Global human trafficking roundup (February 18, 2011)

Global human trafficking roundup (February 18, 2011)

NORTH AMERICA

Florida: A new york man receives the maximum penalties in a federal sex trafficking case. He was convicted of "sex trafficking by force, threats of force and fraud; transporting women across state lines for prostitution; enticing, inducing and coercing a woman to travel across state lines for prostitution; and conspiracy to transport a woman across state lines for prostitution." He now faces "two consecutive life sentences plus 35 years in federal prison for his crimes."

Georgia: The state legislators holds the first hearing on a new bill to combat child trafficking. The bill will not only impose longer penalties on traffickers but also allow the authority to seize the traffickers' assets.

Texas: U.S attorney says that ten people, including the local bar and restaurant owners were arrested on human trafficking charges. According to the report, they brought women and girls from Mexico to Houston and forced them into prostitution.

Hawaii: Domestic sex trafficking survivor said that she wants harsher penalty for traffickers. She shared her story before the legislators yesterday during the informational briefing to implement new anti-human trafficking bill 576 in Hawaii. She said that she was raped with a gun pointed on her head and forced into prostitution for three months by her pimp. She also said that she lives in fear and hopes that her pimp will never find her.

Canada: A sex trafficking survivor says that she was saved by a newspaper article. She was 19 when she came to Canada to be a domestic worker. But, instead, she was forced into sex industry as a exotic dancer upon arrival. When she read the story of another trafficking victim and the local police asking other trafficking victims to come forward on the article, she was able to find her way to escape from slavery.

Guam: A jury found a brothel owner guilty of sex trafficking women from Micronesia. According to the report, she preyed on nine victims, including a 16 year old girl, by forcing them into prostitution after promising them a good job at a restaurant. The brothel owner is now facing a maximum of life in prison at a sentencing set for May 18.

LATIN AMERICA

Mexico: A mother sells her infant to pay for her elder child's cancer treatment. She sold the infant to a midwife for a little more than $400, who, in turn, handed over the baby to a U.S. citizen for $1670. Both the midwife and the U.S. citizen are in custody and may be prosecuted for human trafficking.

EUROPE

Switzerland: The new IOM report on human trafficking criticizes lack of victim assistance from some countries. It argues that lack of victim assistance also leads to re-victimization of many women and children. The report is based on the close studies of 79 cases of human trafficking victims and shows that none of the victims in the studied cases were offered neither a temporary nor a permanent residency from the country of their destination. According to the report, the international victims who received no assistance from the country of their destination are re-trafficked within the country of their origin after the initial rescue.

ASIA

The Philippines: Local police rescued eighteen people who are believed to be trafficking victims. According to the police, the alleged victims came from various parts of the country and failed to present proper documents or working visas. Police also believes that the victims were illegally recruited to work in Malaysia.

AFRICA

Ghana: A couple are on trial for trafficking six women to Lagos. According to the police, they recruited six women from their hometown and another state in Ghana and transport them to Lagos to sell porridge. However, the victims were forced into selling porridge without compensation during the day and prostitution at night. 

http://globalhtnews.blogspot.com/2011/02/global-human-trafficking-roundup_18.html