Trafficking of women for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe

Authors

  • Gautam Kok

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26481/marble.2014.v2.321

Abstract

Tens of thousands of women and girls are trafficked from mainly poorer to richer regions of Europe and forced into prostitution. Traffickers abuse the poor socio-economic situation of young women in these poorer regions to exploit them into prostitution. Sex trafficking poses a huge impact on society. Besides the economical side – sanctions for not complying with certain anti-trafficking efforts or health care costs for victims – the political- and social impact is drastic. Social impact for victims is huge: during their trafficking they face extreme violence, coercion, and rape, which leave both psychological as physical marks after their return. Additionally, drug use by victims will eventually place another burden on society. In order to stop sex trafficking the pre-departure state, transit stage, exploitation stage and demand side need to be targeted. The pre-departure state is most important for source countries. The exploitation- and demand stages are tightly intertwined with legislation on prostitution. When prostitution is legalized and demand is high, exploitation is a natural result. Sweden has shown that demand can be strongly decreased by criminalizing the purchase of sex. By not criminalizing sales of sex, victims of sexual exploitation cannot be prosecuted. The European Commission has recently adopted a law prohibiting the purchase of sex, therewith copying this system. Country-specific adaptations might be necessary, as European countries are very different and deal with trafficking in very dissimilar ways. Adopting demand-tackling legislation might not have the desired effect in Eastern European source countries. Additionally, European countries must continue to work together. Sex trafficking seemingly follows basic economics: when there’s no demand, there’s no market, and therefore supplies will drop. Having looked at the different efforts countries make, it can be concluded that – although all stages of sex trafficking need to be targeted – eliminating the demand for sex workers seems to work as a best method.

References

Kligman G. Trafficking women after socialism: to, through, and from Eastern Europe. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society. 2005;12(1):118-40.

Amnesty International. Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro): “so does it mean that we have the rights?” - protecting the human rights of women and girls trafficked for forced prostitution in Kosovo. London: Amnesty International, 2004 6 May. Report No.: EUR 70/010/2004.

BNRM. Mensenhandel - derde rapportage van de nationaal rapporteur. Den Haag: Bureau National Rapporteur Mensenhandel en Seksueel Geweld tegen Kinderen, 2004 July. Report No.

ProCon.org. 100 countries and their prostitution policies 2013 [updated 23 December; cited 2014 April 18]. Available from: http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000772.

United Nations. Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. 2003. p. 3.

UNODC. United Nations convention against transnational organized crime and the protocols thereto. New York: United Nations, 2004.

UNODC. Global report on trafficking in persons. New York: United Nations publication; 2012. 98 p.

BNRM. Mensenhandel in en uit beeld. Cijfermatige rapportage (2007-2011). Den Haag: Bureau National Rapporteur Mensenhandel en Seksueel Geweld tegen Kinderen, 2012.

Kelly L, Regan L. Stopping traffic, exploring the extent of, and responses to trafficking in women for sexual exploitation in the UK. London: Home Office; 2000. 49 p.

UNODC. Trafficking in persons to Europe for sexual exploitation. Vienna: United Nations publication, 2010 978- 92-1-130295-0.

Bishop RA, Morgan CV, Erickson L. Public awareness of human trafficking in Europe: how concerned are European citizens? Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies. 2013;11(2):113-35.

UN General Assembly. Universal declaration of human rights. 1948 10 December. Report No.: 217 A (III).

World Vision Australia. Fact sheet: trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. In: Australia WV, editor. 2009.

U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in persons report. United States of America, 2008 4 June. Report No.

European Commission. Trafficking in human beings. Luxembourg: European Commission, 2013 11 April. Report No.: ISBN 978-92-79-22842-1.

Polaris Project. The victims, polaris project, combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery Washington, DC2014 [cited 2014 19 April]. Available from: http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/overview/thevictims.

UNESCO. Integration of the human rights of women and the gender perspective. United Nations Economic and Social Council, 2000 29 February. Report No.: Contract No.: E/CN.4/2000/68.

UNFPA. State of world population 2003 - making 1 billion count: investing in adolescents’ health and rights. New York: United Nations Population Fund, 2003 E/31,000/2003 Contract No.: ISBN 0-89714-670-0. The Advocates for Human Rights. Legal consequences of trafficking Minneapolis2005 [updated 1 September 2005; cited 2014 18 April]. Available from: http://www.stopvaw.org/Legal_Consequences_of_Trafficking.

Kelly L. Journeys of jeopardy: a commentary on current research on trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation within Europe. EU/IOM European Conference on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings: A Global Challenge for the 21st Century; 16 September. London2002. p. 48.

IMF. World economic outlook. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund, 2012 ISBN 978-1616352462.

Europol. Trafficking in human beings in the European Union. The Hague: Europol, 2011 1 September. Report No.: 2565-84.

Shelley L. Human smuggling and trafficking into Europe: a comparative perspective. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, Migration TCo; 2014 February. Report No.

Surtees R. Victims of trafficking in South-Eastern Europe. Geneva: International Organization for Migration, 2005 Contract No.: ISBN 978-92-9068-254-7.

U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in persons report. United States of America, 2013.

Surtees R. Traffickers and trafficking in Southern and Eastern Europe: considering the other side of human trafficking. European Journal of Criminology. 2008;5(1):39-68.

Vozáb J. Integrating interventions: the need for improved impact on local economic and employment development in the Czech Republic. Berman Group; GHK Consulting Ltd.; CERGE-EI, 2011 20 May. Report No.

Belka M. How Poland’s EU membership helped transform its economy. The Group of Thirty. Washington, DC2013. p. 73.

Pennington JR, Ball AD, Hampton RD, Soulakova JN. The cross-national market in human beings. Journal of Macromarketing. 2009;29(2):119-34.

BNRM. Mensenhandel - negende rapportage van de nationaal rapporteur. Den Haag: Bureau National Rapporteur Mensenhandel en Seksueel Geweld tegen Kinderen, 2013 September. Report No.

Richard AON. International trafficking in women to the United States: a contemporary manifestation of slavery and organized crime. Center for the Study of Intelligence, 2000 April. Report No.

Hughes DM. The “Natasha” trade: the transnational shadow market of trafficking in women. Journal of International Affairs. 2000;53(2):625-51.

Beeks K, Amir D. Trafficking and the global sex industry: Lexington Books; 2006.

Zimmerman C, Yun K, Shvab I, Watts C, Trappolin L, Treppete M, et al. The health risks and consequences of trafficking in women and adolescents. Findings from a European study. London: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), 2003.

Pearson E. Human rights and trafficking in person: a handbook. Bangkok2000 December. 100 p.

Coffey PS, Phariss AV, Renaud T. Literature review of trafficking in persons in Latin America and the Caribbean. USAID, 2004 August. Report No.

Koettl J. Human trafficking, modern day slavery, and economic exploitation. Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2009 May. Report No.

Transcrime. A pilot study on three European Union key immigration points for monitoring the trafficking of human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation across the European Union. European Commission,, 2002 April. Report No.: ISBN 978-88-8443-160-8.

OHCHR. Human rights and anti-corruption Geneva: United Nations; 2014 [cited 2014 21 April]. Available from: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/GoodGovernance/Pages/AntiCorruption.aspx.

Farell A. Human trafficking: new directions for research. International Organization for Migration, 2008.

Siegel D. Human trafficking and legalized prostitution in the Netherlands. Temida. 2009;12(1):5-16.

G. Vermeulen BMEDB. Betaalseksrecht: naar regulering of legalisering van niet-problematische prostitutie?: Maklu; 2007.

‘Ramen’ en prostituees in Amsterdam [press release]. Amsterdam: Gemeente Amsterdam, 11 December 2007.

Rijksoverheid. Wet regulering prostitutie en bestrijding misstanden seksbranche. In: Rijksoverheid, editor. 32211.Den Haag 2011.

Wijziging prostitutiewet ingediend bij Tweede Kamer [press release]. 5 March 2014.

Rijksoverheid. Novelle wet regulering prostitutie en bestrijding misstanden seksbranche. 33885. Den Haag2014.

Kavemann B, Rabe H. The act regulating the legal situation of prostitutes – implementation, impact, current developments. findings of a study on the impact of the German prostitution act. Berlin: Sozialwissenschaftliches FrauenForschungsInstitut e.V., 2007 September. Report No.

Bundesfinanzhof. BStBl III 1964. In: Bundesfinanzhof, editor. GrS 1/64 S1964.

DER SPIEGEL. Unprotected: how legalazing prostitution has failed. DER SPIEGEL. 2013 26 May;Sect. 22.

TAMPEP. Final report. Transnational AIDS/STD Prevention Among Migrant Prostitutes in Europe / Project(TAMPEP), 2002 February. Report No.

Mak RP. General conclusions and recommendations. TAMPEP, 2003 6 March. Report No.

Ekberg G. The Swedish law that prohibits the purchase of a sexual service: best practices for prevention of prostitution and trafficking in human beings. Violence against women. 2004;10:1187-218.

TAMPEP. Sex work, migration, health. Amsterdam: European Network for HIV/STI Prevention and Health Promotion among Migrant Sex Workers (TAMPEP), 2009.

Law on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, 164-167/812 (2005).

Raymond JG. Legitimating prostitution as sex work: UN international labour organization calls for recognition of the sex industry. 2003.

Jordan A. The Swedish law to criminalize clients: a failed experiment in social engineering. Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law. 2012(4):17.

Limoncelli SA. The trouble with trafficking: conceptualizing women’s sexual labor and economic human rights. Women’s Studies International Forum. 2009;32(4):261-9.

Monzini P. Sex traffic: prostitution, crime, and exploitation: Zed; 2005.

Managing borders in a globalised world [press release]. 13 February 2008.

The EU Commission cracks down on modern slavery and child sexual abuse [press release]. Brussels: European Commission,, 25 March 2009.

European Commission. Commission decision of 10 august 2011 on setting up the group of experts on trafficking in human beings and repealing decision 2007/675/EC 2011.

European Commission. Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the council of 5 April 2011 on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, and replacing council framework decision 2002/629/JHA Official Journal of the European Union. Strasbourg2011.

Oppenheim M. MEPs vote to criminalise buying sex. The Guardian. 2014 26 February.

Council of the European Union. Joint investigation teams manual. Brussels: Council of the European Union, 2011 4 November. Report No.: Contract No.: 15790/1/11.

European Commission. Human trafficking in the EU: slavery of our times. In: European Commission, editor. 2013.

Europol. Operational successes 2010 [updated October; cited 2014 25 April]. Available from: http://www.europol.europa.eu/content/page/operational-successes-127.

Downloads

Published

2016-12-13