Canberra prostitution slaves despite legalization

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Canberra prostitution slaves despite legalization

Postby sam » Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:55 am

A question to muse on while you read: Why aren't there enough Asian-Australian women willing to work in legal brothels if the demand and money for Asian hoes is so great pimps resort to slavery? -Sam


Women kept as sex slaves in illegal Canberra brothels, says Gallagher
Elizabeth Bellamy
Tuesday, 3 October 2006

Women are being kept as sexual slaves in Canberra, mostly in unlicensed brothels, as they are shuttled between Sydney and Melbourne, according to ACT Women's Minister Katy Gallagher.

"Through anecdotal evidence, we know that it is occurring - but it is still difficult to quantify the size and severity of the problem, particularly in the ACT where our evidence is sketchy," she said. The ACT had agreed to participate in a cross-jurisdiction working party to examine the extent of sex trafficking in Australia and the adequacy of measures to date.

However, sex industry lobby group the Eros Association says the Federal Government could stamp out the practice by issuing work visas to foreign sex workers.

An ACT submission to a NSW-led inquiry in 2003 indicated while sexual slavery was occurring in the ACT, the extent was difficult to gauge.

"Our investigations at that time suggested that sex slavery was almost certainly occurring but that it was probably concentrated in non-regulated or illegal brothels which establish them at private addresses - and could include women who were working on contracts who were required to work off their debts, sometimes up to as high as $50,000," Ms Gallagher said.

A spokeswoman for the minister said reports had indicated the ACT was being used as a holding point for workers as they were shuttled along the east coast.

The ACT Liberals estimated in 2003 there were about 50 "trafficked" women kept in Canberra at any one time.

The new working party will check on the progress of a $20 million national action plan to crack down on trade in illegal sex workers. The group was suggested by NSW Women's Minister Sandra Nori, who has voiced concern about recent cases where trafficked women have died in detention centres or been deported before they had the opportunity to give evidence in court.

A 2004 parliamentary inquiry revealed about 300 women were trafficked into Australia every year for sex work, typically incurring debts of between $35,000 and $40,000 for their passage. Many were required to work six or seven days a week, seeing up to 10 customers a day.

However, sex industry lobby group the Eros Association said the Federal Government could eliminate sex trafficking by issuing work visas to sex workers.

"I know plenty of brothels who want to contract them, who want Asian sex workers," spokesman Robbie Swan said. "If we allowed bona fide sex workers to come into the country we could stamp it out."
"Your orgasm can no longer dictate my oppression"

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