Global human trafficking roundup (August 31, 2010)

NORTH AMERICA

Ohio: A 27 year old Toledo man was charged with sex trafficking a minor. He is accused of forcing a developmentally delayed teenager into prostitution. The undercover sting began after an informant told the police that she witnessed several men waiting in line to have sex with the victim at a local hotel. The man recruited johns in the area bars. 

California: Senate passed and sent the measure that seeks corporations to help reduce labor exploitation and human trafficking. The bill would require large firms to disclose what they are doing to make sure their supply chains do not engage with vendors practicing labor exploitation and human trafficking. 

Florida: The trial of three people charged with labor trafficking Haitian workers is moved to December. The suspects allegedly brought Haitian workers into the U.S. with a promise of good jobs. Upon arrival, the suspects confiscated their passports and forced them to work on farms by threatening them to report to the authority for deportation. 

LATIN AMERICA

Mexico: The drug cartels are increasingly diversifying their illegal activities including human trafficking. 

EUROPE

Finland: An authority urges the immigration service to investigate the suspicion that family reunification procedure is used for human trafficking. The allegation involves foster children from Somalia are moved to different places than the addresses presented to the immigration authority. 

UK: Labor's former Europe minister launched an appeal after the government decide not to sign up to the directive, which includes common definition of human trafficking. On the appeal ,he urges the pro-European liberal democrats to reconsider the benefits of EU action. According to the report, the directive will allow suspects to be prosecuted for offenses in other member states, which boosts the rights of victims. 

Ireland: A new bill is proposed to allow a legal aid board to give legal advice to the human trafficking victims regarding criminal matters. The advice includes any offenses which may have committed against them by the traffickers, including rape, false imprisonment, etc. 

ASIA

UAE: 20 victims of human trafficking from the Philippines are returning to their home country. The police found them locked in three apartments in the city during the raids. The raid began after one of the women escaped the apartment and reported to the police about the human trafficking ring. The victims were also forced into prostitution according to the report. 

India: Bonded labor tradition persists for generations in a family. In many areas in the country, large extends of the lands are held by families that practice feudal forms of land ownership and labor employment.

AFRICA

Ghana: The number of human trafficking cases involving removal of victims' kidney is growing. Traffickers remove victims' kidney before they place the victims into work. The removal operation is done while victims are anesthetic. The victims only found out about the operation after the fact as traffickers leave a note to thank them for kidney donation. 

Namibia:  A researcher says that the crime of human trafficking needs more inclusive legal definition. According to the report, the complex definition of human trafficking is hindering prosecution of many cases. 

Swaziland: A 16 year old Swazi girl was found enslaved in South Africa. She was trafficked with other group of girls who were promised with a good job and a good life by a man who took them to South Africa. When she arrived in South Africa, she lost the contacts with the girls and were forced to work as a maid. According to the report, Chinese human trafficking ring is becoming rampant in trafficking boys and girls from Swaziland to South Africa and other countries for forced labor or prostitution.