This work will trace back the ongoing debates about trafficking in women for prostitution that started in the mid-1990´s and the different approaches and solutions that seek to end the trafficking in women. Though Trafficking in prostitution is not the only sector trafficked women work in, this work will, however, concentrate on this issue since trafficking in women in prostitution contemporary seems to be the most problematic one- in the field of politics as well as in the civil society or science. The question that will be followed in this work is, if the current approaches can provide effective tools to fight trafficking in women by looking at the contemporary discussions and actions that were taken concerning this issue.
In the first chapter, a definition of trafficking in women will be given due to the many connotations the term carries along with it, providing different perspectives and also stereotypes. The next chapter will highlight the issue of trafficking in women for prostitution, paying special attention to the factors that determine the situation the women find themselves in, focusing on their status as migrants. Following the presumptions made in the preceding part of the work, the living conditions of the female migrants working in prostitution will be given a closer look at to find a link between their real situation and the strategies, that are followed by NGOs as well as governments. The next chapter will focus on the theoretical debates sourrounding this issue, that became prominent in the mid 1990s, and the solutions, that were established on the basis of the cooperation of different actors to end the trafficking in women, taking a closer look on the outcome of the different efforts that were taken concerning this issue. Moreover, the different positions and perspectives that are included in this debate will be analyzed according to their effectiveness for this sensitive issue. The last chapter will finally show the effects of the implementation of the tools, that sought to decrease the number of women being objected to trafficking organizations; it will also highlight new outcomes and trends, that succeed the actions that were taken on grounds of the recommendations made by the different actors in the field of trafficking in women for prostitution.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Defining Trafficking in women
3. Trafficking in Prostitution
3.1. Slavery-like Life?
3.1.1. Living and Working Conditions
3.2. NGO strategies
3.3. Governmental strategies
4. Ways of fighting trafficking in women- in theory
4.1. The beginnings
4.2. A constant quarrel
4.3. Voluntary or Forced?
5. New Trends
5.1. The Swedish Model
5.2. Recommendations
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the multifaceted phenomenon of trafficking in women for prostitution, tracing its evolution since the 1990s and evaluating the effectiveness of various counter-strategies employed by NGOs and governments. The central research question seeks to determine whether current policy tools and theoretical approaches, such as the legalization of prostitution or restrictive immigration policies, offer effective solutions, or if they exacerbate the vulnerability of the women involved.
- Structural causes of human trafficking in the context of post-Cold War migration.
- The role of gender-specific vulnerability and systemic inequalities in migration.
- Analysis of NGO-led empowerment strategies versus state-led repressive measures.
- Theoretical debates surrounding prostitution, including the voluntary vs. forced dichotomy.
- Evaluation of recent trends and models, specifically the "Swedish Model" of demand-side regulation.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Slavery-like Life?
Due to their insecure status as migrants, women have to take tremendous risks when working in the informal labor sector. Niesner et al. argue, that money is the main motivation to migrate and material ascension gives the reason about the decision to do so (1997, 166) and it is the promise of the possibilty to earn enough money to secure the financial resources of the women involved as well as those of their families that leads women to accept the help of organizations, that seem to escape the situation the women is living in. Whether the women involved know about where they are going to work or not is not always comprehensible. As NGOs report, many women state, that they were promised a different job before migrating into another country and had to find themselves in the sex industry, others claim, that they did not exactly knew, what work they will get but they still accepted the probability to work as prostitute. This chapter will not concentrate on how the women got into the trafficking networks (as this will go beyond the scope of this work), rather the conditions they have to live in will be explained.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the structural changes in the 1990s that influenced migration and trafficking, setting the scope for analyzing the debates on prostitution and trafficking.
2. Defining Trafficking in women: Explores the complexities of defining "trafficking" within the context of gender inequality, human rights, and the difficulty of establishing a fixed definition.
3. Trafficking in Prostitution: Analyzes the high-profit nature of the sex industry and the specific living conditions of female migrants within the informal labor market.
4. Ways of fighting trafficking in women- in theory: Discusses the theoretical landscape, including the impact of international conferences and the ideological divides within the anti-trafficking movement.
5. New Trends: Critically reviews the failures of liberal legalization approaches and explores the implementation and impact of the Swedish demand-side regulation model.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing for a holistic, intersectional approach to policy that prioritizes the rights and perspectives of the women involved.
Keywords
Trafficking in Women, Prostitution, Migration, Human Rights, Gender Inequality, NGO Strategies, Voluntary vs. Forced, Swedish Model, Labor Migration, Informal Sector, Abolitionism, Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking Networks, Empowerment, Social Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the dynamics of trafficking in women for prostitution, analyzing why it has become a profitable business and how different stakeholders attempt to address the issue.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The themes include the intersection of migration policies, gender inequality, the legal and informal status of migrant sex workers, and the ideological divide between different anti-trafficking camps.
What is the main research question?
The work investigates whether current strategies and tools used by governments and NGOs are effective in combating trafficking or if they inadvertently impact the safety and rights of the women concerned.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The paper utilizes a literature-based analysis, drawing on reports from NGOs, academic debates, and international human rights frameworks to compare policy approaches.
What does the main body address?
It covers the definition of trafficking, the living and working conditions of migrant sex workers, the strategies utilized by NGOs and states, and the theoretical evolution of the anti-trafficking debate.
What key terms define this work?
Key terms include human trafficking, migration, gender-based exploitation, abolitionist vs. regulationist ideologies, and the Swedish Model of criminalizing the demand for sexual services.
Why is the term "victim" problematic in this context?
The author notes that while it describes a state of exploitation, the term "victim" can also negate the subject status of women, framing them as passive objects and reinforcing gender stereotypes.
What does the "velvet-triangle" refer to?
It refers to the coalition of academics, experts, and feminist politicians or "femocrats" that played a significant role in pushing for specific policy actions regarding anti-trafficking.
What are the criticisms of the "Swedish Model"?
Critics argue that criminalizing the demand for prostitution may not actually reduce trafficking but simply push the sex industry further underground, making it harder to monitor and harder for women to seek help.
- Quote paper
- Annika Peter (Author), 2010, Trafficking in Women, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/202049
