Abstracts: December 2004
December 1, 2004
New laws to crack down on people trafficking and asylum abuse
According to this article:
The Home Office has announced criminals involved in trafficking people for
forced labour or organ removal will now face up to fourteen years in jail, under
measures in the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004
coming into force today.
Other measures in the Act also coming into force today include:
-
Withdrawing support from families who have failed in their asylum applications
and refuse to return to their home countries voluntarily
-
increasing immigration
officers power of entry, search and seizure within a suspected offenders
premises
-
the power for the Director of Public Prosecutions to advise
immigration officers directly on immigration crime
-
reducing the administrative
burden on the police and Crown Prosecution Service
-
increased powers for
immigration officers to retain documents such as passports to facilitate the
return of people who have no right to remain in the UK.
The Home Office also announced that it is to close the asylum screening
unit in Solihull on Dec 3.
The new measures in the Asylum and Immigration Act (treatment of claimants etc)
2004 act which come into force from today are:
-
Section 4&5 - the offence of
trafficking people for exploitation
-
Section 7 - Placing a duty on the Director
of Public Prosecutions to provide advice on Immigration related crime matters
-
Section 9 - Withdrawal of support from failed asylum seeking families
-
Section 14
- Increased powers for Immigration Officers Section 17 - Retention of documents
by Immigration Officers
"New laws to crack down on people trafficking and asylum abuse" Immigration &
Nationality Directorate. Dec. 1, 2004. Dec. 3, 2004. <http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/news
/press_releases/new_laws_to_crack.htm>l
December 02,
2004
Man convicted of
people trafficking
According to this article:
Luis Filipe Nogueira de Macedo, a Portuguese man originally from Algeria, pled
guilty at Dublin District Court on Dec. 2, 2004 to trafficking Brazilian women
to Ireland. He told gardaí that he had been approached and paid £500
by a woman in London to bring two women from Holland to the UK via Ireland.
The three arrived on Oct. 29 in Dublin from Amsterdam. Garda
Immigration Officers noticed their suspicious behavior and after questioning
discovered that the women had been issued with new Brazilian passports in Holland
three days prior to arrival. The women were refused
entry and sent back to Amsterdam.
de Macedo was sentenced to 9 months in prison and fined 1,000 for people
trafficking. He is only the second person to be convicted of people
trafficking in the ROI.
December 2, 2004
Pimp threatened to kill girl
According to this article:
Southwark Crown Court sentenced Niki Dimitrov to jail for six years for
controlling a child prostitute. He is the first person to be prosecuted
for this crime under section 49 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Dimitrov had
previously avoided deportation by claiming he was tortured during the Balkan
conflict. He was arrested in Islington in July after a four-week operation
codenamed "Rusia".
His victim was a 17 year old Russian girl who was forced to work 12-hour shifts
for £10 a day in London brothels, including "Paradise, Station Road, Headon and
a brothel in Harrow Road, Sudbury. The child was from the impoverished central
Russian region of Samara and had answered a local ad about jobs in Spain.
Upon arrival, she was told that the job had "fallen through" and sent to
Belgium. She was then informed that Dimitrov had "bought" her for £3,000.
He forced her into prostitution there and then brought her to London under a
stolen Lithuanian passport which gave her age as 23. The girl described her
ordeal through an interpreter. Her experience included aggressive
beatings, forced sex and virtual imprisonment.
As many as 14,000 girls and young women are estimated to have been trafficked as
sex slaves into the UK.
Quote:
"Dimitrov preyed on a child and treated her as a commodity. She was forced to
work in the most unimaginable circumstances whilst he lived a well-funded life.
The victim was essentially his prisoner taken from home to a brothel and back
again. There is no doubt this girl lived in constant fear from him without hope
of escape." -Superintendent Chris Bradford
Quote:
"It is not uncommon for them to be as young as 16 or 17 because, of course, they
are the most vulnerable," she said. "The youngest I think we have had is 14."
spokeswoman for the Poppy Project, Britain's only safehouse for such victims.
December 2, 2004
Pimp sold 'London's youngest escort'
This article details the trafficking of a 17 year old girl who answered an
advertisement in her local paper for "well-paid work abroad".
According to this article:
The girl ended up in the
hands of Niki Dimitrov, a Yugoslavian pimp who "bought" the teenager for £3,000
and advertised her as London's youngest prostitute. Judge James Wadsworth QC
sentenced Dimitrov to six years and ordered he be placed on the sex offenders'
register for life.
Quotes:
"He was beating me up. Once, I wasn't able to work for one and a half weeks
because of the visible injuries. He didn't take me to a doctor. "I was not
allowed to go anywhere - it was strictly forbidden. If I was to go to a shop he
would have to accompany me. He even decided what clothes I bought." - Dimitrov's
unnamed victim
"You paid money or incurred a debt to obtain this young girl ... organised her
transfer to this country, and here, I am satisfied, you used her as a
prostitute. You did so by totally controlling her movements and, I am satisfied,
you used violence against her to exercise this control. "This would have
continued had it not been for the intervention by a man who took pity on her."
-Judge James Wadsworth QC, at sentencing.
Cheston, Paul. "Pimp sold 'London's youngest escort'" Evening Standard
Dec. 2, 2004. Dec. 5, 2004.
<http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/
articles/15072896?version=1>
December 4, 2004
'Don't think about running away. I will find you'
According to this article:
Niki Dimitrov, 29, was jailed for six years in the first prosecution for
controlling a child prostitute under the Sexual Offences Act 2003,
The article describes the ordeal of "Natasha" a 17 year old Russian child who
answered an ad in her local newspaper promising "well-paid work abroad" and
thought she was going be waitressing in Spain. She received money and
documentation to travel to Belgium where a sex-trafficking cartel forced her to
work as a prostitute. She ended up with Dimitrov who forced her to have
sex with him, advertised her as London's "youngest prostitute", posted photos of
her on his website, and threatened to kill her if she left before paying back
the £4,000 he said she owed him.
In June, 2004, police raided a brothel in Sudbury and released her from
Dimitrov. (Note: The article does not describe her current whereabouts.)
-
Verkaik, Robert. "'Don't think about running away. I will find you'"
Independent. Dec. 4, 2004. Dec. 4, 2004
<http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?
story=589590&host=3&dir=60>
December 04, 2004
Human trafficking warning at
conference
The Non
Governmental Organisations Forum on Human Rights was held in Dublin on Dec.
4, 2004.
According to this article:
Dr Helga Konrad of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
addressed the conference and said that Ireland is one destination to which men,
women and children are being brought illegally and that particular attention was
needed to sex trafficking. She said that gangs are making billions of
dollars from human trafficking, no country was exempt and there needed to be a
coordinated plan of action and support for the victims.
December 4, 2004
Immigrant women reveal how Britain is home to sex slavery
According to this article:
The most recent figures suggest
that 80 per cent of the 5,000 women working in the London off-street sex
industry are foreign. Some international crime gangs have switched from drug
trafficking into sex trafficking because it is less dangerous and more difficult to prosecute.
Police and immigration enforcement agencies have focused on deporting the women
rather than smashing the eastern European trafficking gangs. Laws to tackle sex
trafficking were not introduced until last year.
The article highlights the experiences of "Kristie" an Albanian woman who, at
the age of 18, was sold by her father into sexual slavery and spent 10
years working against her will in brothels in Brussels, Paris and London. She
was forced to work in a sex window in Antwerp. She was viciously beaten by
customers and gang members who trafficked her from Albania to Soho.
On two different occasions, Kristie was rounded up during police raids and sent
back to Albania into the custody of the same sex traffickers and again
trafficked abroad. Death threats against her sister kept her under control until
the gang considered her an operational threat and decided to smuggle her to the
UK where the traffickers felt it was less likely she would be caught by
authorities. She had no money and did not know anyone who could help her. After
18 months, Kristie managed to escape with the help of a maid, but knows of 30
other Albanian women still working in Soho and unable to escape. Her
asylum application was rejected as "implausible" and she is facing deportation
back to Albania.
The English Collective of Prostitutes is now supporting Kristie. She will be
speaking at their
conference on prostitution Dec. 4.
Quote:
"Where women escape and claim asylum to get protection, they face disbelief and
hostility," "How can the Government say they are serious about
protecting victims of trafficking when they are ready to deport Kristie back
into the hands of those that tortured her for so many years?" -Nicky Adams, English Collective of Prostitutes
Quote:
"The most important thing is to identify how terrible this crime is. In
the cases so far, they are young girls, promised jobs working in hair-dressing
in London or in bars in Milan but are forced into prostitution. "It's kidnapping
and abduction; so that if the girls try to escape they know that they are
placing their families at risk of harm from the gangs." -Harriet Harman,
Solicitor General
December 4, 2004
Sex Workers Gather to Discuss Prostitution Laws
According to this article:
An international conference at Somers Town in London was held Dec. 4, 2004
in response to a Home Office consultation paper on prostitution, published in
July. Sex workers from around the world met to debate proposed changes to UK
prostitution laws. The English Collective of Prostitutes supports full
decriminalisation of all activities surrounding sex work. Niki Adams,
spokeswoman for the collective told the BBC that the government paper had not
addressed any of the core issues, such as poverty.
The Home Office estimates that 80,000 people are involved in prostitution in
Britain, that 75% of street prostitutes under the age of 18 are coerced into the
industry and that as many as 95% use prostitution to support their own or their
partner’s drug habit. Prostitution itself is not illegal in the UK but most of
the activities around it, such as soliciting, pimping and running a brothel, are
criminal offences.
December 4, 2004
UK sex workers debate
law change
According to this article:
A conference is being held by the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) on
Dec. 4, 2004 to debate the proposed changes in UK prostitution laws. It
will be attended by sex workers from around the world who will share their
experiences, particularly regarding legalisation and decriminalisation.
Rachel West, US Prostitutes Collective delegate, said a San Francisco task force
had recommended total decriminalisation and that the UK should adopt the San
Francisco model. The ECP is in support of full decriminalisation. They
argue that tolerance zones and licensing do not work and dispute some of the
statistics in the consultation paper, i.e. 95% of street prostitutes have drug
problems.
The conference is in response to the "Paying the Price" consultation paper on
prostitution closed for comment on November 26. Regarding the consultation
paper, Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted to meet "the devastating
consequences of prostitution" head-on.
Comments were sought regarding a wide range of issues, including creating
"managed tolerance zones", registering sex trade workers and licensing brothels.
850 responses were received. They will be published next year when the
government decides what further action to take.
80,000 women were involved in the UK sex trade according to a 1999 survey.
Prostitution is not illegal, however soliciting, pimping and running a brothel
are.
December 5, 2004
Tolerance zones for prostitution
set for go ahead
Local authorities to regulate ‘red light’ areas
According to this article:
In its report due out later this month, a group of experts set up by the Scottish Executive
in February 2004 will back moves to give the power to local councils to set
up “tolerance zones” for prostitution. Advocates claim the zones are a
harm-reduction measure. Opponents believe prostitution should be eradicated
rather than managed and that it is a form of violence against women.
The group is chaired by former Strathclyde police chief Sandra Hood, and among
the 15 members is
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald. McDonald has twice introduced a
Bill to give councils extra powers to deal with prostitution.
MacDonald said last night that she was constrained by what she could say prior
to the report’s publication but admitted the group’s recommendations were “very
positive”.
In March 2004, deputy justice minister Hugh Henry called on MSPs to vote against
McDonald's Bill and to wait for the report, stressing that his opposition
related to timing, not the general principles of the legislation. Insiders
believe passage of the bill is unlikely. The expert group is expected to
issue further reports in 2005, attaching tolerance zones into one of the
Executive's law and order bills.
An opinion split between Edinburgh and Glasgow is an added factor in the debate.
Edinburgh agencies are supportive, Glasgow agencies believe that managing
prostitution is the same as legitimising it.
Quote:
“The group must understand that prostitution is about exploitation of
women. One of the worries about zones is that they increase the tolerance of
prostitution. And my personal view is that kerb crawling should be an offence.
It is violence against women and should be dealt with,” -Carolyn Leckie, the SSP
MSP for Central Scotland
-
Hutcheon, Paul. "Tolerance zones for prostitution set for go ahead : Local
authorities to regulate ‘red light’ areas" Sunday Herald Dec. 5, 2004.
Dec. 5, 2004<http://www.sundayherald.com/46421>
December 6, 2004
Council of Europe: One more chance to enhance the protection of human rights of
trafficked persons
JOINT PRESS RELEASE Amnesty International and
Anti-Slavery International
"Trafficking in human beings is a growing form of slavery which plagues Europe.
The 46 member states of the Council of Europe have the opportunity to take a
leading role in the protection of the rights of trafficked people; to do so they
should further strengthen the draft European Convention on Action against
Trafficking in Human Beings, said Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery
International.
The call of the two organizations comes as government-representatives, who form
the Ad Hoc Committee on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings (known as
"the CAHTEH"), begin what may be their last meeting to finalize their proposals
for a treaty which aims to enhance the protection of the rights of trafficked
persons, as well as to ensure greater efforts to prevent trafficking and the
prosecution of traffickers. During its meeting in Strasbourg, France, from 7-10
December, the CAHTEH will review provisions of the draft European Convention on
Action against Trafficking and then pass it to the Council of Europe's Committee
of Ministers for their consideration.
"People who have been trafficked are victims of a terrible crime. If their
rights are to be protected from further violation and the fight against human
trafficking strengthened, it is vital that the women, children and men who are
trafficked throughout Europe are properly identified and ensured effective
protection, regardless of whether they have been trafficked into prostitution or
labour exploitation. The Council of Europe's convention on trafficking provides
an opportunity to achieve this which must not be missed," said Mary Cunneen,
Director of Anti-Slavery International, which has been working to eradicate
slavery for over 160 years.
"Trafficked persons are bought and sold, kidnapped, lured by false promises of
work or marriage, raped and subjected to other forms of torture and
ill-treatment. Their passports and identity documents are often taken away by
their traffickers; their freedom of movement is commonly restricted. Some are
held in debt-bondage; others are not paid at all, they work, literally, as
slaves. Many face threats to their lives and/or the lives of their family
members if they attempt to escape or cooperate with law enforcement
authorities", said Jill Heine, Legal Adviser for Amnesty International.
Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery International warmly welcome the stated
aim of the Council of Europe to draft a treaty which enhances the protection of
the human rights of trafficked persons. The two organizations consider that the
current (October 2004) draft needs to be strengthened, in order to meet its aim.
To this end, the two organizations have published a document, Amnesty
International's and Anti-Slavery International Recommendations to Strengthen the
October 2004 Draft of the European Convention on Action against Trafficking in
Human Beings (AI Index: IOR 61/024/2004).
The two organizations have been alarmed to learn of a proposal which has been
tabled by a government in recent days, after publication of their
recommendations, that risks undermining the effectiveness of the draft treaty.
The proposal is to include a provision that would make the Council of Europe's
treaty subsidiary to European Union (EU) legislation on trafficking, with
respect to EU member states.
"This proposal risks significantly weakening the European Convention against
Trafficking. It risks being regarded as a green light to the EU to draft laws
which are less protective of the rights of trafficked persons than the standards
set out in the Council of Europe treaty. We urge that this proposal be
vigorously opposed. It runs counter to the very object and purpose of the
treaty, which was agreed by the representatives of the 46 states which sit on
the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. Instead, the Council of Europe
and the EU should be working cooperatively to ensure the highest protection of
the rights of trafficked persons", Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery
International said.
In addition, the two organizations have called on the CAHTEH to ensure, among
other things, that the text of the European Convention against Trafficking is
strengthened by: Characterizing trafficking as a human rights violation;
Requiring states to ensure that persons experienced in working with trafficked
persons are responsible for their prompt and accurate identification; Ensuring
that trafficked persons are treated as the victims of the crimes that they are
and are not detained, charged or prosecuted for the illegality of their entry
into or residence in a country, or for their involvement in unlawful activities
that are a consequence of their situation as trafficked persons; Requiring
states to make available a full range of assistance and protection, including
medical and psychological care, legal assistance, safe and secure housing, and
education, in particular to children; Ensuring that persons reasonably believed
to have been trafficked are afforded a minimum period of three months to begin
to recover from their ordeal, escape the influence of their traffickers and make
informed decisions about their future, including cooperation with law
enforcement efforts to pursue their traffickers, in security; their presence in
the country during this time should be regularized and recognized; Requiring
that, following this period, trafficked persons are granted 6-month-minimum
renewable and permanent residence permits on the basis of periodic needs and
risk assessments; Ensuring that no trafficked person will be returned to any
country if there is a risk to their life or safety, including the risk of
re-trafficking; Ensuring the right of trafficked persons to reparation,
including compensation, regardless of whether or not their traffickers are
identified, arrested or prosecuted. Ensuring, as far as possible, that there are
no safe havens for traffickers; Creating an independent expert-body, chosen in a
transparent manner, to assist states in their implementation of this treaty,
including by considering collective complaints about its implementation.
"If these recommendations are adopted, the Council of Europe's treaty could fill
a significant gap, as today there are no treaties that comprehensively address
states' obligations to respect and protect the human rights of trafficked
persons," Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery International said.
Background: More than 170 other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 30
countries have joined Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery International in
these calls; their statement urging the Council of Europe's Committee of
Ministers to strengthen the draft European Convention against Trafficking in
Human Beings was submitted last month.
It is expected that, following the CAHTEH meeting, the Council of Europe's
Committee of Ministers will forward the text of the draft European Convention
against Trafficking to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE), requesting their opinion by the end of January 2005. After consideration
of this Opinion, it is likely that the Committee of Ministers will then adopt
the European Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings in March
2005, and that the treaty will be opened for signature at the Council of
Europe's Third Summit of Heads of State and Government in May 2005."
To arrange an interview or for further information contact:
Amnesty International's Press Officer Lydia Aroyo
+44 (0)20 7413 5599,
+44 (0) 7771 796350, e-mail -
laroyo@amnesty.org.
Anti-Slavery International's Press Officer Beth Herzfeld
+44 (0)20 7501 8934
email b.herzfeld@antislavery.org
Public Document
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London,
UK, on
+44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International
1 Easton St.
London WC1X 0DW
Web: http://www.amnesty.org
-
"Council of Europe: One more chance to enhance the protection of human rights of
trafficked persons" Amnesty Int'l / Anti-Slavery Int'l Joint Press
Release. Dec. 6, 2004. Dec. 6, 2004.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=
80256DD400782B8480256F5500616FFC
December 6, 2004
Modern-day slave trade
This article gives details about some of the 100-plus lapdancers arrested during
Ireland's Operation Quest in June 2003.
According to this article:
There were 27 nationalities involved,
including 17 Estonians, 16 Czechs, 14 Lithuanians and 9 Hungarians. Other
countries included Venezuela, Mexico, South Africa, Moldova and the United
States. According to Sergeant Alan Bailey, all the girls came from poor
areas, were semi-literate with very little English and had received funding for
their travel to Ireland from the lapdancing clubs. They lived in suburban
group homes, shared with other dancers.
The girls were told stories about free travel and accommodation and the
opportunity to make huge amounts of money but found the reality to be "totally
different". They ended up totally dependent on the lapdancing clubs and
found the only way to make money was from private dances for which the customer
paid €25-€40 to the club, with the dancer receiving half. They were
expected to dance in strict rotation and in some instances the dancers
outnumbered customers four to one. Deductions to their wages were made in
some instances for "government tax" and as "fines" for breaking club rules by
being late for work, dressing improperly or socialising outside the club,
customer complaints, switching to other clubs or wanting to go home.
Ireland's role in the international sex trade is impossible to quantify due to
the clandestine nature of the industry but it is estimated that between 700,000
and four million women and children are moved across international borders
through trafficking. Sex trafficking, along with other forms of human
trafficking (false marriages, visa scams, bonded labour, illegal adoptions etc.)
is estimated to be worth approximately $30 billion annually, ranking just behind
the drug trade and arms industries.
Geraldine Rowley of Ruhama, an Irish organization working with prostitutes, said
they noticed a change in the type of women they were meeting and that fewer
older women were on the streets and many more non-national young women were
being found in brothels and flats. Their services are marketed and booked
by the internet and untraceable mobile phones and the girls have no links to the
community. Due to their "precarious legal status" in Ireland, few are
willing to seek help when there are problems. Traffickers and pimps often
register the women as asylum seekers or students and give false information
about their nationality. One lapdancing club set up its own "school".
The public perception of lapdancing clubs as legitimate entertainment is seen as
helping traffickers succeed.
Quote:
"Trafficking in women and children is
a horrendous violation of human rights but what people usually have in mind are
prostitutes, economic migrants, illegal aliens, illegal workers." "What many people and authorities do not understand is that we are actually
concerned with victims of a serious crime people who have been tricked, lured,
coerced into situations where they are exposed to violence and exploitation."
"Trafficked women are frequently regarded as wrongdoers and criminals. They meet
with little sympathy or support and the traffickers and their middle men, if
they are prosecuted at all, are only charged with immigration offences or
prostitution but never with infringement of human rights." -Dr Helga Konrad
of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
"Lapdancing is perceived by many as a victimless and harmless form of
entertainment. We would totally disagree." "It's just another facet of the sex industry. It's total exploitation."
-Sergeant Alan Bailey
In June 2003, ten clubs were raided
in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Dublin and Dundalk and the homes of their managers,
solicitors and accountants were searched. Over 1 million in cash was seized.
Three of the clubs have since closed and "substantial settlements" have been
reached with the Revenue Commissioners. Prosecutions under employment
legislation and the Illegal Immigrants Trafficking Act of 2000 are ongoing. None
of the lapdancers were prosecuted, although they were still penalised by being
required to return to their countries. Ireland's policy is to treat the
trafficked women as victims. Recently Operation Quest has targeted other
clubs and brothels.
-
O'Doherty, Caroline. "Modern-day slave trade" Irish Examiner. Dec. 6,
2004. Dec. 6, 2004. <http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/
did-sgxu56eILAVzosg7IQHSmeYhNE.asp
December 6, 2004
Sex slave trafficking crisis looms
According to this article:
Conor Lenihan,
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs has warned that gangs
trafficking in sex slaves and other black market workers are posing a growing
challenge for the Irish authorities and that a concerted effort was necessary to
tackle the problem.
Quote:
“Trafficking is a particularly despicable violation of human rights. It reduces
human beings to commodities to be bought and sold at will,”
“Much as we might want the problem of trafficking to diminish, increasing
globalisation inevitably means we are going to have more and more trafficking.
As a country we need to come up with very strong solutions." “We found this with
organised crime. If you do not tackle it early and do not develop the
legislative framework, you lose out for 10-15 years. If you do not tackle it
early, these particular organisations and networks can spawn and form linkages.”
-Conor Lenihan
Ireland’s record on dealing with trafficking and its victims was
criticized at the Department of Foreign Affairs-sponsored conference on
human rights. There are 3,000-4,000 mafia-style groups in Europe
either engaged in, or able to engage in, human trafficking. Geraldine Rowley, of Ruhama, said many non-national women who contacted the service mysteriously disappeared after one
or two contacts.
Among Ireland's failings
highlighted were:
No safe houses to protect those who escape from traffickers.
No right for victims to remain in the country until they can plan their
future.
Lack of specialised garda units outside of Dublin.
No research to establish the extent of the problem.
Over-reliance on immigration or employment legislation to deal with
trafficking when specialist laws were needed.
-
O’Doherty, Caroline "Sex slave trafficking crisis looms"
Irish Examiner. Dec. 6, 2004. Dec. 6, 2004.
<http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/Full_Story/
did-sgVzp4UYCje56sg7IQHSmeYhNE.asp>
December 6, 2004
Gangbuster
sets his sights on dangers of human traffickers
According to this article:
In an interview with The Times, Sir Stephen Lander, chairman of the new
Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) warned that human-trafficking could become
as big a problem as drug abuse and that dealing with traffickers and their
victims would be more complex than fighting drug traffickers. SOCA will "hit the
traffickers in their pockets and attack their organisations at home and abroad."
Police expect that his officers will look at ways of disrupting networks, to
include lorry drivers or airlines not checking papers thoroughly.
Sir Stephen, former head of MI5, described the experiences of illegal
immigrants pressed into prostitution, exploited by protection rackets or used as
slave laborers to pay off debts. The dangers from people - trafficking were
underlined last year in a national crime intelligence assessment. Police have
issued a warning about the infiltration into Britain's vice industry by Albanian
gangs using girls from Eastern Europe. Chinese "Snakehead" gangs are also
exploiting their communities.
Initially, drug trafficking will be the centre focus for SOCA. Extensive new
powers will be given to SOCA, including the power to compel the provision of
information from accountants, wider-ranging search warrants, new protection for
witnesses and powers to stop convicted criminals from hiding and using their
money, the use of plea bargaining and discounts for turning queen's evidence.
Quote:
“Drugs is the most immediately impactful (crime), but there is a sense that
illegal migration is potentially as big a problem for the UK. This is a very
troublesome potential for the country. “We are a very attractive target for
people who wish to make money out of (the) desire (of) ordinary human beings to
better themselves. “Unless very significant international changes occur in
relation to disparity in wealth, opportunity and safety, Europe is likely to
continue to be a significant target — and the United Kingdom quite near the top
of the list.” - Sir Stephen Lander
The article goes on to describe Sir Stephen's background.
-
Tendler, Stewart. "Gangbuster sets his sights on dangers of human traffickers"
The Times. Dec. 6, 2004. Dec. 6, 2004.
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article
/0,,2-1390676,00.html>
December 6, 2004
Brothel
girls forced to entertain 20 men a day
According to this article:
The "evil surrounding people-smuggling" is portrayed in this article
describing the actions of Luan Plakici, an Albanian trafficker currently serving
a 23 year sentence. Prior to his conviction in 2003 for kidnapping, procuring a
teenager to have unlawful sex, incitement to rape, living off prostitution and
people-smuggling, Plakici earned over £1 million by trafficking over 60 women
from Eastern Europe (Moldova and Romania) into Britain. The women cleared
immigration under fake passports and were then forced to work as prostitutes and
to repay a £8,000 “travel bill”. His victims were forced to serve up to 20
men a day, seven days a week and were controlled through violence, rape and
threats against their families. He married one girl, required her to spend
her wedding night selling her body and to have two abortions, returning to work
hours after the procedures.
-
Tendler, Stewart. "Brothel girls forced to entertain 20 men a day" The Times.
Dec. 6, 2004. Dec. 6, 2004.
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/
0,,2-1390677,00.html>
December 6, 2004
Sex workers reject red light zone
According to this article:
The English Collective of Prostitutes rejected Linda Gilroy, Plymouth Labour
MP's call for a new "managed" red light zone in Mutley Plain, saying that zones
would be unworkable and did not tackle the causes of prostitution, such as
domestic violence and poverty.
December 7,
2004
Britain 'Not on Top
of Organised Crime'
According to this article:
Sir Stephen Lander who has been appointed to head the new Serious Organised
Crime Agency (SOCA) acknowledged that Britain’s law enforcement forces were not
“on top” of problems like drugs, people-trafficking and international fraud.
According to Bill Bratton, the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
(formerly of New York), the UK is seeing a rise in gang violence and gun crime
similar to that seen in the US "a generation ago". Bratton said that the key
lesson the UK could learn from the US was the need to “strictly regulate”
firearms. He also suggested consideration of the American "broken windows"
theory, in which the focus on minor crimes (like graffiti) can prevent the
general decline of neighbourhoods into lawlessness. Bratton will be
meeting with British officers at a conference in San Diego on Dec. 8th.
The Bill establishing SOCA would allow the creation of the new agency
focusing on international crimes including drug-smuggling, people-trafficking
and fraud in April 2006, with 4,500 to 5,000 officers drawn from police,
security services and Customs and trace crime gangs back to their source.
Estimates suggest that the cost of organised crime to the UK economy could
be up to £40 billion a year.
Woodcock, Andrew "Britain 'Not on Top of Organised Crime'" The
Scotsman. Dec. 7, 2004. Dec. 8,
2004.
<http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3852330>
December 9, 2004
Paradise Next Door
This article provides details of a young Russian victim of sex trafficking
According to this article:
In the summer of 2003, Marina, (not her real name) 16, answered an advertisement in her local newspaper for a waitressing job in Spain, but within months, she would be working as a prostitute in London for £10 a day. Her story came to light last week when her pimp was jailed for six years for forcing her into prostitution.
Marina was told to make her way to Belgium by coach. When she
got to Belgium, she was told by the job agency that
the job had fallen through. Thousands of miles from home and penniless, she was
forced into prostitution. She was beaten by a customer and begged to be permitted to leave Belgium but her "owners" threatened to kill her and her family if she tried to run away. They sold her to Niki Dimitrov £3,000. Dimitrov took her to London where she was forced to work 12-hour days for £10 in brothels in north London, including Paradise, in Hendon. Dimitrov advertised her as London's youngest prostitute' and on one escort agency's web site she was labelled probably the youngest escort girl in London'. When Marina was not working, she was raped by Dimitrov and told he would kill her if she tried to escape. Her passport was taken and replaced by a new one with a false identity and age.
Officers from the Met Police Club and Vice unit raided a brothel in Sudbury and took Marina into protective custody. A month later Dimitrov was arrested and Marina's belongings were found at this home. Only one person in the vicinity of the brothel had any inkling that this was going on.
Gangs formerly trading in drugs now trade in girls. Britain (London in particular) is the
number one destination for girls trafficked by organised crime syndicates from
the former Yugoslavia and Soviet Union. The estimated number of trafficking victims varies wildly, but the Poppy Project says it could be anything from 1,500 to 14,000. The Poppy Project can only provide services to victims over the age of 18 so girls like Marina do not qualify for their safe houses.
A similar case occurred in December 2003, Luan Plakici, a 26-year-old Albanian was sentenced to
ten years for trafficking as many as 30 girls into the UK, one as young as 16. In April, 2004, the Appeal Court decided ten years was too lenient and
lengthened the sentence to 23 years.
Quote:
"Once the girl is worn out or she is infected by some sexual disease, she is cast aside, just as you would with a fridge or a washing machine that was broken. They are nothing more than a commodity." -Superintendent Chris Bradford, head of the Met. Police clubs and vice unit
-
Stebbings, Peter. "News Analysis: Paradise next door" Barnet Times. Dec. 9,
2004. Dec. 10, 2004.
< http://www.barnettimes.co.uk/features/
newsfeatures/display.var.552970.0.news_analysis
_paradise_next_door.php>
December 9, 2004
Police Given
Guidance on Dealing with Sex Trade
According to this article:
Gloucestershire Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain published a new national strategy
which will govern police officers as they deal with the sex trade until the
government review is complete.
The document has the backing of all 43 chief constables in England and Wales.
Brain does not accept arguments in favour of tolerance zones because of
inconclusive results in other countries. He said that prostitution has
traditionally been a low priority for police and neglected by public policy
makers.
Quote:
“The status quo is not an option, with the numbers of street
prostitutes rising as a result of drug addiction and the number of off-street
brothels fronted as massage parlours or saunas also increasing..."Trafficking of women into the country from other parts of the world is growing,
as is its links with organised crime...It all represents misery and exploitation of too many women.”
-Dr. Tim Brain
The report indicates a drop in the number of women cautioned for street
prostitution although there is a perception among police that prostitution is a
growing problem.
“We need to deal with priority operational problems now.”
Police would focus on tackling the harm done to prostitutes – women, men and
children – while protecting communities affected by the sex trade.
It was unacceptable for residents to deal with drug abuse and robbery which
often accompany prostitution in red light zones, as well as the littering with
discarded condoms and needles, he said.
Officers must also combat crime gangs involved in running prostitution, Dr Brain
added.
The report said of zones of toleration: “The evidence that such zones work in
other jurisdictions is equivocal.”
They may also generate illegal sex sales alongside the officially sanctioned
ones, it added.
-
Barrett, David. "Police Given Guidance on Dealing with Sex Trade" The
Scotsman. Dec. 9, 2004. Dec. 10, 2004.
<http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3864937>
December 10, 2004
Legal red-light districts 'just won't work'
According to this article:
Senior police officers have warned that tolerance zones (one idea put forward in
the Home Office consultation paper on prostitution) will not work and will do
little to reduce the exploitation of sex workers. Police say evidence from other
countries suggests that tolerance zones do not work and women will continue to
be exploited. It is believed that the statement of the police is likely to kill
off the plan.
The cities of Liverpool, Doncaster and Glasgow have expressed an interest
in toleration zones.
Oakeshott, Isabel "Legal red-light districts 'just won't work'" Evening
Standard Dec. 10, 2004. Dec. 11, 2004.
<http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/
15228244?version=1>
December 10,
2004
Police reject prostitute
'zones'
According to this article:
Police have rejected proposals to create "official red light zones" (prostitution tolerance zones). The Association of Chief Police Officers said that such measures would allow women's exploitation to continue and that police need to do more to stem the rising numbers of women forced into prostitution by drug addiction. Their report follows government proposals to amend prostitution laws and calls by sex workers to decriminilise prostitution.
A study and subsequent report by Gloucestershire's Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain and with the support of all 43 chief constables in England and Wales, said there was no
clear evidence that toleration zones would make prostitution more manageable and that other countries where they exist provide inconclusive evidence of success. Dr. Brain also said the number of brothels masquerading as massage parlours was increasing and that trafficking of women by organized criminals was a growing problem. He said that officers should concentrate on the harm to prostitutes and communities affected by the sex industry.
The report suggested that the number of women cautioned for street
prostitution fell from 3,323 in 1993 to 732 in 2001. The number of girls under
18 cautioned during the same period fell from 296 to just six. The report will
govern the way officers deal with prostitution until the results of a government
review of the law, which started earlier in 2004. Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted to meet head-on "the
devastating consequences of prostitution".
December
10, 2004
Police reject red light zones
According to this article:
The idea of official red light zones as a way of controlling the sex trade has been rejected by police chiefs. A report published by Gloucestershire Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain and which has the backing of all 43 chief
constables in England and Wales warns that police forces need to pay more
attention to tackling prostitution. Brain rejected arguments in
favour of "toleration zones" because they would require a change in the law and
evidence of their success in other countries was inconclusive. He warned that the status quo was not an option due to the numbers of street prostitutes rising as a result of drug addiction and the rise of off-street brothels fronted as massage parlors or saunas.
Quote:
"Trafficking of women into the country from other parts of the world is growing,
as is its links with organised crime. "It all represents misery and exploitation
of too many women." "Prostitution has traditionally... been a
low priority for the police. "Policing and public policy require refocusing to
tackle the problem. "For too long policing prostitution has been a neglected
area of not only policing priority but also public priority." -Dr. Tim Brain, Gloucestershire Chief Constable
-
"Police reject red light zones" ic Scotland Dec 10, 2004. Dec. 10, 2004.
http://icscotland.icnetwork.co.uk/news/uk/
tm_objectid =14963131&method=
full&siteid=50141&headline=police-
reject-red-light-zones-name_page.html
December 11, 2004
Girls in grip of pimps
According to this article:
An audit of Rotherham's crime, disorder and drugs problems carried out by the
Safer Rotherham Partnership indicates that up to 40 girls in Rotherham could be
involved prostitution, handled by a "highly organized network of pimps.
The girls are often exploited by drug dealers and frightened of complaining due
to their dependence on drugs or the threat of violence. Safe houses and
specialist police officers are urgently needed. A statement from the victim is
necessary to prosecute a pimp and it is rare for the girls to do so.
The report details Home Office estimates of 80,000 people involved in
prostitution in the UK and that in 2001 in Rotherham alone 80 girls were working
as prostitutes, some as young as 12 years old. One agency "Risky Business" is
working with girls and young women to warn about the risk of sexual
exploitation.
December 11, 2004
Legal 'red light' areas rejected
According to this article:
The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) rejected official "red light"
areas in city centres as a way of controlling the sex trade. They said tolerance
zones failed to work abroad and often attracted criminal elements.
Quote:
"Many hope that such zones will reduce abuse and victimisation, and make the
problem more manageable in terms of its impact on local communities," "The
evidence that such zones work successfully in other jurisdictions is equivocal.
Not only do such zones permit the continued exploitation of people through
prostitution, there is evidence that illegal prostitution has been encouraged
alongside the managed examples."
"The status quo is not an option, with the numbers of street prostitutes rising
as a result of drug addiction and the number of off-street brothels fronted as
massage parlours or saunas also increasing. Trafficking of women into the
country is growing, as is its links with organised crime. It all represents
misery and exploitation of too many women."
-Tim Brain, the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire
Acpo has issued guidance to the 43 forces in England and Wales for dealing with
the sex industry. It urges police to focus more on tackling pimps and protecting
communities from the abuses surrounding the trade.
Prosecutions for street prostitution fell from 3,323 in 1993 to 1,370 in 2002.
The number of girls under 18 cautioned dropped from 296 to six.
Johnston, Philip "Legal 'red light' areas rejected" Telegraph Dec.
11, 2004.
Dec. 11, 2004.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml
?xml=/news/2004/12/11/ntart11.xml&s
Sheet=/news/2004/12/11
/ixhome.html>
December
11, 2004
Police reject official red-light zones in tolerance setback
According to this article:
South Yorkshire Police backed the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
opposition to prostitution tolerance zones in Yorkshire. ACPO published a
report that will govern the way officers deal with prostitution until the Home
Office completes its review of the law. There had previously been cautious
support for tolerance zones from some police, residents and politicians, which
had led to talks with the Home Office. Doncaster residents have long
complained about the red-light district on their doorsteps.
"Gloucestershire Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain published a new national strategy
to improve the way officers deal with the sex trade by having priority action
zones. He rejected arguments in favour of "toleration zones" because they would
require a change in the law and evidence of their success in other countries was
inconclusive. "
Quotes:
"The status quo is not an option, with the numbers of street prostitutes
rising as a result of drug addiction and the number of off-street brothels
fronted as massage parlours or saunas also increasing. "Trafficking of women
into the country from other parts of the world is growing, as is its links with
organised crime. It all represents misery and exploitation of too many women.
"For too long policing prostitution has been a neglected area of not only
policing priority but also public priority." -Gloucestershire Chief Constable Dr
Tim Brain
"Priority action zones help us to minimise the effects of prostitution in a
number of ways. The concentration of resources with other statutory and
voluntary bodies, provision of health and welfare support to prostitutes and the
investigation and prosecution of people who exploit them are all central to this
way of working." -spokesman for South Yorkshire Police
"In my view the zones do not work and they still perpetuate the exploitation of
vulnerable women. "You cannot tolerate under-age girls, drugs or violence and
all these things would have to be managed. "Legalising brothels and tolerance
zones sounds like the answer but the evidence shows that is not the case when it
actually comes to doing it. "I am very strongly against tolerance zones. There
are huge problems that people do not realise. It does nothing to stop the
problem." -Supt John Brennan
Martin Winter, Doncaster's elected Mayor, promised to implement a tolerance zone
if "given the opportunity". He has lobbied for a managed zone approach.
Waugh, Ian "Police reject official red-light zones in tolerance setback"
Yorkshire Post.
Dec. 11, 2004. Dec. 11, 2004.
<http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2
.aspx?SectionID=
55&ArticleID=903773>
December 13, 2004
Experts press ministers to legalise red light zones
According to this article:
A report to ministers, drawn up the Scottish Executive's expert group states
that Scottish councils should be given the power to set up prostitution
tolerance zone, away from residential areas. They will also urge ministers
to reject the move to make kerb-crawling an offence. Debate is expected
due to Glasgow councillors' hardline approach to the sex industry, while
Edinburgh and Aberdeen have operated unofficial tolerance zones. 43 chief
constables in England and Wales rejected tolerance zones. The executive working
group is chaired by Sandra Hood, former assistant chief constable of Strathclyde
Police, and includes Margo MacDonald, the Independent MSP, who has repeatedly
tried to introduce a bill to give councils the authority to set up tolerance
zones.
Quote:
"The evidence points overwhelmingly to one conclusion – tolerance zones do not
work and kerb crawling must be made illegal. "If we are serious about tackling
deprivation, then it's time to bite the bullet and tackle the causes. Drug
addiction, alcohol abuse and prostitution go hand-in-hand. Only by first
addressing demand can we begin to help the women who are coerced into this
lifestyle by manipulative, abusive men. Glasgow supports a change in the Civic
Government (Scotland) Act to criminalise those who buy sex and introduce proper
kerb-crawling legislation. I don't believe politicians at local or national
level can afford to sit on the fence over this issue any longer. "Glasgow will
not 'tolerate' wholesale abuse of women by men through prostitution. This is the
time to change the law on kerb-crawling and address this vile trade head on."-
James Coleman, deputy leader of Glasgow City Council
"We believe we need to focus on the violence women are experiencing. "Following
consultation with the women, they clearly said they would not wish tolerance
zones to be located in residential areas, however nor do they wish to be totally
isolated. If we are going to tackle the violence issue, we cannot put them out
in the middle of nowhere. "There are extremely diverse opinions about
prostitution in our society. However, the role of the government is to find the
common ground that the reasonable person in the street would support." -Ruth
Morgan Thomas, head of ScotPep
Adams, Lucy "Experts press ministers to legalise red light zones" The Herald
Dec. 13, 2004. Dec. 14, 2004
<http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/29655.shtml>
December 13, 2004
Group calls for sex trade tolerance zones
According to this article:
A working group on prostitution, chaired by Sandra Hood, chief constable, will
recommend local councils to be given the power to set up prostitution tolerance
zones and will urge more help for the estimated 5000 women working in the sex
trade. It will oppose kerb-crawling being made into an offence.
Recommendations were leaked to the media.
The Scottish Prostitutes Education Project which offers advice to sex industry
workers on personal safety, drug addiction and sexual health. had been on the
verge of collapse and was recently bailed out with £20,000 public cash.
Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian agreed to split the cost of a one-off
contribution. NHS Lothian already gives Scotpep £136,085 a year, but the
organisation’s running costs are almost £190,000. They are now "fully secure"
until March 2006. Politicians and residents have claimed that Scotpep does not
do enough to convince prostitutes to quit the business.
Swanson, Ian and Jason Cumming. "Group calls for sex trade tolerance zones"
The
Scotsman. Dec.13, 2004. Dec. 14, 2004.
<http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id
=1424952004>
December 14, 2004
Zero tolerance
the only answer to sex trade
FULL TEXT
"Prostitution is at the centre of a national debate as we seek answers to the
problems of the sex trade on our streets. It is suggested that Scottish councils
could be given the power to create so-called tolerance zones. This follows
experiments in cities such as Edinburgh and Aberdeen. But in Glasgow, at least,
the city council has a clear and unequivocal view of what prostitution means for
our city and its people. Glasgow will soon be pressing for a change in the law
to make kerb-crawling illegal.
Prostitution is not inevitable and it should not be tolerated. Attitudes towards
rape, child abuse, domestic violence and sexual harassment have changed beyond
measure in the past 20 years. It is time we looked at prostitution in the same
way as other types of abuse and scrapped the myth that it is a lifestyle choice.
Glasgow has 25 per cent of Scotland’s problem drug users and 90 per cent of
women involved in street prostitution are drug addicts.
Edinburgh had mixed results from its tolerance zone, which was dropped three
years ago. But there remains an unofficial zone around parts of Aberdeen.
However, we reject utterly the idea that, by using words such as tolerance, we
can create a utopian solution to wider problems.
Here in Glasgow, we know the proceeds of prostitution are used to buy drugs.
Drugs for the woman herself and, more often than not, for men who may be relying
on the income from prostitution to support their own habit. Media stories of
luxury lifestyles and high living are the exception that gives people a false
view of prostitution in Scotland. Poverty, addiction and social exclusion go
hand in hand, and this is the reality for all of the women we help through
respected support projects including Base 75 and Routes Out of Prostitution.
Prostitution is a portal to access every social, criminal and health issue
imaginable. Human trafficking, social exclusion, domestic violence, drug and
alcohol addiction, drug dealing and smuggling, violent assault, the spread of
sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS. Trafficking women from Eastern
Europe and Africa is a multi-million-pound criminal industry and I firmly
believe any attempt at management or control of prostitution is a green light
for these people to expand their loathsome criminal activities into Scottish
towns and cities.
Sweden has taken a different and compelling approach to the issue. As part of
that country’s groundbreaking Violence Against Women Bill (1998), the purchase
of sexual services became illegal the following year. The offence carries a
prison sentence or a sizeable fine of up to £2,000 and applies to the casual
purchase of any sexual services, including on-line activities. A Swedish
government survey in 2001 showed that 81 per cent of those questioned were in
support of the law, and street prostitution in Stockholm was down by 78 per
cent. Glasgow supports this approach and recently met representatives from
Swedish law enforcement agencies.
Prostitution has fiscal costs as well as human costs. Sweden has decided to make
the traffickers, the pimps and the men who use women in this way pick up these
monetary costs. The focus, to date, has always been on the women, and this
approach is fundamentally flawed, in my view. I agree with the Swedish approach.
By tackling demand you reduce supply, and that gives women a chance to move on.
Men who use prostitutes are not socially inadequate, lonely singletons in need
of a friend. This stereotype has to change. We know that men stopped and
questioned in so-called red light areas are typically middle-aged with good jobs
and quality cars. Women also report that men pick them using work vans. This is
passing trade - off-the-cuff, casual encounters. By tackling this opportunistic
demand, we can increase the number of women leaving the trade behind and reduce
the number of young women who are being drawn into it.
Glasgow City Council believes prostitution is no more inevitable than other
forms of abuse and that any degree of legalisation in Scotland would set back
the progress that has been made to date. In keeping with its overarching social
inclusion and equality agenda, Scotland’s largest city has focused its
activities on helping women to leave prostitution and on challenging men’s right
to use women in this way.
Even when they have stopped prostitution, there is on-going trauma for women
that can last indefinitely. Women who have come into contact with organisations
such as Routes Out of Prostitution mention flashbacks, fear of being found out,
guilt and the possibility of sexual harassment or blackmail by those who know
their past. This type of long-term mental health issue is one of the forgotten
consequences of prostitution and a compelling argument against sanctioning the
activity in any form.
Until now, the issue of tolerance zones has dominated the agenda. But Glasgow is
not only opposed to the idea of tolerance zones - it has set out to change the
law on kerb-crawling and to change public and professional attitudes towards
prostitution. This remains the biggest struggle. " -James Coleman, Deputy leader of Glasgow City Council.
Coleman, James. "Zero tolerance the only answer to sex trade" The
Scotsman Dec. 14, 2004.
Dec. 14, 2004.
<http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=
1425392004>
December 16, 2004
Calls for more regulation on prostitution
According to this article:
The Prostitute Support Group report to the Scottish Parliament is calling for a
change in the law on prostitution in Scotland to allow "managed zones" for
prostitution. They believe it will improve safety for women and prevent more
children from becoming involved.
"Calls for more regulation on prostitution" Scotland Today Dec. 16, 2004.
Dec. 16, 2004
December 16,
2004
Prostitution laws set for change
According to this article:
BBC Scotland reported that the Scottish Executive is "sympathetic" to
changing the law in relation to prostitution. It is believed there will be a
recommendation to create a new offence which would criminalise nuisance or
offensive behaviour caused by prostitution, applicable to both prostitutes and
their clients. It also expected that there will be a call for councils to be
given powers to establish tolerance zones where prostitution could be managed.
But it is thought that the criminal law would not be suspended in these areas.
December 23, 2004
Sex slaves trafficker is jailed for 18 years
According to this article:
Albanian Taulant Merdanaj, aged 28, was jailed for 18 years for trafficking women from Eastern Europe and forcing them to work as prostitutes in a Sheffield massage parlour, "Club 160." He was convicted of 13 counts including sex trafficking into the UK, three counts of rape, two charges of inciting prostitution and two counts of false imprisonment.
His case was the first of its kind to reach trial since the new laws were passed in 2003 to combat trafficking. The trial took place at Sheffield Crown Court.
Two Lithuanian women (ages 21 and 24) were given false promises of employment but upon arrival at Heathrow they were driven to Sheffield and forced to become sex slaves. Their passports and all ID were taken and they were regularly beaten. The younger girl was repeatedly raped by Merdanaj and was threatened with death if she contacted the police. All the money was confiscated, the women were locked into Bregu's flat when they were not being pimped.
Also accused in the case was Elidon Bregu (age 19.) Bregu was convicted of sex trafficking and false imprisonment and sentenced to 9 years.
Both men face deportation upon release.
Further details of the case are provided in the news article.
December 23, 2004
Women's sex slave nightmare
Traffickers:
Taulant Merdanaj
Elidon Bregu
December 30, 2004
Plan to curb people-smuggling 'will halt legitimate refugees'
According to this article:
The European Union estimates around 600,000 people are trafficked into Europe
annually. Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini's plans to tackle gangs targeting
children for selling into sexual slavery saying that torture, physical and
psychological abuse are used commonly to break the resistance of the victims.
The Irish Refugee Council has attacked the new EU plans, suspecting that tighter
controls will block legitimate asylum seekers from reaching Ireland or other EU
countries. The council claims to back in principle tougher measures to
halt sexual slavery and criminal gangs.
Quote:
"Immigration officials have a terribly difficult task...We're sympathetic to
controlling trafficking into sex slavery, but in reality they catch a far wider
net than they are initially targeting," -Peter O'Mahony, chief executive of
the Irish Refugee Council
Sweeney, Conor. "Plan to curb people-smuggling 'will halt legitimate refugees'"
Irish Independent. Dec. 30, 2004. Jan. 4, 2005
<http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/
stories.php3?ca=9&si=1312458&issue_id=11878>
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