Latest modern slavery fight updates - FreedomUnited.org

The Fight to End Sex Trafficking in the Dominican Republic

  • Published on
    October 9, 2017
  • News Source Image
  • Category:
    Anti-Slavery Activists, Child Slavery, Human Trafficking, Law & Policy, Partner Spotlight, Prevention, Rehabilitation & Liberation
Hero Banner

Don Riddell from CNN took a look at how the Dominican Republic is fighting sex trafficking.

Up until 2003, the country did not have any laws to prevent human trafficking, but there is a big difference between passing appropriate legislation and using resources to enforce it.

In 2013, International Justice Mission (IJM), an anti-trafficking NGO, set up a mission to help. Fernando Rodriguez, the Field Office Director of IJM Dominican Republic, explained the problem:

“We are looking for cases and confronting cases of children being sold for sex, children being paid to have sex by pedophiles, the production of pornography using children.”

He also recounted a case where a mother was accused of producing pornography with her 5 and 7 year-old-girls.

When IJM arrived, they learned through their baseline research that children were being sold in 90% of the communities they studied in the Dominican Republic. Experts say that the core problem is poverty. The World Bank reports that 1/3 of Dominicans live below the poverty level.

Daisy Nunez, Director of Aftercare at IJM, explained that it is not unusual for girls there to become ’emancipated’ at 11 -15 years of age.  They are easy targets because they are alone, on their own, and need money to survive.

The going price tag to have sex with a minor is only $20, and it is not just a problem caused by international tourists; abusers are locals too. It is estimated that half of the children are taken by their perpetrators to motel-like rooms that rent for as low as $10. Perplexingly, many of these children do not even see themselves as victims.

Still, Nunez has hope. Despite the scale of the problem, she believes that the government is doing their best with the resources they have.

Rodriquez says that in 2015 the human trafficking department of the national police did not conduct a single rescue, but this year IJM has engaged in five rescues in cooperation with police. “It’s beginning to change, but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Addicted to Temu? Your fix might be supplied by forced labor

Temu has perfected the art of gamifying cheap online shopping as reported in a recent BBC article. Using everything from roulette wheels with cash coupons, to countdown timers about to run out, to constant free delivery pitches to lure consumers into spending. And as with gambling, these tactics are effective, with some consumers saying they've become addicted to the sales platform. But U.S. lawmakers have warned of an "extremely high risk" that products

| Monday April 29, 2024

Read more