and children are forced into prostitution, pornography, and other sexual exploitation in Cebu.

Global human trafficking roundup ( April 12, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Oregon: Portland remains as a hub of sex trafficking despite of the anti-huamn trafficking effort by the lawmakers. One sex trafficking survivor shared her experience as a sex slave. She accepted a ride from a man who took her to Seattle when she was 18. He brought her to a hotel and tied her to a chair. He also took away all of her identification and cell phone. Though she was able to escape, she said that many victims are too terrified to come forward out of the fear of their traffickers.

Arizona: Girl Scouts battle prostitution by working with sexual exploited minors. Cactus-Pine Council of the Girl Scouts in Arizona partners with the department of Juvenile Corrections to support prostituted children by using some of the funds from cookie sales. The Cactus also established a program to mentor sexually exploited and incarcerated youths to build confidence and courage.

EUROPE

Ireland: Many victims are trafficked from all over the world, and Nigeria is the main sending country that victims are trafficked into Ireland. According to the report, while 80,000 victims were trafficked from Nigeria into Europe for the past five years, the number of African women trafficked into Ireland is still growing.

UK: The Immigration Minister says that the government is taking a positive step to combat human trafficking and ensure to remain the world's leader in the arena. He pointed out a Moldovan female victim's case, in which she received damage award from the government as an evidence of UK's strengthened measure.

ASIA

India: Police forms an anti-human trafficking cells in each districts in Delhi Police. The cells will be run by the police officers that are trained to deal with trafficking victims. Those who were trained in juvenile welfare will be given a preference to work for the unit.

The Philippines: Police charged seven people after rescuing over 140 victims in Cebu City. Police said that thirty -five out of over 140 victims were allegedly minors and now placed under the custody of Social Welfare and Development office for further assistance. They were rescued from the night club last week.

Global human trafficking roundup (April 9-11, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

California: Law enforcement officers and politicians in San Diego gathered last Friday to support a bill to increase penalty for gangs running prostitution ring. The bill will go before the Assembly and will add pimping, pandering, and human trafficking to the list of gang related crimes with increased penalties.

North Carolina: A nonprofit group says that the number of Latin American human trafficking victims is on the rise. She also said that the language barrier and cultural difference make the immigration community an easy target. One Hispanic mother's daughter has been missing for four months after she left the house to go to school. The nonprofit group says many Hispanic victims are snatched on the street and forced into prostitution or domestic servitude.

Texas: Police arrested a woman during the undercover sex sting. An undercover officer contacted a message parlor and spoke to a woman named Karla Winters. Upon arrival, the officer was greeted by the woman and received sensual message. The woman requested $200 after the message. Police also found the evidences that she employed other females to perform sensual message and sexual conducts and collect the fee taking half of their profits.

ASIA

New Zealand: The first human trafficking case in Tonga was delayed in ruling. The defense lawyer requested the delay to have more time to review his client's case. The defendant, a Chinese national, has pleaded not guilty to charges including, human trafficking, keeping a brothel. Two victims argued that the defendant forced them into prostitution.

India: A national report says that contraceptive use fosters human trafficking in India. The campaign to promote condom usage earlier this year said that regardless of what brothel one visits, a john is encouraged to use condom. The campaign, the national report argues, endorses prostitution with trafficked victims.

The Philippines: Police rescued over 140 women and 33 minors during the raid operated at a karaoke bar. The raid was conducted after the police saw the karaoke bar advertised on a sex ad site. On the website, the bar advertised that customers can meet hot girls for P4000 ($92.80).

UAE: Three women and a man allegedly lured a female visitor and forced her into prostitution. According to the court document, the victim came to UAE with a promise of a job at a beauty salon. But, upon arrival, the defendants locked her up at an apartment and forced her into sex industry. The defendants denied the allegation.

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.

Global human trafficking roundup (March 26-28, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Illinois: A 46 year old man faces up to 3o years in prison for running a prostitution ring in and around Chicago. According to prosecutors, the man rented motel rooms and forced the women to see up to 25 men a day. The women said that he threatened to beat or kill them if they refused to follow his order. He also told the women to call him "Magnificent."

Canada: A Montreal based company that provides caregivers is facing charges against forced labor. According to the report, the company allegedly has been trafficking Filipino women under the federal government Live-in Caregiver program. The victims were came to Canada with a promise of high paying salaries and a residence in Canada within 36 months after their arrival. However, upon arrival, they were forced to sign a lease to live in a slum and open a bank and life insurance account that the company thought was best for them. The company also collected $4000 agency fee and airfare to come to Canada from each woman.

Kansas: Labor department cracks down on work visa fraud. The proposed rule changes are aimed at closing the loopholes of H-2B program that are exploited by traffickers. If it is made to final, the new rule will eliminate job contractors from the program.

EUROPE

UK: Two women are facing child prostitution charges. They allegedly prostituted four children in the age between 13 and 17 and facing four counts of arranging the prostitution of child and one count of controlling a child to prostitute. Children were taken into social services after the women's arrest.

Kosovo: A former trafficker talks about human trafficking in Kosovo. He says that sex trafficking in Kosovo is highly organized from top to bottom that no law enforcement can stop the crime. He also pointed out corruption involved in human trafficking.

Scotland: Police began investigating a possible human trafficking case after an Eastern European woman claimed that she was forced into prostitution. She turned up at a sexual health clinic in Capital last week and told the staff that she feared for her life in the hands of her partner and begged for help. The police however stated that the inquiries are currently at an early stage.

ASIA

India: The authority in Orissa establishes anti-human trafficking unit. The anti-human trafficking unit will gather intelligence to investigate traffickers and rescue victims from the trafficking rings. In the state of Orissa, women and children are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking as they are forced into domestic servitude or prostitution, according to the report.

UAE: A woman was sentence to five years in prison for forcing another woman into prostitution. The 38 year old Uzbek was found guilty of forcing a 21 year old Moldovan victim into prostitution by using coercion, beating, and false imprisonment.

AFRICA

South Africa: Two Chinese women are facing criminal charges for running a brothel and trafficking women. According to the report, police received a tips from local newspaper advertising massage parlor at a residence. During the raid, police found two Chinese women in the age of 25 and 29 that were forced into prostitution. The women also told the police that they were raped and told that they would be engaged in prostitution upon arrival in Cape Town.

Global human trafficking roundup (March 18, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Texas: A 36 year old man pleaded guilty to sex trafficking young women. According to the report, he recruited young women, especially vulnerable single mothers from troubled backgrounds and forced them into prostitution. He also required each woman to meet a daily quota and wire the funds to his account. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he is facing 30 year long prison sentence.

District of Columbia: Two U.S. Senators introduced a bill to fight against sex trafficking in the U.S. The senators argue that Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act will give law enforcement the tools and funding to investigate, prosecute, and incarcerate pimps and traffickers. It would also authorize block grants of 2-2.5 million dollars to six locations considered as major hubs of sex trafficking.

California: A man was convicted of pimping on teenage girls in San Francisco, Oakland, Reno, and other cities. He was convicted of forcing two teenagers in the age of 14 and 16 into prostitution in 2006. Because of his previous conviction in Nevada for pandering, he was sentenced to life in prison.

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina: Many farm workers live in a slavery conditions, according to the report, They are forced to work 14 hours a day and live in a mud-floored dorms or sheet material trailers with no water and electricity available. Also, they only receive a small compensation after the costs of food, clothing, and transportation were deducted from the wages.

EUROPE

Portugal: More than 31,000 people signed a petition to fight against child sex trafficking in the country. The petition is aimed at urging the lawmaker to strengthen the measure against child traffickers and was part of Body Shop campaign against child trafficking.

UK: A retired doctor was found guilty of enslaving an African woman. She was convicted of forcing the African woman into sleeping on the kitchen floor and feeding her two slices of bread a day, etc. for three and a half years. The doctor also confiscated the victim's passport and kept her belongings locked in the backyard. The doctor was sentenced to nine months in jail and ordered to pay 25,000 pounds to the victim.

ASIA

Thailand: Surrogate rings are trafficking foreign women to bear children for wealthy couples in Thailand. The ring is spread out through South Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Thailand. Just last month, the police rescued 20 Vietnamese women and arrested four individuals who trafficked these women.

India: Police rescued sixteen girls in the age between two and seven years old from brothels in Mandaur district. According to the report, the girls were from Bachhras tribes, in which the families keep tradition of selling the first daughters to prostitution to receive financial support. The little girls were held in captivity so they can prostitute when entering puberty.

Global human trafficking roundup (March 17, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

South Dakota: The governor signs a new state human trafficking law. The new legislation will allow law enforcement to prosecute human trafficking. The new legislation will impose 10 year prison sentence and a $20,000 fine on convicted traffickers.

Oregon: The legislators are looking into the ways to crackdown on human trafficking. Law makers introduced at least nine bills to give law enforcement tools to deter child prostitution. One of the bills will impose a $20,000 fine on a john who solicited sex with minors. If he fails to do so, his name, address, and photo will be published online or a newspaper.

New Jersey: A 25 year old woman was arrested for pimping on several women, including two high school students. She was charged with human trafficking and promoting prostitution. According to the report, she allegedly operated in and around casinos.

Wisconsin: A man and two women were arrested for forcing minors into prostitution. The arrest was made after a 17 year old girl reported to the police that she was forced to perform prostitution against her will. The girl met one of the women at a party, where she was asked to become a prostitute. The woman also posted pictures of the teen only wearing underwear and advertised sexual favors on backpage.com.

ASIA

India: A 16 year old girl was rescued from prostitution. She was sold to a brothel owner by her uncle for $2200 while looking for a domestic worker job. She was rescued during the raid conducted by an anti-human trafficking organization. According to the report, she was placed at a government shelter for rehabilitation after the rescue.

Cambodia: Cambodia sets age limits on foreigners who pursue international marriage with Cambodian women. The new law will ban foreign men in the age of 50 or older from marrying Cambodian brides. Also, foreign men earning less than $2580 per month will be forbidden from marrying Cambodian women.

Global human trafficking roundup (February 26-28, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Colorado: A missing teen's father traveled to speak against human trafficking at a rally. Her teenage daughter was missing since December 28, 2010. The police is spotlighting the ex-boyfriend of the teen's mother as a suspect, since he was the last person who saw the teen. The missing teen's father also said that the police officers wasted a week in search of his missing daughter because of their lack of experience in missing person's case.

Canada: An international watchdogs say domestic helpers may be victims of human traffickers and sexually are abused by the employers. The report recommends that the government must regulate domestic work and recruitment agencies.

EUROPE

Finnland: Many foreign migrants are exploited with labor at shipyards. Twenty workers lived in a small flat room and worked as long as 12 hours a day. They are also placed in industrial buildings even during the winter. However, according to the report, the law is far from protecting these migrants' basic rights.

ASIA

UAE: A carpenter was sentenced to 15 years in jail for sex trafficking seven girls. According to the report, the 28 year old Bangladeshi man locked the victims in an apartment room on the third floor and forced them into prostitution. Police discovered the prostitution ring after one of the victims from Indonesia escaped the apartment by using a rope and reported to the police.

India: Many young women, particularly Muslim girls, are trafficked for forced marriage. One victim from Assam was trafficked to another village and sexually and physically abused when she was 18. Later, her abuser re-sold her to another husband who also physically and sexually exploited her. According to the report, 80% of 100,000 trafficked annually are trafficked for forced marriage.

Indonesia: Three women escaped from a human trafficking ring. They were promised a high paying jobs at a five star hotel in a beach resort. However, after the recruitment agency deducted their salaries, they were forced to drink, sing, and dance erotically with the customers at a local karaoke bar.

AFRICA

Nigeria: Immigration service has installed information technology equipments to fight against human trafficking. The equipments include document fraud readers, scanners, and passenger registration, which will assist the immigration officers to closely monitor who is traveling in and out of the country.

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.

Global human trafficking roundup (February 11, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Hawaii: A report reveals sex trade in Waikiki. With its high turn over tourist population, many girls are prostituted on the street. According to the report, though some of them are local recruits, many of them are from out of town. Many victims live with physical and emotional abuse but are afraid of asking for help.

New Jersey: A man is accused of offering a 14 year old boy money in exchange for sex. He allegedly showed pornographic images to the 14 year old boy and offered him money for sexual favor according to the prosecutor. The 64 year old man is now facing charges on endangering child's welfare and promoting prostitution.

EUROPE

Luxembourg: ECPAT, a nonprofit organization to fight child trafficking and sexual exploitation of children, says Luxembourg government does little to fight human trafficking. According to the report, the organization severely criticized that the government makes no effort of raising awareness nor educating public and government officials to fight against human trafficking.

UK: Campaign against sex trafficking says crackdown on brothels is vital to combat trafficking in Britain. The Poppy Project urged police to prioritized brothels as urgent target as an environment of human trafficking.

ASIA

China: Authority announced that more than 9000 children were rescued as a result of nationwide campaign against human trafficking. In particular, Chinese microblog found by a professor in Beijing further helped missing children reunite with their parents.

India: Police rescued five teenage girls and arrested their trafficker. The arrest is made during the raid at a Bus stop. Police also seized cash from each victim who told the police that the man was transporting them from Orissa to Uttar Paradesh.

Australia: A pimp was fined $3000 after pleading guilty to running an illegal prostitution. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of procuring and other related charges. He also pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation materials.

AFRICA

Nigeria: Immigration officer captured two people who were attempting to cross the border with three people, including a female. They allegedly were heading to Italy without proper immigration documents. The authority is still investigating whether there is human trafficking involved.

South Africa: Police arrested two Chinese women and rescued two victims. The two Chinese women were forced the victims into prostitution at a massage parlor. The victims were tied up with nylon straps at the time of rescue.

Global human trafficking roundup (February 10, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Illinois: Twin brothers were sentenced to four years in prison for sex trafficking young women. The two 18 year old men pleaded guilty to human trafficking charges. Their operation involved taking pictures of victims and making hotel reservation for commercial sexual services, according to the prosecutor. The victims include an underage girl.

Missouri: A House committee hears bill about human trafficking. The bill, if implemented, will allow the court to impose convicted traffickers to pay minimum amount of $100,000 restitution to victims, among many other things.

Indiana: A 27 year old Chris Smiley gets 10 years in jail for trafficking a 19 year old girl for prostitution. The victim was held against her will, beaten, and forced into prostitution by the man. The victim was also taken into hostage in the age of 18 in February 2010 and forced to strip at a west side show club after her mother's boyfriend did not pay Smiley for crack cocaine.

New York: Actor Paul Haggis reveals human trafficking incidents in Scientology. After 34 years of membership at the Church, he recently walked away from the religion. He also stated that Scientology is guilty of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and forced labor, which involve child victims in some cases.

EUROPE

Germany: A man is on trial for allegedly sexually abusing her step daughter for more than two decades and forcing her into prostitution. The DNA test also shows that he at least fathered seven children by his step daughter that he molested.

ASIA

India: Police busted one of the biggest human trafficking rings in India. The arrest was made after the tip from a young woman in New Delhi. According to the police, more than 40 victims were trafficked from their home states and resold in the capital city.

China: A Chinese microblog helps missing children to reunite with their family. One parent found his son through the site, on which the reunion was posted. The site currently has 170,000 followers as of Thursday, and six more children were found through the site.

Looking for volunteers to post human trafficking roundup over the summer. If interested, please leave a comment. Thank you!!!!!

Global human trafficking roundup (January 19, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

New York: The Supreme Court refuses to hear the appeal to overturn a conviction of a couple enslaving two Indonesian girls. The wife is now facing a sentence to 11 years in jail, and her husband is facing 3 years in jail for forced labor case in 2007. The wife argued that "pre-trial publicity prevented her from getting a fair trial, while her husband argues that he shouldn’t have been convicted for aiding and abetting because he didn’t stop his wife."

Texas: The Coastal Bend Addressing Human Trafficking Coalition, a new group to fight human trafficking, held an inauguration meeting yesterday. This was the first group of people gathering together to combat human trafficking in southern Texas. According to the report, there had been a handful of human trafficking cases in Coastal Bend, including a 14 year old found working at a local strip club.

Hawaii: Justice department announced yesterday that two more people were charged with human trafficking case in Hawaii. Grand Jury returned the indictment that two men were co-conspirator to trafficking 400 Thai nationals in Hawaiian farm for labor exploitation. According to the indictment, Thai workers were forced to work as indentured servants after defendants incurred insurmountable debts with high recruitment fees. They were also worked for little or no pay.

EUROPE

Ireland: Police in Northern Ireland says that human trafficking is on the rise in the region. Police also stated that fifteen people were rescued between April and December last year, and 4 people were charged with links to the case.

UK: Human trafficking ring in Munchester exposed. Two victims were from poverty stricken region in Romania and forced into prostitution by a father and his 23 year old son. The women were starved and live under violence to perform commercial sex for their traffickers. Even after being remanded, the father and the son tried to silence the victims with threat.

ASIA

India: Police rescued two teenage girls trafficked to countries in Gulf region. According to the report, victims stated that they were lured and forcibly taken into brothels, where 20 other Indian girls were working as prostitutes. The two girls, in the age between 14 and 17, had been missing since 2007 and 2008.

Cambodia: Three Cambodians jump into river to escape from a fishing boat, where they were forced to work and held against their will. According to the report, one of them reported to the police, which led the rescue of six people, but two people are still missing.

Global human trafficking roundup (January 15-17, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

New Hampshire: Child pornography is high on the new list of New Hampshire law enforcement. One strategic assessment report states that child pornography is becoming more violent and increasing in number.

Ohio: A critic says while anti-human trafficking law implementation is a good start, much needs to be done more to combat human trafficking. He further urges the lawmakers and public to treat child trafficking victims as victims, instead of criminals. Also, the business must be held accountable for forced labor of their employees.

New York: The founder of Stop Child Trafficking Now (CTNow) says that pornography fuels sex trafficking of children. She says more children are victimized by child trafficking partly because of child pornography, which is in great demand. She also says that her organization wants not only bring awareness but also go after perpetrators to combat human trafficking.

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina: Police rescued 133 seasonal working employed by a Dutch company living in a condition that "resembles poor concentration camp." Police also arrested seven executives for forced labor and fined the company more than $160,000. The workers used a pesticide container for bath and two holes for toilets. They also had no electricity and were forbidden fro leaving the plantation.

EUROPE

Russia: Russian investigators arrested members of an international human trafficking gang that trafficked hundreds of women to Western European countries. Police charged three people with human trafficking made up of Russian and Greek citizens. The gang recruited women under the pretense of job recruitment agency and forced them into prostitution upon their arrival in their destination countries.

UK: Romanian couple were sentenced to two and a half years in jail for forcing their seven children to beg and steal. The children are in the age between 2 and 16. When the police found the children, they were sleeping on the floor in their home.

ASIA

India: Police rescued nine people, including teenagers. The investigation began after the police received a tip that suspects recruited a minor in connection to the Australian killing case in Zambles. The rescued victims were in the age between 14 and 20.