Having read the article "Social Phenomena Degrading our Society" by Bobojon Ikromov in "Varorud", #29 (65) I decided to write about the problems of women trafficking, or as they frame it otherwise, - sale of women, the problem which I researched not long ago in the Central European University in Budapest (Hungary). To my mind, the author is quite right focusing his attention on this global problem the whole world confronts with, in general; the entire Central Asian region, Tajikistan inclusive, in particular. Each time when I touch upon trafficking of women all my interlocutors smile and say that women do know what purpose they pursue, that they go abroad of their own will and sell their body. I had to dissuade, argue and plead for women who find themselves in the trap being unaware of consequences; sometimes my words reached the target, but more often they were of no effect. So, I came to the conclusion that this theme ought to be dwelt on at the top level, overtly and frequently, we must enlighten and inform our women, readers and your newspaper inclusive, as for the problem of trafficking, we should preclude future victims.
Trafficking of people, or "white slavery" - it is, first of all, violation of human rights and a form of modern slavery created by criminal cliques. According to the data of the USA State Department annually about 700 thousand people are subjected to trafficking, especially women and children. There is no real statistics on trafficking in Tajikistan. According to the statistics of the International Organization on Migration (IOM) annually 1000 women from Tajikistan are subjected to trafficking. Igor Bosk, IOM head over Tajikistan, stated officially that in reality much more our women are victims of trafficking - figures may exceed official statistics 10 times.
Trafficking of people or "white slavery" - it is, first of all, violation of human rights and a form of modern slavery created by criminal cliques. The network of these cliques exists all over the world, in all countries of destination women are sent. Even in some developing countries representatives of law enforcement bodies, as many victims assert, are considered to be privy to trafficking. In may countries where women having found themselves in white slavery apply to law enforcement bodies and social organs they are treated in the negative, being prejudiced. They would not be listened to, they are placed behind the bar and deported immediately to their home-country.
According to the data of the USA State Department annually about 700 thousand people are subjected to trafficking, especially women and children. Some observers consider these figures to be much higher. In its annual report the same Department notes that a big proportion of trafficking victims befalls chiefly the countries of the former Soviet Union. There is no real statistics on trafficking in Tajikistan. According to the statistics of the International Organization on Migration (IOM) annually 1000 women from Tajikistan are subjected to trafficking. Igor Bosh, IOM head over Tajikistan, stated officially that in reality much more our women are victims of trafficking - figures may exceed official statistics 10 times.
It's a fact that very few researches are conducted in Central Asian region though this sort of business is enhancing from day to day just here. Urgent measures are in need to put a proper handicap on the way of "white slavery".
"Hiring, conveyance, transportation, hiding or detaining people by means of abduction, application of force, menaces, deception or violence, power abuse taking advantage of a vulnerable position, and also illegal giving or receiving monetary sums or other profits with the purpose of attaining an agreement of a person who keeps another person under control. Exploitation includes, as a minimum, exploitation of other persons prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, or forms similar to slavery, subordinate position or extraction of organs". (Out of UNO protocol on precaution and Interruption of selling people, especially women and children, and penalty for it).
There are two victims of traffic. In the first, here refer women who give their consent being aware what they do. But, alas, they imagine themselves beforehand in the role of the main heroine from the American film "Good - Looking Girl". They hope for being provided with smart accommodations, appear and marry her or they will earn rapidly big money promised by a recruiter and return home. In reality they have no idea about the consequences they don't know they doom themselves to slavery.
The second sort of traffic victims includes women who are unaware of being involved into prostitution. They are offered jobs abroad as waitresses, charwomen, homemaids, shopgirls and etc.
I would like everyone for whom the honor and dignity of our mothers, daughters, sisters are dear - "Varorud" and other MM reported about them many times - to join in permanent propagandizing (let us not be afraid of this word) work. It would be enough to tell - and much better to show visually - our country female what happens with traffic victims when they come to the place of their destination, I think, and the quantum of "white slavery" participants will have reduced. Recruiters take away documents, volunteers are drawn into indebtedness, recruiters demand to give back the money spent for tickets, framing of passports and visas when women don't want to be engaged in prostitution. At the same time they are afraid of becoming narcodependant, but for criminals this is no problem. The threat of exposing them before the family on returning to Tajikistan hands as Damocles sword, as at home social isolation may await them.
What are the reasons of women trafficking? Why do women agree sometimes for it? There are a number of factors. The most serious of them are:
gender-cultural, gender-economic factors, globalization of women traffic, poverty, legalization of prostitution. All this taken together makes women potential victims of traffic. Women from patriarchal communities are mostly vulnerable in regard to traffic as they are "culturally isolated" from the world. There is a opinion that there is no traffic in patriarchal society, maybe, only unique cases. We are tried to be convinced in it by the so-called patriots of the nation and officials who persist in concealing the sore points of life being reluctant to reveal them. To my mind, they don't comprehend that they do a disservice to our women, to their own nation. Women isolated from the outer world are easily lured into the trap, therefore, the process of recruitment in our countries goes much easier than in Russia. She neither studies nor works, she is torn away from society, the only thing she can do is to cook and clean the house. And when the man deserts the family for long to earn money the wretched creature is completed to search for means because she must care of children. She agrees at once to work as cook, nurse, and charwoman.
They have no idea that traffic replenishes the so-called sex industry providing the demands of males, that women act here as commodity, Globalization of both in countries of destination and in those ones victims originate from being recruited. Nowadays debates are in full swing whether legalization of prostitution can influence the process of traffic and a part of experts answer this question in the affirmative. But let me, a young Tajik girl from the Muslim family, not agree with it. Do you want my reasoning? Think over such fact-over 58% women from Tajikistan involved in traffic are brought according to statistics to the United Arab Emirates where prostitution is not only illegal, it is considered to be a great sin. It's natural that women from indigent families driven to despair, being non supported economically are the lightest preys and potential victims. So many people consider poverty to be the principal factor. To some extent it's true, but together with other factors enumerated above it turns into a reason. In order to reduce the number of those who wish to go abroad on a voluntary basis some steps should be undertaken. Thus, one may allow disinterested credits to these women, they might earn their living without getting into the traps of recruiters. We heard about informational campaigns conducted by some international organization and NGOs, but they are only "campaigns" of a temporary slant. And one thing more - it is desirable to carry these measures into effect in rural districts the majority of vicsdence should be conducted openly, they should it would be better if victims themselves told about their ordeals. But such women who have gone through all these afflictions should be stimulated for sincerity; they should challenge the abhorrence of neighbors and officials in order to preserve honor and dignity of our Tajik women.