Stop Trafficking Women

Catholic Women Forum,
NSW Parliament

Congratulations to the organisers of this forum. Tonight we will leave here more informed about the trafficking of women. I would suggest that for all of us we also need to leave committed to taking action to stop this modern form of slavery.

The trafficking of women is a gross violation of one's human, social and economic rights. We need to oppose it on an international level and within our own countries. The Australian Greens have links with Greens parties in other countries and we will use these connections to take this work forward.

Trafficking is one of the many forms of violence against women. These women are not criminals. They are the victims of crime and human rights violations and corporate globalisation.

They find themselves living in slave like conditions and forced to work as not only prostitutes but also domestic and factory workers.

They should be respected and allowed to access our legal system, not hounded out of Australia when they are discovered.

The Greens policy on this is based on recommendations that were put forward by the Immigrant Women's Speakout Association in relation to policies for trafficked women. I have spoken about the Speakout recommendations in the NSW Parliament.

Australia should - · comply with the spirit and the letter of the UN Trafficking Protocol, by amending our Commonwealth sex slavery laws so that they are consistent with the protocol and by adopting measures that protect the victim of the crime rather that just criminalising the trade. · introduce special permanent visas for victims of trafficking so that they can stay in Australia to help with investigations against the trafficker and are protected in Australia and do not have to return to their homeland where the victimisation would most likely continue. · support and fund services for the victims of trafficking such as language services, training and employment opportunities, emergency and long term housing, health care, legal and migration advice, awareness raising programs and repatriation services. · provide training of police, immigration officers and local government personnel so they can recognise and respect a trafficked woman and act appropriately. · cooperate and support global law enforcement strategies associated with traffickers.

The level of violence, abuse and deceit women who are traded endure is extreme. These women are rarely told they will work in the prostitution industry. They are told they will have a debt to pay off but are deceived regarding the size and length of time of their debt.

We could not imagine what life if like for these women when they arrive in Australia. Traffickers use sexual, physical and psychological violence to control these women.

These women, especially when they first arrive are offered little or no freedom. They are literally locked in their residence and guarded by the trafficker or their associates.

The next stage is the exploitation of these women often through prostitution and sexual slavery. The traffickers calculate the woman's debt for being brought to Australia between $35 000 and $50 000 but the debt can reach $80 000. This is then calculated in to a number of 'jobs' that the women must complete which may range from 500 to 1000. Women may have to prostitute for many hours a day and frequently seven days a week.

Violence continues during this period and women typically see no way out of their situation. Traffickers frequently encourage the women to use drugs and alcohol and often even gambling. These addictive actions then further increase a woman's debt to her trafficker.

Some women may pay off their debt only to be then dobbed in by their traffickers to immigration departments. Then they are either deported or placed in a detention centre.

Some women manage to run away and escape from their trafficker. Other women continue to work in the sex industry for their survival. And some women die from the violence or commit suicide form the severe hopelessness and depression that they experience.

The underlying features of trafficking are socio- economic - the impact of corporate globalisation, the ever increasing disparity between the west and low income countries, the lack of education and employment in 'source' countries. These issues then combine and intersect with discrimination and violence against women in not only 'source' but also 'destination' countries.

Racism and sexism that exists in 'destination' countries also drives much of the demand for the supply of trafficked women. This reminds us that we all have a role to play in addressing the issue of trafficking.

This abuse is happening in our world, in our country in our suburbs. If we think the facts are shocking. Imagine what the reality is like.

The Greens are committed to actively working to oppose the trafficking of women.

The trafficking of women is a gross violation of one's human, social and economic rights. We need to oppose it on an international level and within our own countries. The Australian Greens have links with Greens parties in other countries and we will use these connections to take this work forward.

Trafficking is one of the many forms of violence against women. These women are not criminals. They are the victims of crime and human rights violations and corporate globalisation.

They find themselves living in slave like conditions and forced to work as not only prostitutes but also domestic and factory workers.

They should be respected and allowed to access our legal system, not hounded out of Australia when they are discovered.

The Greens policy on this is based on recommendations that were put forward by the Immigrant Women's Speakout Association in relation to policies for trafficked women. I have spoken about the Speakout recommendations in the NSW Parliament.

Australia should - · comply with the spirit and the letter of the UN Trafficking Protocol, by amending our Commonwealth sex slavery laws so that they are consistent with the protocol and by adopting measures that protect the victim of the crime rather that just criminalising the trade. · introduce special permanent visas for victims of trafficking so that they can stay in Australia to help with investigations against the trafficker and are protected in Australia and do not have to return to their homeland where the victimisation would most likely continue. · support and fund services for the victims of trafficking such as language services, training and employment opportunities, emergency and long term housing, health care, legal and migration advice, awareness raising programs and repatriation services. · provide training of police, immigration officers and local government personnel so they can recognise and respect a trafficked woman and act appropriately. · cooperate and support global law enforcement strategies associated with traffickers.

The level of violence, abuse and deceit women who are traded endure is extreme. These women are rarely told they will work in the prostitution industry. They are told they will have a debt to pay off but are deceived regarding the size and length of time of their debt.

We could not imagine what life if like for these women when they arrive in Australia. Traffickers use sexual, physical and psychological violence to control these women.

These women, especially when they first arrive are offered little or no freedom. They are literally locked in their residence and guarded by the trafficker or their associates.

The next stage is the exploitation of these women often through prostitution and sexual slavery. The traffickers calculate the woman's debt for being brought to Australia between $35 000 and $50 000 but the debt can reach $80 000. This is then calculated in to a number of 'jobs' that the women must complete which may range from 500 to 1000. Women may have to prostitute for many hours a day and frequently seven days a week.

Violence continues during this period and women typically see no way out of their situation. Traffickers frequently encourage the women to use drugs and alcohol and often even gambling. These addictive actions then further increase a woman's debt to her trafficker.

Some women may pay off their debt only to be then dobbed in by their traffickers to immigration departments. Then they are either deported or placed in a detention centre.

Some women manage to run away and escape from their trafficker. Other women continue to work in the sex industry for their survival. And some women die from the violence or commit suicide form the severe hopelessness and depression that they experience.

The underlying features of trafficking are socio- economic - the impact of corporate globalisation, the ever increasing disparity between the west and low income countries, the lack of education and employment in 'source' countries. These issues then combine and intersect with discrimination and violence against women in not only 'source' but also 'destination' countries.

Racism and sexism that exists in 'destination' countries also drives much of the demand for the supply of trafficked women. This reminds us that we all have a role to play in addressing the issue of trafficking.

This abuse is happening in our world, in our country in our suburbs. If we think the facts are shocking. Imagine what the reality is like.

The Greens are committed to actively working to oppose the trafficking of women.