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.

Global human trafficking roundup (January 7, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

California: A man was convicted of keeping a child sex slave. He spent 29 years as a fugitive after being convicted of child molestation in Orange County in the 1970s. He was again convicted in Florida of bringing child across the state lines for sexual purpose. According to the report, he brought a girl from Vietnam and molested on daily basis and even encouraged her to bring her friends so that he can molest them too.

Ohio: Two siblings were charged during the state wide investigation on human trafficking rings in nail salons. Along with two other women, they face multiple charges including, "fraud, submitting false documents and tampering with documents." One state cosmetology board authority stated that human trafficking in nail salons by using fraudulent identities is a multi-million dollar scheme.

South Carolina: Advocates pushes for a bill to make traffickers pay for the crime. On January 11th, the advocates plans to lobby for SC H4522, asset forfeiture laws. If passed, the traffickers will be mandated to turn over all of their assets to the state, which will be used for victim assistance programs.

New Hampshire: Police is investigating online brothel involving child prostitution case. A teen girl was sold as a prostitute at a local hotel by out of state suspects. The police said that the girl was exploited through backpage.com. Because of the ongoing investigation, police said that further details could not be disclosed.

South Dakota: A man was arrested for allegedly pimping on high class call girls. He is charged three counts of pimping and two counts of hiring prostitutes for sexual activity. But, the state's attorney said that he can be charged with fifty additional counts and may qualify for human trafficking.

ASIA

Cambodia: A woman was charged with trafficking her mentally disabled 13 year old daughter after allegedly sending her to Malaysia to work. Police said that the woman was arrested at her residence. The woman allegedly forged documents to indicate that the girl was 19 years old. The investigation began after World Vision informed the police that the girl was only 13 years old and working in Malaysia.

South Korea: A 37 year old man was sentenced to 17 years in jail for killing his Mongolian wife's friend and severely injuring her husband. The crime occurred after the 37 year old visited their residence in search of his wife who ran away from the man's domestic violence. The incident caused public stir over increasing reports of domestic violence and human trafficking.

India: Ten Nepalese women who were trafficked into India were sent back to their country upon rescue. According to the nonprofit advocates who worked with these women stated that these women are lucky to be able to go back to their country. Many of them are left in brothels, shelters, or even in prison instead of finding their ways to go home.

AFRICA

Uganda: Immigration officer testifies against pastors for trafficking a 17 year old girl. According to the report, the two pastors allegedly lured the girl from her hometown into flying to Dubai for a job opportunity. They also allegedly falsified the document stating that the girl is 19 years old to obtain a passport.