Sex trafficking in Laos

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Sex trafficking in Laos is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Laos is primarily an origin country for sexually trafficked persons. [1] [2]

Contents

Sex trafficking victims in the country are from all ethnic groups in Laos and foreigners. Laos citizens, primarily women and girls, have been sex trafficked into other countries in Asia and different continents. [1] They are threatened [3] and forced into prostitution, marriages, and or pregnancies. [4] [5] Sex trafficked victims experience physically and psychologically trauma. [3] They contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes, [6] and abuse and malnutrition are prevalent. [6] Some women and girls are tortured and or murdered. [4]

Sex trafficking and exploitation is pervasive throughout all levels of Laos society. Male and female perpetrators in Laos come from diverse backgrounds. A number of traffickers are members of or facilitated by gangs. [4]

The extent of sex trafficking in Laos is unknown because of the lack of data, the concealed nature of sex trafficking crimes, and other factors. Anti-sex trafficking efforts have been hindered by corruption, indifference, border management problems, and more. [7] [5]

Victims

Women and girls are sex trafficked in and out of all the administrative divisions of Laos. Laos, administrative divisions - de - colored.svg
Women and girls are sex trafficked in and out of all the administrative divisions of Laos.

Laos women and girls are sex trafficked into Thailand, [4] Vietnam, China, [8] Taiwan, Japan, [9] and other countries throughout the world. They are forced into marriages or brothels [5] and karaoke bars, [6] and unfree labour in homes or on farms. Many are tied or locked up and harmed. [4] [7] A number of traumatized victims have nightmares. Rescued victims do not receive adequate rehabilitation services. [7] They experience stigma. [10] Some have been re-trafficked because of the lack of protection. [4]

Women and girls from families in poverty and lack education, as well as children, [3] are vulnerable to sex trafficking. [7] People from minority groups are also susceptible. [8]

Perpetrators

The traffickers are often part of gangs. [4] The perpetrators are sometimes the victims' family members or acquaintances. [7]

Anti-sex trafficking efforts

The Government of Laos does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. [1] Resources are scarce. [8]

Corruption

Corruption and impunity have hampered Laos's response in reducing sex trafficking. Some officials and police have facilitated the trafficking of women and girls and or are on the perpetrators' payroll. [7] Authorities accept bribes and commit document forgery and fraud. [5]

Government response problems

The Laos government has been criticized for its anti-sex trafficking efforts. Some police have been negligent. Long-term support for victims is inadequate. [7]

Non-governmental organizations

Village Focus International (VFI) carries out anti-sex trafficking initiatives in Laos. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking</span> Trade of sexual slaves

Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It has been called a form of modern slavery because of the way victims are forced into sexual acts non-consensually, in a form of sexual slavery. Perpetrators of the crime are called sex traffickers or pimps—people who manipulate victims to engage in various forms of commercial sex with paying customers. Sex traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion as they recruit, transport, and provide their victims as prostitutes. Sometimes victims are brought into a situation of dependency on their trafficker(s), financially or emotionally. Every aspect of sex trafficking is considered a crime, from acquisition to transportation and exploitation of victims. This includes any sexual exploitation of adults or minors, including child sex tourism (CST) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST).

Vietnam is primarily a source country for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Women and children's are trafficked to the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C), Cambodia, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Macau for sexual exploitation. Vietnamese women are trafficked to the P.R.C., Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea via fraudulent or misrepresented marriages for commercial exploitation or forced labor. Vietnam is also a source country for men and women who migrate willingly and legally for work in the construction, fishing, or manufacturing sectors in Malaysia, Taiwan, P.R.C., Thailand, and the Middle East but subsequently face conditions of forced labor or debt bondage. Vietnam is a destination country for Cambodian children trafficked to urban centers for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Vietnam has an internal trafficking problem with women and children from rural areas trafficked to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Vietnam is increasingly a destination for child sex tourism, with perpetrators from Japan, the Republic of Korea, the P.R.C., Taiwan, the UK, Australia, Europe, and the U.S. In 2007, an Australian non-governmental organization (NGO) uncovered 80 cases of commercial sexual exploitation of children by foreign tourists in the Sa Pa tourist area of Vietnam alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human trafficking</span> Trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extraction of organs or tissues, including for surrogacy and ova removal. Human trafficking can occur within a country or trans-nationally. Human trafficking is a crime against the person because of the violation of the victim's rights of movement through coercion and because of their commercial exploitation. Human trafficking is the trade in people, especially women and children, and does not necessarily involve the movement of the person from one place to another.

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Laos is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and labor exploitation as domestics or factory workers in Thailand. Some Lao men, women, and children migrate to neighboring countries in search of better economic opportunities but are subjected to conditions of forced or bonded labor or forced prostitution after arrival. Some Lao men who migrate willingly to Thailand are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in the Thai fishing and construction industry. To a lesser extent Laos is a country of transit for Vietnamese, Chinese and Burmese women destined for Thailand. Laos’ potential as a transit country is on the rise with the construction of new highways linking the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia through Laos. Internal trafficking is also a problem that affects young women and girls who are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in urban areas.

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Human trafficking in Nepal is a growing criminal industry affecting multiple other countries beyond Nepal, primarily across Asia and the Middle East. Nepal is mainly a source country for men, women and children subjected to the forced labor and sex trafficking. U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons placed the country in "Tier 2" in 2017.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Laos</span>

Crime is present in various forms in Laos.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in Vietnam</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in Cambodia</span>

Sex trafficking in Cambodia is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Cambodia is a country of origin, destination and transit for sex trafficked persons.

Sex trafficking in Singapore is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of Singapore. Singapore is primarily a destination country for sexually trafficked persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in Indonesia</span>

Sex trafficking in Indonesia is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sex trafficking.

Sex trafficking in the Philippines is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of the Philippines. The Philippines is a country of origin and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit for sexually trafficked persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in South Korea</span> Overview of sex trafficking in South Korea

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking in El Salvador</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "2022 Trafficking in Persons Report" (PDF). United States Department of State. July 2022. pp. 341–344. Retrieved 14 August 2022.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. ↑ "LAO PDR UN ACT". UN ACT. Archived from the original on 2018-02-17.
  3. 1 2 3 "Two teenagers rescued from forced prostitution in Laos". Thanh Nien News. November 4, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Trafficking Racket Smashed". Radio Free Asia. October 14, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Chinese marriage proposals become prostitution nightmares for some Lao girls". Radio Free Asia. February 13, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 "Lao girl's escape leads to arrest of sex trafficking suspect". Bangkok Post. 30 July 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sex Trafficking Victims Go Unnoticed in Laos". The Diplomat. March 26, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 "Hundreds of Laotian women "sold" in China, victims of human trafficking". Asia News. May 19, 2012.
  9. ↑ "USAID LAOS COUNTER TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (USAID LAOS CTIP)". USAID. 28 November 2018.
  10. ↑ "Farm training the key to helping Laos human trafficking survivors". ABC News. March 7, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Minneapolis Lao-American fights human trafficking in Laos". Minn Post. August 9, 2013.
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