Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings : The Phenomenon , The Markets that Drive it and The Organisations

1. Articleby Alexis A. Aronowitz – Presentationby Cindy Dehaen, July 2012 Smuggling and Trafficking in HumanBeings: The Phenomenon, The Markets that Drive it and The OrganisationsthatPromote it.

2. Defining the phenomenon: establishing coherent understanding Magnitude of the problem,understanding the reasonsforitsexistence, identifying the root causes, analysis of the markets National and international programs & the importance of co-operation: strategies to fightsmuggling and trafficking Humansmuggling and trafficking

3. Traffickers escape fromprosecution: deception & coercion The symbioticrelationshipbetweenillegal & conventionalmarkets: use of sub-contracts => bothprofit of the use of smuggledortraffickedvictims e.g.: textileindustry, building industry, restaurants, factories, farms... Smuggledortrafficked? Voluntaryvsunvoluntary Amount of money paidby the victimuponarrival in the destination country Creating a debt bondage: most victims are women & children (usedforsexualexploitation & forcedlabor)

4. MagnitudE, reasons, root causes => Accurate statistics: difficultdue to itsclandistine nature => Estimateby the IOM: > 4 million a year => 5 factors indicatinganincreasing & expandingmarket: • # of people living in povertywilling to take the chance • lack in border control: corrupt government officials • world & economyglobalisation • advancedtechnology & communication • growingorganized crime The PUSH and PULL factors: the REAL CAUSES of LEGAL AND ILLEGAL immigration • PUSH: • Governmentcorruption • Infant mortalityrate • Proportion of youngsters • Foodproduction index • Populationdensity • Socialunrest • PULL: • Easy border control (suggestinggovernmentcorruption) • Infant mortalityrate • Male population over 60 • Foodproduction index • Energyconsumption

5. Markets benefitingfromit (ANALYSIS) • Whilesome (il)legalmigrantsimmediately end up in the thirdmarket, some start working the domestic service economyor in restaurants, often in slave-likeconditions • Oftenincludesdeplorableworking, living and sanitaryconditions • Wanting to escape frombeingmistreated, a lot of (il)legalmigrants end up in the illicitsexindustry

6. 3 levelswithin the illicitsexindustry Small-scaleactivitiesbyindividual entrepreneurs (brothels) Mid-levelprostitution of clandestineoperationsimporting and controllingwomen Large-scale international criminalorganisationslinkedwithdomesticcriminalorganisations , keepingwomen without documentationundertightcontrol => PROFITS USUALLY REINVESTED IN THE LEGITIMATE ECONOMY THROUGH MONEY LAUNDERING

7. Technologicaladvances usedforrecrutement: the internet

8. DIFFERentdegrees of organization Increasedflexibility & decentralizationallow a fasteradaptation & re-organization in case of threatsfromlawenforcement butalsomarketcompetition & higherdemand! • Evidenceby • Europol: • high degree of organization • evolvedfromlargeentities to smaller horizontal structures to co-operate in the European Union • Horizontal interpendency => diversification => expansionintootherillicitmarkets • & criminalactivities: • vehicletheft • drug trafficking • trafficking in arms • money laundering Half of the sex-industry = in hands of non-nationals

9. CONditionsfacilitating the practice • Lack of legislation • Lack of politicalwill => corruption • Lack of capacity: manpower& material • Lack of co-operationnationally & internationally CONditions & measuresnecessary to fightit • Prevention – Protection – Assistance: • =>awareness-raisingcampaigns in countries of origin & sensitizationcampaigns in transit/destinationcountries • => assistance programs & effectivelaws • => economicmeasures: strenghteningeducational, training &jobopportunities • => training materialforfieldworkers • => a range of services forvictims • => betterprotection & more legalmeasuresgranted to NGO’s • Enforcement – Prosecution of Traffickers: • => obligatoryexistance of legislation & enforcement: eradicatingcorruption • =>enforcingagencies: allowthem to takedisruptivemeasures • => gathering &sharing of intelligenceonnational &international level

10. Actions to be taken Establish: • Exchange of information • Co-ordination & harmonization of nationalpolicies & laws • Bi-lateralormulti-lateralagreements • Repatriation & reintegrationassistance • Extradition of criminals • Training of government officials • More severepenaltiesfortrafficking • => IF NOT: THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING IS SIMPLY DISPLACED (f.e. influxillegal Chinese intoGreat-Britain as a result of stringent measures in Germany) Result: national coalitions & international co-operation Bywho? E.g.: The General Assembly of the United Nations: ConventiononTransnationalOrganized Crime – signedby 123 coutries Protocol onsmuggling – signedby 77 countries Protocol ontrafficking – signedby 80 countries • NGO’s • Governments • Internationalbodies

11. The Global Program by CICP & UNICRI: => Severalprojects in 4 different regions of the world => Focus on research: identifying => MODUS OPERANDI => travel routes => degree of organisation of criminalnetworks => Questionnaires: collectingquantativeemperical data & best practices => Data fromNGO’s, victims, governmentlawenforcement & intelligencesources => Information to betterdevelopmeasures => Betterunderstanding of the factors fueling the problem: historical, cultural, political and economicsituations (e.g. the case sof the Philippines & of West-Africa) National and international programs

12. Rectifying the root causesto permanentlyresolve the problem

13. Aronowitz, A.(2001). Smuggling and trafficking in human beings: the phenomenon, the markets that drive it and the organisations that promote it. European journal on Criminal Policy and Research,9 (2), 163-195. Doi: 10.1023/A1011253129328 EUHomeAffairs (19 june 2012). Personaltestimonies of victims of humantrafficking[Video]. Consultedat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-021GVUiKgU&feature=related SOURCES