Sex trafficking in Laos

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Sex trafficking in Laos is human trafficking for 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 physical and psychological 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).

In 2008 Vietnam was primarily a source country for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Women and children were 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 were trafficked to the P.R.C., Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea via fraudulent or misrepresented marriages for commercial exploitation or forced labor. Vietnam was 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 was a destination country for Cambodian children trafficked to urban centers for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. The country had an internal trafficking problem with women and children from rural areas trafficked to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Vietnam was 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 exploitation

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation.

In 2010, Human trafficking in India, although illegal under Indian law, remained a significant problem. People were frequently illegally trafficked through India for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced/bonded labour. Although no reliable study of forced and bonded labour was completed, NGOs estimated this problem affected 20 to 65 million Indians. Men, women and children were trafficked in India for diverse reasons. Women and girls were trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage, especially in those areas where the sex ratio is highly skewed in favour of men. Men and boys were trafficked for the purposes of labour, and may be sexually exploited by traffickers to serve as gigolos, massage experts, escorts, etc. A significant portion of children are subjected to forced labour as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups.

Laos ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol in September 2003.

Afghanistan is one of the source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced labor and forced prostitution. Trafficking within Afghanistan is more prevalent than transnational trafficking, and the majority of victims are children. In 2005 the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) reported 150 child trafficking cases to other states. Afghan boys and girls are trafficked within the country and into Iran, Pakistan and India as well as Persian gulf Arab states, where they live as slaves and are forced to prostitution and forced labor in brick kilns, carpet-making factories, and domestic service. In some cases the boys and girls were used for organ trafficking. Forced begging is a growing problem in Afghanistan; Mafia groups organize professional begging rings. Afghan boys are subjected to forced prostitution and forced labor in the drug smuggling industry in Pakistan and Iran. Afghan women and girls are subjected to forced prostitution, arranged and forced marriages—including those in which husbands force their wives into prostitution—and involuntary domestic servitude in Pakistan and Iran, and possibly India. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) report that over the past year, increasing numbers of boys were trafficked internally. Some families knowingly sell their children for forced prostitution, including for bacha bazi - a practice combining sexual slavery and child prostitution, through which wealthy men use harems of young boys for social and sexual entertainment. Other families send their children with brokers to gain employment. Many of these children end up in forced labor, particularly in Pakistani carpet factories. NGOs indicate that families sometimes make cost-benefit analyses regarding how much debt they can incur based on their tradable family members.

Sex trafficking in Thailand is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Kingdom of Thailand. Thailand is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sex trafficking. The sexual exploitation of children in Thailand is a problem. In Thailand, close to 40,000 children under the age of 16 are believed to be in the sex trade, working in clubs, bars, and brothels.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human trafficking in Texas</span>

Human trafficking in Texas is the illegal trade of human beings as it occurs in the state of Texas. It is a modern-day form of slavery and usually involves commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor, both domestic and agricultural.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human trafficking in Southeast Asia</span>

Human trafficking in Southeast Asia has long been a problem for the area and is still prevalent today. It has been observed that as economies continue to grow, the demand for labor is at an all-time high in the industrial sector and the sex tourism sector. A mix of impoverished individuals and the desire for more wealth creates an environment for human traffickers to benefit in the Southeast Asia region. Many nations within the region have taken preventive measures to end human trafficking within their borders and punish traffickers operating there.

Sex trafficking in China is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the People's Republic of China. It is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sexually trafficked persons.

Sex trafficking in Myanmar is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Myanmar is primarily a source and transit country for sexually trafficked persons.

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

Sex trafficking in Vietnam is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Vietnam is a source and, to a lesser extent, destination country for sexually trafficked persons.

<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.

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

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

Sex trafficking in South Korea is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of Korea. South Korea is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sexually trafficked persons. Sex trafficking victims in the country are from South Korea and foreigners.

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

Sex trafficking in Mongolia is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the country. Mongolia is a source, transit and destination country for sexually trafficked persons.

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

Sex trafficking in Kazakhstan is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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

Sex trafficking in Brunei is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the country.

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. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020.
  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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