PRESS
RELEASE
8
March 2001 International Women’s Day
Trafficking
of women and children has become a multi-billion dollar criminal activity.
One UK charity, WomenAid, is fighting to protect innocent victims.
Any
anti-trafficking work is dangerous – especially if campaigning efforts
begin to affect the trade. That is not deterring one British charity,
WomenAid International, which is actively involved in efforts to combat
traffickers. Working in the former Soviet Union since 1993, WomenAid
is currently implementing an anti-trafficking multimedia campaign in Georgia
and is working on the development of appropriate protection and prevention
strategies.
To
mark International Women’s Day, 8 March 2001, WomenAid International is
launching a European Initiative Against Trafficking
to draw together organisations, groups and individuals Europe-wide to further
develop protection and prevention strategies against trafficking of human
beings. WomenAid founder, Pida Ripley, says, “Trafficking is a form
of modern-day slavery and women and children are the predominant target
of traffickers. Extreme poverty is leading to desperate attempts by young
women to earn a living by working abroad; millions of young women, mostly
from rural areas, are forced into prostitution in cities by gangs that
trick them with the promise of a good job, but then smuggle them abroad
where they end up imprisoned in foreign brothels. Transported on a tourist
visa, upon arrival they are turned over to ‘protectors’ who confiscate
their money and passport and lock them up in brothels - where they are
forced to service up to 40 clients a day. Those who protest are beaten,
or killed, as an example to others”.
  |
-
Every year 2 million girls aged
between 5 and 15 are coerced, abducted, sold or trafficked into the illegal
sex market.
-
UN figures suggest that 500,000
women are trafficked to Europe alone every year.
-
Well over $7 billion a year
is generated from sex trade trafficking.
-
Current global figures indicate
200 million people are held in various forms of slavery.
-
Some four million people are
trafficked globally today: 4% of all the world’s migrants.
-
Two million children every year
become victims of paedophiles and their networks as global demand for child
pornography and child prostitution escalates.
 
Support for WomenAid
International’s European
Initiative Against Trafficking
could save the lives
of
many vulnerable women
and children.
|
