Activity: Typing Skills 1

FAQ about Trafficking in Persons in the Philippines

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FAQ about Trafficking in Persons in the Philippines

What is Trafficking in Persons?

According to the Republic Act 9208 or the “Anti-Trafficking in persons Act of 2003,”
trafficking in persons refers to the “… recruitment, transfer or harboring or receipt of
persons…by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud,
deception, abuse of power or of position or taking advantage of the vulnerability of person,…for
the purpose of exploitation.”

Trafficking involves three elements: geographical transfer; strategies or means by which

traffickers acquire their victims (threat or use of force, coercive, deceptive or fraudulent means,
abuse of power, and taking advantage of vulnerability of the person); and exploitative of abusive
purposes. Victims consent is irrelevant in determining culpability of traffickers.

How serious in the problem on trafficking in persons?

Trafficking in persons is not a new phenomenon, but is rapidly growing global problem. Next
to trafficking of money, drugs, and guns, trafficking in persons is among the most profitable
underground business worldwide.

The U.S. Government estimates that during 2003, around 600,000 to 800,000 people were
trafficked across transnational borders worldwide. It is believed that more than 8o percent of
these bare women and girls than 70 percent were forced into sexual servitude. These numbers do
not include victims trafficked within borders and exploited for local jobs. In southeast Asia, the
estimated number of victims trafficked across borders have a reached at least 225,000 according
to the international Labour organization (ILO), the numbers of victims of human trafficking
worldwide has reached 1.2 million in 2003 alone. The united nations children’s fund (UNICEF)
also estimates that cross-borders smuggling in west in central Africa enslaves more than
200,000 children. These children are often “sold “ by unsuspecting parents who believe their
children are going to be looked after, learn a trade or be educated. The international organization
for migration (IMO) also estimates that their around 200,000 to 250,000 women and children
have been served in port halfway houses. The actual number of trafficked victims, however, is
higher and difficult to estimate because of many other trafficking gateways in the country and
countless other victims or potential victims have escaped the monitoring mechanisms of
government agencies and NGOs.

Holy Family Social Center-Step-UP

Robert Capate
Activity: Typing Skills 1
FAQ about Trafficking in Persons in the Philippines
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How do we identify victims of trafficking

Recruiters commonly prey on young women and children. Usually school dropouts and
looking for jobs, they come mostly from the poorer provinces in Visayas and Mindanao. The
flock to urban center where there is a perceived notion of better opportunities waiting for them.
Typical victims are 12 to 22 years old, mostly girls. They are new-comers in the big cities and
are willing to takes risks. They are easy prey for recruiters who usually promise them domestic
work but will instead lure them into prostitution. Young women and return are easily recruited to
work as domestic workers because they believe one does not need to show diplomas, birth
certificates and meet other qualifications to be hired immediately. Most parents believe, too, that
domestic work is safe and free of abuse for their children.

What causes trafficking inside and outside our country?

Poverty, lack of job opportunities, the conflict in the Muslim areas in Mindanao, and the mere
inability of young girls to continue schooling are the main reasons why mini children still fall
victim to trafficking.

Criminal organizations continue to grow and expand. They even have their own advertising
outlets to lure victims. Moreover, immigration controls need to be enhanced and fraudulent
documents can easily be obtained. Neighboring countries lack cooperation.

Many victims are afraid and unwilling to cooperate for fear of retaliation. They lack
information and awareness of the protective services they can avail of.

How to recruiters operate?

Greedy traffickers easily capitalize on the fertile hopes of desperate women and children of
finding safe and decent work in cities.

There are many actors involved in trafficking, from the point of origin, transit points, and
destinations. Aside from the head-hunters and recruiters, the trafficking and eventual exploitation
of women and children are facilitated by intermediaries documents providers, transporters,
employers, and to some extent, government official who, wittingly or unwittingly, assist in
keeping the shround of invisibility covering trafficked victims intact.

What happens to victims of trafficking?

Holy Family Social Center-Step-UP

Robert Capate
Activity: Typing Skills 1
FAQ about Trafficking in Persons in the Philippines
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Without the help from other people and without enough information about their supposed
work and destinations, victims become totally dependent and reliant on the recruiters. Their
travel documents usually confiscated. They owe debts in accounts for their fares and finders’
fees. Recruiters even use physical force, intimidation or simply lock up the victims in cabins.
Their fears and uncertainties are real. Trafficked victims are treated more as a commodity than as
human beings.

Many of these victims are immediately absorbed into the worst forms of labor like prostitution
and exploited domestic work. At work, they suffer physical, mental, and emotional abuse. Not
adept to the language and unfamiliar with the area, they find it difficult to seek assistance from
authorities.

What are we doing to stop trafficking?

What is my commitment to stop this problem of trafficking?

1. Recognize the signs.

2. Report any suspicions.

3. Raise awareness.

4. Don’t talk the stranger.

5. Take action.

Holy Family Social Center-Step-UP

Robert Capate