Human Trafficking in [Tonga Street Children in [Tonga] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Tonga] [other countries] |
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early
years of the 21st Century - 2000 to 2010 gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Tonga.htm
Scope and Magnitude.[2008] There were no confirmed
reports that persons were trafficked to, from, or within the country.
However, a public health facility identified 14 minors engaged in commercial sexual
exploitation during the year and there were other isolated reports of women
and underage girls in commercial sexual exploitation. There were reports that
members of foreign fishing vessel crews solicited Tongan underage girls for
commercial sex. There were unsubstantiated reports of employers holding
travel documents or salaries as a means to compel labor and restrain
Philippine nationals working in Tonga. There were also unconfirmed reports
that some nationals from the People’s Republic of China working legally and
illegally in Tonga may have been coerced into prostitution or forced
labor. - U.S. State Dept
Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2008 [full country report] |
|
||
|
CAUTION: The
following links have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in
Tonga. Some of these links may lead to
websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false. No attempt has been made to verify their
authenticity or to validate their content. ***
ARCHIVES *** The Department of Labor’s 2006 Findings on the Worst Forms
of Child Labor [PDF] U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs,
2007 www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2006OCFTreport.pdf [accessed 31 December 2010] [page 420]
INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - There are no reports of child labor existing in the formal
or informal economy. During 2006, there were increased reports of workers on
foreign fishing vessels soliciting underage girls for prostitution. CHILD LABOR LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT - Tonga does not have legislation
setting the minimum age for work. The law prohibits slavery, which can be
interpreted to include forced or bonded labor. The owning and/or operating of
a brothel, pimping, and soliciting in a public place are all prohibited by
the law. Penalties for offenses range from imprisonment from 6 months to 2
years. The law also prohibits any person from assaulting a child in an
indecent manner, abducting girls, and procuring or attempting to procure any
girl under the age of 21 for trafficking for prostitution. The maximum
punishment for these offenses is imprisonment for up to 5 years. There is no
military conscription in Tonga. Human Rights Reports » 2006
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78793.htm [accessed 31 December 2010] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS – While
the law does not specifically address trafficking in persons, violators could
be prosecuted under antislavery statutes. There were no reports that persons
were trafficked to, from, or within the country. Former Human Trafficking Victim Speaks Out KGMB CBS 9 News - May 3rd 2008 www.ginsc.net/main.php?option=view_article&mode=0&article=5769&lang=ge [accessed 9 January 2011] HAWAII - This young Tongan named Francis
came here in 2001, Lueleni Maka
promised him $240 a week. He was paid only $20. "I ask him about the rest of my money.
Said he sent em back to my family, so I called my
parents and they said they never get nothing from
him," said former victim Francis. Maka told Francis he would turn him
into immigration if he tried to escape the pig farm he stayed at. "He make me
afraid of him. He hit me a couple of times. yeah. metal frames, I get scars on my back from him. Get guys they worse than me. He beat 'em
up till blood coming out their mouth and nose. it's
very sad. We cannot do nothing. we
so scared of him," Francis said. Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 5 Civil Liberties: 3 Status: Partly Free 2009 Edition www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2009&country=7719 [accessed 31 December 2010] 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 - |
|||
Human Trafficking in [Tonga Street Children in [Tonga] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Tonga] [other countries]