March 2010Sex Trafficking & the 2012 Olympic GamesIn 2012, the eyes of the world will be on London as it hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sport can be a positive force in the lives of Londoners, but it is also linked with increases in trafficking, prostitution and sexual assault. A report by a leading counter-human trafficking organisation in Canada outlines a link between international sporting events and an upsurge in the demand for prostitution from visitors, site workers and athletes which in turn fuels human trafficking. At the Athens Olympic Games, where prevention efforts were poor, the number of known human trafficking victims almost doubled (http://tfgwebmaster.site.aplus.net/id50.html) . The European Parliament recognised in their resolution passed on March 15 2006 that major sporting events result in a ‘temporary and spectacular increase in the demand for sexual services’ (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/). The Anti-Trafficking Alliance is working in partnership with other anti-trafficking charities, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Metropolitan Police Service and the Greater London Authority to develop preventative activity prior to the 2012 Games. Whether there is an increase in trafficking or not, the Olympic Games are likely to impact on the women already in prostitution in the five Olympic host boroughs. Coordinated and victim-centred policing across the boroughs is essential to ensure that women are not displaced from one borough to another. The Anti-Trafficking Alliance would also like to see a major public awareness-raising campaign about the causes and consequences of sex trafficking – and its links to prostitution.
What can I do?Write to your MP and ask them to take action against sex trafficking Distribute our flyer to promote our media campaigns, which can be downloaded here Watch our new anti-trafficking film, "Behind the Smile" . Please contact us for copies of the DVD. Play our new online game to tackle sex trafficking: www.thesohogame.com For further information, testimony from trafficked women and copies of the DVD, please contact Ceri Hayes at our press desk: ceri@atalliance.org.uk December 2009
ATA launches online game and video to educate men about sex trafficking
Did you know that if you pay for sex with a woman, it’s now increasingly likely she’s been trafficked and you could be prosecuted?
Sex trafficking is a horrific form of modern-day slavery that traumatises victims and has devastating consequences:
“Once she’s here the first thing that will happen is she’ll get a smack in the face, passport will go, and then typically if you want to break someone you rape them, you rape them a lot. What happens to her when you go? How many more men? How many days? How many weeks? How many years? What happens to her at the end? Does anyone really want to have sex with someone who actually hates you? Who is actually being forced at the threat of serious violence to her or her family to do that? I can’t see anyone wanting to do that if the knew about it.”
Richard Bartman, Human Rights Lawyer
It is very difficult to assess the number of women who are trafficked into the country for sexual exploitation because of the hidden nature of this criminal trade, but the UK government estimates that there are currently at least 5000 trafficked women in the U.K.
The Anti-Trafficking Alliance believes that you can’t end sex trafficking without addressing the demand to exploit women through prostitution. It has produced an interactive, online game (www.thesohogame.com) and a short, 7 minute film, ‘Behind the Smile’ to educate men about the risks to themselves and others of paying for sex.
The ATA is encouraging organisations that work with young men and the media to raise awareness about this issue by promoting these resources as widely as possible.
“If men stopped paying for sex, if they understood and stopped there would be no trafficking, there would be no demand for girls, there would be no money in it. “
Natalia, Russian survivor or trafficking
What can people do to stop this?
If you are a man who is about to sleep with a woman working in prostitution, think twice! She may be trafficked and you could be charged with rape. If you have recently bought sex and suspect that the woman may have been trafficked, report it – call the Crime Stoppers number on 0800 555 111.
Play the game, watch the video and share these with your friends.
Speak out against sex trafficking.
Support the work of the ATA.
What should the U.K government do?
The ATA believes the UK government should:
• Address the demand side of sex trafficking – we welcome Clause 14 of the Policing & Crime Bill, which puts the rights of exploited women over the men who exploit them through prostitution. Now resources need to be made available to ensure this law is implemented in full
• Fund more public awareness-raising campaigns to change the attitudes and practices of men who buy sex from trafficked women.
• Increase police capacity and support to survivors of trafficking & increase funding to specialised support services – support and continue the work of Operation Maxim, the only unit run by the Metropolitan Police Authority that deals specifically with all forms of human trafficking.
• Commission more quality research – there is an absence of solid and reliable statistics. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is especially difficult to measure due to the social taboo attached to this work and the fact that most trafficked women are hidden away and do not work on the streets.
For further information, testimony from trafficked women and copies of the DVD, please contact Ceri Hayes, at the press desk, the Anti-Trafficking Alliance: ceri@atalliance.org.uk |
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