Global human trafficking roundup (March 2, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Canada: A sex trafficking case involving two Fijian women failed to fall through after the prosecutor couldn't locate two key witnesses. The two women came to Canada to find a better job opportunity, but ended up being forced into prostitution at a massage parlor. They were rescued after the police raided the parlor. However, because of lack of key witnesses available, the prosecution had to drop multiple charges against the alleged trafficker, including human trafficking, unlawful confinement, etc.

Iowa: A special agent says that sex trafficking is a problem in Iowa. He said that since Craigslist was censored, the traffickers moved their venues to other sites to carry out online prostitution. Many victims do not realize that they were in sex slavery because of pimps' manipulation. Also, pimps recruit many young people from Iowa City.

EUROPE

Azerbaijan: The national authority reports that 70 out of 183 criminal cases were related to human trafficking. According to the report, there were 39 individuals who were prosecuted for human trafficking, and 34 victims were rescued.

ASIA

Qatar: A nonprofit in DOHA says that it received over 140 complaints from trafficking victims last year. The victims requested assistance for different needs including shelter and lodging, but many of them were asking for legal remedies against their traffickers. According to the advocates, Qatar is on the process of implementing an anti-human trafficking legislation.

The Philippines: The U.S. citizen was charged with child pornography and human trafficking. He allegedly videotaped seven topless women, including three minors. Police seized the camera and a battery pack that he used to record pornographic images of the women. The victims are currently taken into the shelters, and the man was denied on bail.

AFRICA

Uganda: A 58 year old witchdoctor was sentenced to 50 years in jail for trafficking a boy. He was convicted of kidnapping a seven year old boy and cutting off his genital with his three accomplice. The arrest was made after the boy identified him to the police before he lost his consciousness.

Global human trafficking roundup (January 25, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

North Carolina: A woman faces 25 years in jail and $500,000 fine for keeping a 17 year old boy as a slave and starving him. She allegedly forced him to clean her 60 yard trailer yard and withdraw his birth certificate. She denied the allegation. Instead, she told the media that she did the boy's father, who is also an illegal immigrant, a favor by agreeing to take care of the boy.

Nebraska: Police have arrested of human trafficking and pandering. A 42 year old man Jarod Rosenow was arrested Wednesday after an 18 year old woman reported the police of Rosenow. The woman met Rosenow on Craigslist while looking for a female encounter. Rosenow posed as a 22 year old woman. He told the woman that the 22 year old woman is actually a 14 year old boy and threatened her to report to the police and register as a sex offender, if she doesn't have sex with him. The woman never met Rosenow in person.

South Carolina: Police charged a woman in connection with her role recruiting and harboring a 20 year old woman into prostitution. She allegedly forced the 20 year old victim into prostitution to pay off her smuggling fee. Police is still looking for two other men in connection with the case.

EUROPE

Greece: Police dismantled a baby trafficking ring in Bulgaria and Greece. According to the report, five people were arrested in Bulgaria and nine people were arrested in Greece for trafficking Bulgarian babies to Greece. The criminal gang transported pregnant women who agreed to sell their babies in Greece.

ASIA

UAE: Two women were charged with trafficking three women for labor and sexual exploitation. They allegedly forced the victims into prostitution at a massage parlor. According to the report, this is the first case that women are charged with human trafficking.

AFRICA

Ghana: The trial date for three sisters who allegedly forced women into prostitution in Nigeria was postponed. The court was adjourned after the sisters' lawyer withdrew his service because he is traveling. The three sisters allegedly recruited women from Ghana with a promise of job security in Nigeria. Upon arrival, victims were forced to sell porridge during the day and prostitute at night.

Uganda: Police arrested two men for trafficking Ugandan women to Malaysia for prostitution. One woman was promised a job in Malaysia but was locked up in a brothel and forced into prostitution. The victims also had to pay for their own food, water, and electricity on the top of $6000 plane ticket to Malaysia to the traffickers.

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.