Global human trafficking roundup (September 30, 2010)

NORTH AMERICA

Illinois: A doctor faces house arrest for buying sex from underage girls through a sex trafficking ring. According to the report,he is he is charged with "sex trafficking of a child, aiding and abetting sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance." 

Georgia: A 36 year old man was sentenced 17 years in federal prison for sex trafficking minors. According to the report, he sold the minors on the adult website for commercial sex. His 17 year jail sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $60,400 to the victims. 

Alabama: An owner and her two employees of a massage parlor were indicted yesterday on sex trafficking charges. According to the report, the three women are accused of illegally bringing foreign women from abroad and used them for prostitution. 

California:   Police arrested a suspected pimp who trafficked teenagers and forced them into prostitution. According to the report, he allegedly kidnapped a 14 year old girl earlier this week as well as kidnapping others in the past. He is currently under police custody. 

District of Columbia: Washington Post announced that it will no longer accept massage parlor ads on its newspaper. In the past, Washington Post used discretionary policy in regards to accepting advertisement for massage parlor businesses. However, as it recognized the illegal businesses conducted in legal establishments, Washington Post decided to change its stand on advertisement policy for massage parlors. 

EUROPE

UK:  A council leader claimed that Lambeth needs a legislation to fight against human trafficking. According to the report, there are approximately 100 women and children who were trafficked in Lambeth. The council  leader therefore called for a cross party support of proposed changes to EU legislation, which, according to the report, will strength the anti-human trafficking efforts. 

ASIA

Azerbaijan: The national hotline representative said that the agency received  over 9000 calls from trafficked victims. Many of the calls are from the people who were promised a job abroad but found themselves to be defrauded when upon arrival in foreign countries. Others were trafficked for forced marriage, forced begging, or other forms of slavery. 

Kyrgyzstan: An authority announced that 16 people became victims of labor trafficking abroad during the meeting with anti-human trafficking groups. According to the report, most of them were trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan. However, because of the lack of evidence and witness availability, many human trafficking cases are not prosecuted. 

Philippines: Police uncovered a labor trafficking ring run by a manpower company. The company was trafficking Filipino migrants to the U.S. for labor exploitation. Police identified at least 18 victims who were trafficked to the U.S. The victims, according to the report, lived in a very poor condition. They not only were subject to slavery of seeding more than 18 pine trees a day but also were paid only $40 per week. 

Jordan: International Labor Organization stated that at least 12.3 million people are trafficked worldwide on Wednesday. According to ILO, women and children make up the vast majority of the victims, as 66 percent of the victims are women and 27 percent of them are children. 

AFRICA

Nigeria: An authority stated that more than 40,000 Nigerian girls are trafficked to Mali for prostitution. He also stated that girls are taken to West African countries by female agents and placed in brothels with dire conditions.