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The Star-Ledger : Mexican women delivered to N.J. farms for sex with workers, authorities say
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/13_charged_in_sex_slave_ring_t.html
Mexican women delivered to N.J. farms for sex with workers, authorities say
By Ted Sherman/The Star-Ledger
on May 01, 2013 at 1:09 PM, updated May 01, 2013 at 7:03 PM
NEW YORK — Sold into prostitution, the young women were forced to have sex with workers on New Jersey farms and in dingy brothels around New York — some with as many as 25 men a day, authorities say.
Most got paid nothing.
Today, federal authorities said they have charged 13 people in connection with the far-flung sex trafficking ring that transported dozens women and girls — including one as young as 14 — from Mexico to be put to work in the sex trade.
Prosecutors said the enterprise, which operated for at least five years, was part of a larger network of sex traffickers working a pipeline that stretched from Tenancingo, Mexico, directly into the New York region.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said members of the ring lured their victims to the United States with promises of a better life.
<>
...The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to identify where in New Jersey the ring was operating and state officials were unaware of the operation.
<>
Mexican women delivered to N.J. farms for sex with workers, authorities say
By Ted Sherman/The Star-Ledger
on May 01, 2013 at 1:09 PM, updated May 01, 2013 at 7:03 PM
NEW YORK — Sold into prostitution, the young women were forced to have sex with workers on New Jersey farms and in dingy brothels around New York — some with as many as 25 men a day, authorities say.
Most got paid nothing.
Today, federal authorities said they have charged 13 people in connection with the far-flung sex trafficking ring that transported dozens women and girls — including one as young as 14 — from Mexico to be put to work in the sex trade.
Prosecutors said the enterprise, which operated for at least five years, was part of a larger network of sex traffickers working a pipeline that stretched from Tenancingo, Mexico, directly into the New York region.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said members of the ring lured their victims to the United States with promises of a better life.
<>
...The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to identify where in New Jersey the ring was operating and state officials were unaware of the operation.
<>
10 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
UN highlights human trafficking
According to a report last year by UNODC, countries that were major sources of trafficked persons included Thailand, China, Nigeria, Albania, Bulgaria, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Thailand, Japan, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the US were the most common destinations, the report said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6497799.stm
According to a report last year by UNODC, countries that were major sources of trafficked persons included Thailand, China, Nigeria, Albania, Bulgaria, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Thailand, Japan, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the US were the most common destinations, the report said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6497799.stm
Increase in human trafficking in Netherlands
Latest figures show more women, especially from Hungary and China, falling prey to human traffickers.
THE NETHERLANDS – Human trafficking in the Netherlands is on the rise, according to figures obtained from the National Centre against Human Trafficking.
Dutch newspaper Trouw reports there were 809 registered victims of human trafficking last year, up from 716 in 2007.
The figures show a substantial increase in the number of victims from Hungary and China. Some 763 were women and at least 60 percent of them were forced to work in the sex industry.
http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/Increase-in-human-trafficking-in-Netherlands_49349.html
Latest figures show more women, especially from Hungary and China, falling prey to human traffickers.
THE NETHERLANDS – Human trafficking in the Netherlands is on the rise, according to figures obtained from the National Centre against Human Trafficking.
Dutch newspaper Trouw reports there were 809 registered victims of human trafficking last year, up from 716 in 2007.
The figures show a substantial increase in the number of victims from Hungary and China. Some 763 were women and at least 60 percent of them were forced to work in the sex industry.
http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/Increase-in-human-trafficking-in-Netherlands_49349.html
'Loverboys' child prostitution scandal back in Dutch spotlight
Phenomenon of young men pimping underage schoolchildren prompts national wave of soul-searching
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/18/loverboy-child-prostitution-netherlands
Phenomenon of young men pimping underage schoolchildren prompts national wave of soul-searching
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/18/loverboy-child-prostitution-netherlands
Six get heavy sentences in Dutch human trafficking trial
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A court convicted six people Friday in what prosecutors said was the largest case of human trafficking ever brought to trial in the Netherlands.
Experts said the case could have an impact on Dutch policy because the crimes were committed after brothels were legalized in 2000 in the hope that legitimacy would make it easier for the police to monitor prostitution.
Five of the six convicted men were found guilty of participating in a large, well-established network that kept women in prostitution by force — and with extreme violence.
Some of the victims were compelled to have breast enlargement surgery, and one defendant was convicted of forcing at least one woman to have an abortion. Women were beaten and forced to sit in icy water to avoid bruising. They also were tattooed.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-11-Dutch-human-trafficking_N.htm
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A court convicted six people Friday in what prosecutors said was the largest case of human trafficking ever brought to trial in the Netherlands.
Experts said the case could have an impact on Dutch policy because the crimes were committed after brothels were legalized in 2000 in the hope that legitimacy would make it easier for the police to monitor prostitution.
Five of the six convicted men were found guilty of participating in a large, well-established network that kept women in prostitution by force — and with extreme violence.
Some of the victims were compelled to have breast enlargement surgery, and one defendant was convicted of forcing at least one woman to have an abortion. Women were beaten and forced to sit in icy water to avoid bruising. They also were tattooed.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-11-Dutch-human-trafficking_N.htm
Nigerian Jailed in Netherlands for smuggling 16 women into prostitution
On Monday, Ada Solomon Osaikhwuwuomwan was found guilty of smuggling Josephine and 16 other women, and sentenced to seven years in prison, one year short of the maximum sentence in the Netherlands for this offence. Seven other members of his gang, including his wife, received shorter sentences for smuggling, people trafficking and for being members of a criminal organisation.
For Warner ten Cate, the Dutch National Public Prosecutor for trafficking in human beings and people smuggling, this is a major victory – especially the fact that the court of appeal in Leeuwarden found Solomon guilty of human trafficking and not smuggling. Trafficking, when victims are forced to work as prostitutes or forced labour, is a crime against human dignity, he says.
Unorthodox strategy
He is most proud of the fact that the high court accepted the unorthodox strategy used by the prosecution to convince fearful and often traumatised probable victims of trafficking to talk. For the first time, it seems, Dutch police looked at cultural traditions that could help explain their reluctance to disclose valuable information.
Way back in 2009 Josephine had been consumed by fear after she testified against Solomon, the fellow Nigerian she said took her to Italy where she was forced into street prostitution.
http://www.elombah.com/index.php/special-reports/10248-nigerian-jailed-in-netherlands-for-smuggling-16-women-into-prostitution-v15-10248
On Monday, Ada Solomon Osaikhwuwuomwan was found guilty of smuggling Josephine and 16 other women, and sentenced to seven years in prison, one year short of the maximum sentence in the Netherlands for this offence. Seven other members of his gang, including his wife, received shorter sentences for smuggling, people trafficking and for being members of a criminal organisation.
For Warner ten Cate, the Dutch National Public Prosecutor for trafficking in human beings and people smuggling, this is a major victory – especially the fact that the court of appeal in Leeuwarden found Solomon guilty of human trafficking and not smuggling. Trafficking, when victims are forced to work as prostitutes or forced labour, is a crime against human dignity, he says.
Unorthodox strategy
He is most proud of the fact that the high court accepted the unorthodox strategy used by the prosecution to convince fearful and often traumatised probable victims of trafficking to talk. For the first time, it seems, Dutch police looked at cultural traditions that could help explain their reluctance to disclose valuable information.
Way back in 2009 Josephine had been consumed by fear after she testified against Solomon, the fellow Nigerian she said took her to Italy where she was forced into street prostitution.
http://www.elombah.com/index.php/special-reports/10248-nigerian-jailed-in-netherlands-for-smuggling-16-women-into-prostitution-v15-10248
Germany too lax on human trafficking?
...
Germany is often among the frontrunners when it comes to calling for the rule of law to be upheld. Yet it seems that sometimes, even the apparent poster boy doesn't abide by the rules himself - for instance when it comes to fighting human trafficking. UNICEF and child protection organization ECPAT criticize that Berlin is dragging its heels on the implementation of an EU guideline to combat trafficking.
...
Many victims are underage
But the domestic policy spokesman of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in parliament, Hans-Peter Uhl, doesn't exactly agree. "The Justice Ministry (held by the Conservative's junior coalition partners, the Free Democrats) simply plans to extend existing jurisdiction to include cases like human trafficking for instance for the purpose of begging, or with the intention of exploitation for pick-pocketing or organ trafficking." Uhl says plans don't go far enough since there is no plan to include human trafficking with the intention of sexual exploitation.
NGOs also criticize the new legislation would still be too lax. "If for instance an underage girl is brought from Romania to Germany and forced into prostitution, then this qualifies as sexual abuse and exploitation but not as human trafficking. And the latter would be punished more severely under German law," explains Rudi Tarneden of UNICEF Germany.
It would be almost impossible in Germany to convict someone for human trafficking because of forced prostitution, says Uhl. The reason is that according to German law, the burden of proof lies with the victim. Often though the victims refuse to testify - for fear of revenge. "And if a victim does testify, they often withdraw their statements because they're being blackmailed," Uhl explains.
http://www.dw.de/germany-too-lax-on-human-trafficking/a-16724634
...
Germany is often among the frontrunners when it comes to calling for the rule of law to be upheld. Yet it seems that sometimes, even the apparent poster boy doesn't abide by the rules himself - for instance when it comes to fighting human trafficking. UNICEF and child protection organization ECPAT criticize that Berlin is dragging its heels on the implementation of an EU guideline to combat trafficking.
...
Many victims are underage
But the domestic policy spokesman of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in parliament, Hans-Peter Uhl, doesn't exactly agree. "The Justice Ministry (held by the Conservative's junior coalition partners, the Free Democrats) simply plans to extend existing jurisdiction to include cases like human trafficking for instance for the purpose of begging, or with the intention of exploitation for pick-pocketing or organ trafficking." Uhl says plans don't go far enough since there is no plan to include human trafficking with the intention of sexual exploitation.
NGOs also criticize the new legislation would still be too lax. "If for instance an underage girl is brought from Romania to Germany and forced into prostitution, then this qualifies as sexual abuse and exploitation but not as human trafficking. And the latter would be punished more severely under German law," explains Rudi Tarneden of UNICEF Germany.
It would be almost impossible in Germany to convict someone for human trafficking because of forced prostitution, says Uhl. The reason is that according to German law, the burden of proof lies with the victim. Often though the victims refuse to testify - for fear of revenge. "And if a victim does testify, they often withdraw their statements because they're being blackmailed," Uhl explains.
http://www.dw.de/germany-too-lax-on-human-trafficking/a-16724634
