Trafficking includes the recruitment, transfer and sale of vulnerable people – women,children and men – through various forms of coercion of deception. They are kept in bondage by the traffickers, frequently under appaling conditions. While this may be done for the purpose of cheap labour, we are particularly concerned with the trade in persons for commercial sexual exploitation.

It is difficult to be exact about the number of people trafficked because it si very much a hidden problem. It is believed that more than 1.5 million people are trafficked each year, 800,000 of them through various European countries including Ireland. The industry is said to be worth $36 billion in Europe alone. Through it, human life is reduced to a commodity and this constitutes a tragedy of huge proportions for the victims who are powerless to escape.

It is important not to confuse trafficking with smuggling of people, which refers to procuring of facilitating the illegal entry of people into another State for financial gain, usually using falce documentation. Unlike people who have been trafficked, those smuggled – once in the country – will normally be left to their own devices.

Causes:
POVERTY, POWER, PATRIARCHY, PORNOGRAPHY, PLEASURE, PROFIT

Action:
PREVENTION, PROTECTION, POLICY, PRAYER

Published by the Ad Hoc Working Group against Trafficking in Persons under the umbrella of CORI and IMU.


For more information send an email to
Noreen O’Shea, Good Shepherd Sisters  noreenoshea73@eircom.net

ALSO

TRALEE WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE
Link: www.twrc.ie


Sexual violence centre Cork
Mary Crilly – Director

Link: www.sexualviolence.ie
Useful websites

Association for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland –  http://www.arasi.org/

Irish Haven Organisation –  http://www.irishhaven.org
www.amnesty.ie
www.spirast.ie
www.ris.ie – Refugee information service

Challenges
1. Conversation
2. Collaboration
3. Care and Compassion
4. Confront the Channels that keep this trafficking in place
5. Change Society’s Mindset
6. Change the Law
7. Cut out the Consumerism/Demand
8. Christian Communities of Prayer







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