Human Trafficking Victims on Rise

A joint study conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IMO) and Turkey’s Security General Directorate has revealed a significant increase in human trafficking victims being brought to Turkey, a majority of them by force.

IOM, has stated that the women are trafficked against their own will, by force, kidnapped without compensation in any form and then sold. It said the organisation has provided support for 55 human trafficking case victims in the first three months of 2006 alone.

Most victims from Ukraine

IMO had assisted and provided support for victims of 62 human trafficking cases in 2004 and its statistics show that a majority of these are from Ukraine, followed by women from Moldavia and Russia.

In the first three months of 2006, IMO revealed eight forced kidnapping cases all from former East Block countries involving women aged 19 to 29. A statement from IOM said eight of the women involved were kidnapped from the Istanbul Airport by persons speaking Russian and proposing to assist them in transport arrangements.

Significant Increase

Despite the concentrated efforts of the IOM and Turkey’s National Police Directorate, there is a significant increase in documented kidnap cases.

The police department against Smuggling and Organised Crime (KOM) figures shows that following the abolishment of the Soviet Union and the subsequent economic crisis in the region, human trafficking to Turkey has reached “dangerous proportions”.

A year "2005 Report" prepared by the police directorate shows that in the past years, 583 women have been rescued from human traffickers in Turkey.

The report states that due to the flexible visa system in Turkey the country has become a target for former East Block citizens and says victims of human trafficking are brought to the country with false promises of jobs and better living conditions.

It adds that in the year 2003 Turkey sent back 1,775 foreign national women to their own country on grounds of “prostitution” while this figure was 1,818 in 2004 but significantly increased to 2,113 in 2005.

This year January through April a total of 301 women were caught and returned to their countries of origin, brining the total from 2003 onwards to 6,007.

As for women who have been rescued from human traffickers, police figures put these at 239 in 2004, 256 in 2005 and 88 so far in 2006. The report also adds that legal proceedings have been launched against 724 in Turkey in relation to human trafficking. (AD/II/YE)