Prostitution in Latin America

Silvia Cuevas-Morales

"Sexual exploitation is a vehicle for racism and domination of the" first world ", which disproportionately victimizes women of the" third world. "Coalition against Trafficking in Women CATW.

Every day thousands of women and girls trafficked from countries of the "third world" swell the lists of victims of trafficking. Women and girls as objects are transported from one place to another with a single purpose: to be exploited as sexual merchandise and filling the pockets of the gangsters who take advantage of the difficult situation they encounter.

In Latin America, each country has its incidence rates but they all share one thing - in most cases the victims are female and abusers are mostly the opposite sex - "clients", brothel owners, pimps, etc. In Spain alone some 12,000 are accounted for Latin American women in prostitution. According to the 2005 Report, prepared by the Civil Guard in 2004 were 10,905 women of this continent who practiced in Spain and in 2005, 12,180, adding a total percentage of 58.45% and 60.79% respectively on all prostituted women in the Spanish state (1).

According to data provided by the report on foreign women identified in hostess clubs in 2004 were 3789 Brazilian, 2876 Colombia, Paraguay 1391, 1157 Dominican Republic, Ecuador 581, 191 Cuban, 165 Bolivia, Venezuela 378, 160 Uruguay; 134 Argentine, 27 Peruvian, 18 Panama, 17 Chilean, 9 Rican, Salvadoran 6, 3 and 3 mejicanas Honduras. In 2005 Brazilian 5015 were identified, 2388 Colombia, Paraguay 1296, 1372 Dominican Republic, Ecuador 558, 150 Cuban, 144 Bolivia, Venezuela 779, 140 Uruguay, 182 Argentine, 49 Peruvian, 28 Panama, 16 Chile, 34 Costa Rica, 8 Salvadoran 4 Mexicans; 15 Puerto Rican and Guatemalan 2.

As we can see are thousands of Latin American prostitutes in Spain and these figures would add thousands more that have not been identified by the Guardia Civil as well as those who are forced to sell themselves body and soul in their own countries and in neighboring countries. According to the CIA, about 50,000 people are annually trafficked to work as sex slaves to the U.S. only, of these, 15,000 are Latin American (2).

In almost all countries prostitution is legal limbo, although some countries declare illegal brothels or pimping, are silent on the legal level prostitution. It seems that adult women do not care so much other governments to legislate in relation to combating child prostitution and trafficking, but so far very few have been implemented government initiatives aimed at raising awareness about this terrible tragedy. Due to restrictions on sex tourism in parts of Asia such as Thailand, Central America is becoming the new destination for sex tourism. Latin America seems to be an inexhaustible source of "resources" for the networks of traffickers who "export" their goods to the "developed" countries.

How is the situation in countries of origin? Overall we argue that in most countries, prostitution is more or less the same legal status in Spain. His practice is neither legal nor illegal but if pursued human trafficking, child prostitution, pimping and brothels in some countries have been declared illegal. The modus operandi of networks follow the same pattern of deception and fraud to coerce their victims, although in some countries, the abduction of girls is increasing, especially in Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.

Making a brief review of some Latin American and Caribbean countries today we see that there are 50,000 women from the Dominican Republic in prostitution worldwide, the largest group after Thailand, Brazil and the Philippines.

Only in the Netherlands about 10% of the 500-600 visas issued each year are for prostitution. (3). The highest concentrations of prostituted Dominican women are in Austria, Curacao, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Italy, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela and the Antilles.

With respect to Argentina, this is a country of transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation. Most domestic victims are moved from rural to urban areas. In addition, networks operating in the area using Argentina as a transit country for women and girls which will then be exploited in Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Western Europe (4). In turn, the networks trafficking in women and children mainly Paraguay, Brazil and the Dominican Republic that are introduced in Argentina to be sexually exploited. According to some sources, Argentina is a favorite destination for pedophiles in Europe and the United States (5). Several feminist organizations have denounced this situation in Argentina and this year has launched the "M NOT A WOMAN? SV? STEM prostitution rings." In his appeal claim that "in Argentina hundreds of women and girls are abducted and disappeared by networks of pimps and many have been killed" (6). Faced with this problem recently passed the House by a large majority the bill that criminalizes trafficking for both sexual exploitation and labor. The standard, which had received green light from the Senate in 2006, the federal offense of sexual exploitation system and provides for sentences ranging from three to fifteen years in prison (7).

In another neighbor, Brazil, and so we found the United Nations, the Brazilians are the main victims of trafficking. Most are women between 18 and 30 years who dream of a better future in Europe and end up being exploited in brothels and clubs road. Child prostitution also sheds frightening statistics. According to a report by the NGO Jubilee Action is estimated that about 2 million Brazilian children between 10 and 15 have been forced into prostitution (8). In Brazil, prostitution is not illegal but it is to work in brothels, exploit children, rent premises for prostitution and pimping are penalized. However, officials estimate that there are thousands of women and girls trafficked, both domestically and internationally. Various NGOs estimate that about 75,000 women and girls, many of them victims of trafficking, prostitution in other Latin American countries, the United States, Japan, Europe and the Middle East (9). There are also reports pointing to networks that these women introduced in Europe through Portugal.

In Colombia there are two types of prostitution, the women operated within the country or in your region, sending women to Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama, and others that are dedicated exclusively to women supply the markets of Spain, England, Germany , Belgium and the United States. There is also a long tradition of collaborating with Colombian mafias Japanese mafia - jakuzas (10). In 2001 it was estimated that some 35,000 women were trafficked from Colombia each year and about 500,000 women and children taken out of Colombia were forced into prostitution or slave labor (11). On a legal level, Colombia prohibits all forms of trafficking and its exercise may lead to penalties of between 13 to 23 years in prison. In 2007 the authorities carried out 182 investigations against traffic, compared with only 49 investigations in the previous year. The authorities also collaborate internationally with the governments of Costa Rica, Panama, Hong Kong, Japan, China and Thailand, among others (12).

According to the Civil Guard report cited above, 1391 Paraguayan women were identified in Spanish brothels. Looking back to the situation in Paraguay, we discover that this country is primarily a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation. Paraguayan victims are trafficked to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Spain and Italy. In recent data is an alarming increase in the recruitment of children who are transferred from rural to urban centers. According to the ILO the traffickers force children, locally called "taxi boys", a prostitute and transsexual people. They also report that some of these children are being moved to Italy. Since 1997 Paraguay prohibits international traffic but domestic traffic adult was not specifically prohibited until now. This year they passed a law that will apply from 2009 that does forbid all forms of trafficking in persons of any age (13).

In Chile, prostitution is not criminalized, but the law dictates that "who regularly or abuse of authority or trust promotes prostitution" shall be punished with 5 to 20 years' imprisonment (Art. 367).

The "Exploratory study on trafficking for sexual exploitation in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay", conducted by the IOM, states that sexual slavery affects about 2.4 million people in Latin America, mostly women and girls. Although Chile is still mainly country of destination and to a lesser extent of origin and transit, has become a corridor for the "washing" or "whitening route" to and from other countries like USA, Spain, Japan, Mexico and El Salvador . International trafficking is a 77% greater than the internal trafficking - 23%. Argentine victims are identified - 37%, Peru - 22% and Colombian - 21%, Chile - 13%, and Chinese, Brazilian, Ecuadorian, and Dominican Republic - 1% (14).

Elsewhere in the area, history repeats itself, Costa Rica, Mexico, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, etc.. In all women are being prostituted and taken from one place to another, from rural areas to the capital and then elsewhere. As we know the prostitution of women has become a business worth billions of dollars. In each country, repeating the story of women in an attempt to escape poverty are captured by gangsters whose sole purpose is to profit from the exploitation of their bodies as a commodity selling. Enough of that rich countries continue to nourish the poor, enough that the "first world" will continue profiting by the humiliation of thousands of women from the poorest countries. It is time for all governments to join hands and not just legislate to combat trafficking, it is also necessary to legislate to outlaw prostitution. Until this practice becomes a crime, gangs will continue to exist because it is an extremely lucrative business. How is it possible that the sale of women for sexual consumption remains legal in the XXI century?

How can we end violence against women as our partners and legislators continue to look the other way? As stated by the motto of the Platform for the Abolition of Prostitution, "Prostitution is not a job or an activity like any other. Regular legitimize prostitution is violence against women."

* Article published in Maginaria Magazine, published by the Office of Women of the City of Sevilla

NOTES:

(1) Report on human trafficking prepared by the Civil Guard, 2005.

(2) "Dynamics of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Into the U.S. from LA." Charles M. Goolsby.

(3) "Trafficking in Women From the Dominican Republic for Sexual Exploitation." IOM, June 1996.

(4) U.S. State Department - Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2008.

(5) "Global law to Punish Sex Tourists sought by Britain and EU", The Indian Express, 21 November 1997.

(6) Notice published in APRAMP www.apramp.org

(7) El Clarín, April 10, 2008.

(8) ARBRAPIA Report with data published in www.jubileeaction.co.uk / reports / Brazilian Street Children.pdf

(9) Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2004.

(10) Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Report on Violence Against Women, Gustavo Capdevila, IPS, 2 April 1997, published in CATW.

(11) International Organization for Migration, "New IOM Figures on the Global Scale of Trafficking," Trafficking in Migrants, no. 23 (April 2001): 3.

(12) U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2008. www.gvnet.com / humantrafficking

(13) U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2008

(14) "Exploratory study on trafficking for sexual exploitation in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay." 2006, IOM, International Organization for Migration.