Human Trafficking in [Cyprus Street Children in [Cyprus] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Cyprus] [other countries] |
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early years of the 21st
Century - 2000 to 2010 gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Cyprus.htm
Cyprus is a destination country for a large number of
women from Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Russia, Latin America,
and the Philippines trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual
exploitation. Recent trends indicate an increasing number of women trafficked
to Cyprus from Latin America, Morocco, and Syria. In 2008, most identified victims of sex trafficking were
fraudulently recruited to Cyprus on three-month “artiste” work permits to
work in the cabaret industry, on “barmaid work permits” to work in pubs, or
on tourist visas to work in massage parlors disguised as private
apartments. - |
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CAUTION: The following links have been
culled from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLE *** Damning report on Jacqueline www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/cyprus-mail-2_12_2007.pdf [accessed 31 January 2011] Yelena told the paper that women in the
cabaret she worked at were being held hostage and under constant observation
by the owner and his men. She said she
had come to Cyprus believing she was going to work in a cafeteria. But upon
her arrival, she was taken straight to the cabaret and forced to have sex
with customers at a price. Painting an
even grimmer picture, Yelena added that women who
resisted their owners’ orders were subjected to threats and even
beatings. Finally, she claimed that
the police seemed to be afraid of cabaret owners, which was why the problem
was being fixed. ***
ARCHIVES *** Human Rights Reports » 2005
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61643.htm [accessed 31 January 2011] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS – The
country was both a destination and transit point for persons being trafficked
for sexual exploitation, and authorities were aware of and generally
tolerated the situation. The country was a destination for women trafficked
from Eastern Europe, primarily Concluding Observations Of The Committee On The Rights Of
The Child (CRC) UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 6 June 2003 www1.umn.edu/humanrts/crc/cyprus2003.html [accessed 31 January 2011] [55] The Committee welcomes the
enactment in 2000 of the Law on the Combating of Trafficking of Persons and
Sexual Exploitation of Minors and the Protection of Witnesses Law of
2001 making specific provision for the protection of child witnesses. While
noting that the State party does not consider that problems relating to
trafficking or other forms of sexual exploitation exist, the Committee
remains concerned that such problems may remain “hidden” and that the
authorities may be unaware of them. In
particular, the Committee refers to the concerns expressed by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution
and child pornography that Sex trade thrives in Agence France-Presse
AFP, www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/trafficking-cyprus.6k7 [accessed 31 January 2011] But experts in the field say
Cyprus's abolition of artiste visas -- around 3,000 were issued in 2007 --
has made barely any difference at all, instead moving the problem elsewhere,
mostly to bars and massage parlours. "The truth is that two years ago they
sold girls with artiste visas, and today they sell them with work
visas," said Androulla Henriques,
vice president of ACESS-Suisse, an organisation
combating sexual exploitation. They changed the name of the visa,
the name of the contract, but the situation hasn't changed: the women are still
here, and the risk of trafficking also. Scrapping artiste visas is not enough Alexia www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-185270539.html [partially accessed 31 January 2011 - access restricted] Abolishing artiste visas would do
little to combat the problem of human trafficking for sexual exploitation,
the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) said yesterday. Although MIGS welcomed the government decision
to do away with special visas for cabaret women, it pointed out the decision
failed to provide concrete solutions to the problem. MIGS said the reform merely introduced a
more uniform visa policy that effectively involved a change in terminology
and the transfer of responsibly from the Interior Ministry to the Labour
Ministry. But MIGS responded: “If the
government’s objective is to combat human trafficking effectively,
particularly trafficking in women for sexual exploitation, the state must
stop issuing visas to individuals – citizens of third countries – under any
regime to work in high-risk areas.” The phenomenon of trafficking for
sexual exploitation had taken on enormous proportions and the fact that the
government’s decision to abolish artiste visas did not combat human
trafficking was particularly worrying, MIGS said. The wrong approach on human trafficking www.cyprusedirectory.com/cyprusguide/cyprus.aspx?ID=1886 [accessed 31 January 2011] A more sensible approach would be
for the authorities to safeguard the rights of the women employed by the
cabarets. They do not enjoy the rights of other workers – they are made to
sign contracts that deprive them of basic rights, their passports are held by
their employers and their every movement is monitored by the cabaret’s
henchmen. It is this despicable treatment of foreign women that needs to be
stopped. Close down the brothels in the north ! Source: www.cyprusedirectory.com/articleview.aspx?ID=594 [accessed 31 January 2011] “We have no laws to prevent human
trafficking and no legal deterrents,” Erk said. She
added that people generally viewed what happened in night clubs simply as
prostitution, and were mostly unaware that the 300-plus women working in them
were victims of human traffickers who made vast amounts of money by forcing
the women into modern-day slavery. Erk was at pains to explain the differences between human
smuggling and trafficking, the latter being where people are brought into a
country to face exploitation of their sexuality or physical labour. The
phenomenon was widespread in the north Cyprus sex trade, she said, because
women brought to the island were kept in prison-like conditions, had their
passports confiscated, and were burdened with debt on their arrival –
something which rendered the women indentured labourers
who worked “inhumanly long hours”. All these factors constituted violations
of the UN’s human rights charter on human trafficking, she said. Campaign seeks to highlight sex abuse of women Alexia www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/campaign-seeks-highlight-sex-abuse-women [accessed 6 November 2010] Myth: These women are prostitutes. Reality: The victims are forced
into prostitution, abused, raped and psychological blackmailed and often
their human traffickers handle them in such a way that it appears they willingly
prostitute. Myth: These women know the working
conditions before they come to Cyprus. Reality: The women often come to
Cyprus under false pretences of good employment for a good salary that will
give them a way out and a chance for a better life. Most of the time these
promises do not reveal the extent of the exploitation such as their limited
freedom, the confiscation of their travel documents, and the number of men
they have to offer services to. Myth: These women choose easy
money. Reality: Many victims do not want
to make easy money but have limited access to financial resources for
themselves and their dependents and so look for a job to survive. They often
come from very poor families and are educated but cannot find employment in
their own countries. In many cases the traffickers tell them they are
indebted to them and for many months they have to offer services without
payment to pay off their ‘debts’ to exploiters. Myth: These women have free
movement and can leave. Reality: In most cases the women
have no or limited freedom of movement and are watched by their traffickers.
They are normally accompanied by their employers, live in their workplace and
not allowed to live alone. Where the women appear to have ‘freedom of
movement’ they have reach the point where they are under traffickers’
control. It is very hard for them to leave as they and their families are
threatened and blackmailed, they are afraid of deportation, of the debts they
owe their traffickers and the limited support they get from authorities in
Cyprus. Myth: These women can easily
report their abuse to authorities. Reality: The victims are afraid of
their traffickers and so with difficulty go to police because they believe
their exploiters are well connected. The way they are handled by authorities
also does little to encourage them to report the abuse and they believe they
can’t escape and don’t know where to turn. Damning report on Jacqueline www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/cyprus-mail-2_12_2007.pdf [accessed 31 January 2011] Yelena told the paper that women in the
cabaret she worked at were being held hostage and under constant observation
by the owner and his men. She said she
had come to Cyprus believing she was going to work in a cafeteria. But upon
her arrival, she was taken straight to the cabaret and forced to have sex
with customers at a price. Painting an
even grimmer picture, Yelena added that women who
resisted their owners’ orders were subjected to threats and even
beatings. Finally, she claimed that
the police seemed to be afraid of cabaret owners, which was why the problem
was being fixed. Council of Council of Click [here]
to connect to the article. Its URL is
not displayed because of its length [accessed 31 January 2011] In an important move forward in
the fight against human trafficking, on 24 October It is the only international law
that provides all trafficked people with guaranteed minimum standards of
protection, including at least 30 days to stay in the country to receive: o
Emergency
medical assistance o
Safe
housing o
Legal
advice House priority to overhaul human trafficking laws Jacqueline At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] A Foreign Ministry spokesman said
the bill should be passed into law as soon as possible in order to rectify
the image Rights information leaflet for women Alexia At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] Cabaret artistes and barmaids are
often ignorant of their rights, allowing them to be sexually, psychologically
and physically abused by their employers, will now more readily have access
to such information. The leaflet clearly states that
women who are exploited, sexually or otherwise, or forced into prostitution,
are entitled to protection and support as well as arrangements for financial
and psychological support. They also have the right to file charges against
their employer and/or anyone else who exploits them and to ask for
compensation due to violation of their rights. Cyprus is a flesh trade destination Alexia At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] She said: "In 2004, 66
victims were identified, with the majority from the Ukraine and Moldova. In
2005, 42 victims were identified again the majority of whom were from the
Ukraine and Moldova. In 2006, following the largest police campaign to deal
with the phenomenon, 81 victims of sexual exploitation were found, again from
the same countries." Of the
victims identified in 2006, three had come to Cyprus as tourists, three as
housemaids, three as students, five were asylum seekers, 19 worked in bars,
and the remaining 47 worked in cabarets, she said. Police training on human trafficking Leo At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] Justice Minister Sophoclis Sophocleous yesterday
spoke of his determination to eliminate the trafficking of women. He said that in Cyprus there were currently
1,200 artistes, 20 agents and 120 cabarets. “You can draw your own
conclusions,” he said. US Steps In To Rescue Girl From Prostitution In The North At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] The girl was reportedly being
sexually exploited by a cabaret owner in the north. Her parents were alerted
to her plight when she began calling them from mobile phones. According to reports, the girl had been
forced to engage in sexual activities with customers. A Modern Form Of Slavery Leo At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] In June last year, for the first
time, the The Protection Project - The www.protectionproject.org/human_rights_reports/report_documents/cyprus.doc [Last accessed 2009] FORMS OF TRAFFICKING - According to government
estimates, more than 1,000 foreign artistes arrive every 6 months to work in
cabarets in All of these women arrive in
Cyprus in a similar way—by responding to newspaper or employment agency
advertisements inviting young women to work as cabaret dancers or as barmaids
in cabarets, nightclubs, and bars on the island. Many mistakenly trust
seemingly legitimate, sympathetic, and knowledgeable employment recruiters.
Others are deceived by their acquaintances, even childhood friends. They learn the true nature of
their occupations after arriving on the island. Many foreign cabaret dancers
live lives of abuse and violence. At a minimum, they are deceived about the
exact nature of their employment, sold by impresarios to cabaret owners, paid
only a small fraction of the client’s fee or given no payment at all for a
sexual transaction, and have little freedom of movement. They are often raped
and beaten until they submit to performing a sexual service. Their passports
are taken away, leaving them little avenue for escape or assistance. Although
not all are forced into prostitution, most women experience sexual abuse and
other forms of physical violence at the hands of the cabaret owners or their
employees and friends. Those women who are not forced into prostitution might
be obliged to serve drinks topless or engage in consumatsia.
Consumatsia is a practice intended to induce a
client to buy alcoholic drinks—both for himself and for the woman—so as to
increase the profit to the establishment where she is working. It involves
having a young woman working in the cabaret or bar provide a service to the
client such as having an informal conversation with a client, performing a
striptease, or caressing him. Not all cabarets engage in such blatant
violations against their workers, but firsthand accounts of abuse from women
who have escaped from the cabarets are widespread. Often, cabaret owners
gradually move the artistes from legitimate tasks to more exploitive
conditions. Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 1 Status: Free 2009 Edition www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2009&country=7593 [accessed 31 January 2011] Library of Congress Call Number DS54.A3 C955 1993 lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cytoc.html [accessed 31 January 2011] Treated like pieces of meat At one time this article had been archived and may
possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 4 September 2011] “I truly believe that for it’s
size there isn’t another country in One girl who came to the refuge
after just a few days on the job has particularly stuck in her mind. “I asked her what she needed when she
arrived here, expecting her to say perhaps a sandwich or a drink, but she
said all she wanted was to sleep. I was surprised until I learned what her
typical 24 hours entailed. “She had to
be at the cabaret for 6.30pm and until 3am she would have to dance and
entertain clients, most of who wanted more than a dance. Then she would be
expected to spend the night in a hotel with a client, until around 7 or
8am. “But I thought surely she must
have been able to sleep properly after that?
“‘No,’ she said. ‘I would grab a couple of hours sleep until 11am.
Then I had to be downstairs, in a room with some arcade games and a couple of
sofas. There were men there supposedly playing games but in fact they would
look us up and down and pick one of us and we’d have to go upstairs and have
sex with them. This went on until the afternoon. After that we had time to
‘rest’ and get ready for the next night’s work.’ All material used herein
reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107 for noncommercial,
nonprofit, and educational use. PLEASE
RESPECT COPYRIGHTS OF COMPONENT ARTICLES.
Cite this webpage as: Patt, Prof. Martin, "Human Trafficking
& Modern-day Slavery - |
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Human Trafficking in [Cyprus Street Children in [Cyprus] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Cyprus] [other countries]