The trafficking of women and children from Vietnam - CEOP
The trafficking of women and children from Vietnam - CEOP The trafficking of women and children from Vietnam - CEOP
NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED them in exploitation. Traffickers often confiscate travel documentation belonging to victims to prevent their return to Vietnam, and to suppress any thoughts of escape. This also prevents victim identification by authorities, making it difficult to assign age or nationality to the victim. Without such details confirmed, the victim is unlikely to be recognised as such. Women and children trafficked into China are commonly threatened with violence if they do not comply with their exploitation, be it prostitution or forced marriage. This process, known as seasoning, usually happens in the initial stages of exploitation, when the victim is most resistant. Those who resist are often threatened with a form of exploitation perceived as more degrading or in a more remote area, further from the border (representing escape and home). For example, those initially exploited in brothels or forced into marriage are threatened with marriage to an older man. Those already in forced marriage might be threatened with being sent to work in a brothel. If threats are not effective, victims will be systematically raped and beaten. One 40 year old woman who was sold to a 63 year old Chinese man initially refused to be his wife. Her trafficker told her that if she did not comply he would place a bucket over her head and beat the bucket until she agreed. Victims are also routinely subject to restricted movements greatly reducing the possibility of escape. AAT stated that women and girls exploited in certain brothels had been tattooed as a sign of ownership. This demonstrates how victims are often treated as a commodity rather than a human being. MOLISA reported even more extreme cases of violence used to ensure compliance. For example one victim who was caught trying to escape had her hamstring cut with a knife to prevent her from running away in the future. There was also a report where a non compliant victim was murdered, cut into pieces and disposed of in a river. There are also suspicions of murder and organ harvesting. These stories may be apocryphal, spread by traffickers to instil fear in victims and coerce them into compliance. 37 Victims have been forced by traffickers to phone their families to reassure then they are well and have legal work, so that relatives do not report family members missing and alert the authorities. 37 AAT Page 22 of 31
5.3 Exploitation NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED The two most common exploitation types in the cases of women and children exploited in China were forced marriage and prostitution, with labour exploitation and domestic servitude also significant. It is common for Vietnamese women to be married to a Chinese man 38 significantly older than they are; three of five women interviewed by CEOP were sold to men aged at least 20 years older. Their time in exploitation varied between two years and 14 years. Some of the women were already married with children when trafficked. Traffickers did not appear to target single women but were opportunists often using family connections to gain trust. Two of the victims interviewed said they were sold for 5,000 Chinese Yuan (£475) and 5,500 Chinese Yuan (£523) respectively. Many of the women were re-trafficked into a further servile marriage at a later date. In one case a victim thought her Vietnamese friend was helping her to escape exploitation, but instead she was sold by her friend to another man. Many younger women and girls are trafficked to work in brothels in China, close to the border with Vietnam. 177 brothels have been identified in this region. 39 Each brothel houses approximately 20 to 60 women and girls, mostly from Vietnam. Some victims of trafficking graduate to become traffickers themselves, and some eventually become madams of brothels. The brothels in question appear therefore to be organised by Vietnamese rather than Chinese criminality. There is no evidence that these brothels are frequented by anyone other than indigenous Chinese. Northern Vietnamese women bear many of the physical characteristics of southern Chinese women and seem to be sought after by southern Chinese men. The gender imbalance caused by China’s one-child policy appears to have left Chinese men with a shortage of southern Chinese women which is being filled with willing and unwilling northern Vietnamese women. 5.4 Escape and removal from exploitation As previously stated, 60% of victims escaped from their exploitive situation themselves, with 25% (particularly younger women and girls) being rescued by the Chinese police. 40 Of the 38 In a number of cases Vietnamese women were exploited by Vietnamese men living in China 39 Pacific Links Foundation 40 These statistics refer to all returning victims, not just those from China Page 23 of 31
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5.3 Exploitation<br />
NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED<br />
<strong>The</strong> two most common exploitation types in the cases <strong>of</strong> <strong>women</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>children</strong> exploited in<br />
China were forced marriage <strong>and</strong> prostitution, with labour exploitation <strong>and</strong> domestic<br />
servitude also significant. It is common for <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese <strong>women</strong> to be married to a Chinese<br />
man 38 significantly older than they are; three <strong>of</strong> five <strong>women</strong> interviewed by <strong>CEOP</strong> were sold<br />
to men aged at least 20 years older. <strong>The</strong>ir time in exploitation varied between two years<br />
<strong>and</strong> 14 years.<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the <strong>women</strong> were already married with <strong>children</strong> when trafficked. Traffickers did not<br />
appear to target single <strong>women</strong> but were opportunists <strong>of</strong>ten using family connections to gain<br />
trust. Two <strong>of</strong> the victims interviewed said they were sold for 5,000 Chinese Yuan (£475) <strong>and</strong><br />
5,500 Chinese Yuan (£523) respectively. Many <strong>of</strong> the <strong>women</strong> were re-trafficked into a<br />
further servile marriage at a later date. In one case a victim thought her <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese friend<br />
was helping her to escape exploitation, but instead she was sold by her friend to another<br />
man.<br />
Many younger <strong>women</strong> <strong>and</strong> girls are trafficked to work in brothels in China, close to the<br />
border with <strong>Vietnam</strong>. 177 brothels have been identified in this region. 39 Each brothel<br />
houses approximately 20 to 60 <strong>women</strong> <strong>and</strong> girls, mostly <strong>from</strong> <strong>Vietnam</strong>. Some victims <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>trafficking</strong> graduate to become traffickers themselves, <strong>and</strong> some eventually become<br />
madams <strong>of</strong> brothels. <strong>The</strong> brothels in question appear therefore to be organised by<br />
<strong>Vietnam</strong>ese rather than Chinese criminality. <strong>The</strong>re is no evidence that these brothels are<br />
frequented by anyone other than indigenous Chinese. Northern <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese <strong>women</strong> bear<br />
many <strong>of</strong> the physical characteristics <strong>of</strong> southern Chinese <strong>women</strong> <strong>and</strong> seem to be sought<br />
after by southern Chinese men. <strong>The</strong> gender imbalance caused by China’s one-child policy<br />
appears to have left Chinese men with a shortage <strong>of</strong> southern Chinese <strong>women</strong> which is<br />
being filled with willing <strong>and</strong> unwilling northern <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese <strong>women</strong>.<br />
5.4 Escape <strong>and</strong> removal <strong>from</strong> exploitation<br />
As previously stated, 60% <strong>of</strong> victims escaped <strong>from</strong> their exploitive situation themselves, with<br />
25% (particularly younger <strong>women</strong> <strong>and</strong> girls) being rescued by the Chinese police. 40 Of the<br />
38<br />
In a number <strong>of</strong> cases <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese <strong>women</strong> were exploited by <strong>Vietnam</strong>ese men living in China<br />
39<br />
Pacific Links Foundation<br />
40<br />
<strong>The</strong>se statistics refer to all returning victims, not just those <strong>from</strong> China<br />
Page 23 <strong>of</strong> 31
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