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 (February 17, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Alabama: An FBI agent says that human trafficking happens in Alabama, and the residents should be aware of the crime. One sex trafficking survivor says that she was sold and exploited when she was 6 years old. She doesn't remember her biological parents, and she ran away from her traffickers in the age of 11 but was exploited again by another family with selling drugs.

California: A sex trafficking survivor receives award from the community. She came to the U.S. from Mexico in 1997 to work at a restaurant as a waitress. But, she was locked into a warehouse with thirty other women and forced into prostitution. When the restaurant shut down, she was able to escape from the tragedy.

Texas: Authorities raided two business premises in eastern Houston in search of human trafficking victims and suspects. According to the FBI, the women came to the U.S. believing that they would work, but were forced into prostitution by their traffickers to pay off the debts. It is unknown how many were arrested, but the further details will be released later this afternoon.

Canada: Canada's first human trafficking case ended with three people pleaded guilty of keeping a common bawdy house but without conviction on human trafficking or any related criminal charges. According to the report, the arrest was made after the police found three immigrant women who were forced into prostitution. Despite of the terrified victims, the prosecutor had to dismissed human trafficking charges based on the lack of evidences.

ASIA

China: Police rescued about 19000 women and children and arrested more than 3500 suspects during the crackdown on human trafficking. According to the report, Vietnamese women and children are particularly becoming more vulnerable to human trafficking in China.

Cambodia: A British nationale is on trial for prostituting two children. He was arrested at a guesthouse for allegedly purchased sex from two underage girls in 2006. According to the report, the victims testified that they had sex with him at least three times in 2006, and their lawyer said that he paid between $50-$100 per each session.

New Zealand: ECPAT representative says that child pornography trade is common in New Zealand. Child pornography is multi-million dollar industry which is closely connected to underage prostitution and child trafficking. According to ECPAT, child approximately 20 percent of internet pornography is child pornography since 1997, and the number of child pornography has increased 1500% .