Salvationists target world cup sex trafficking

www.newsletter.co.uk
12/6/06

Fans told not to use 'prostitutes'
BY PHILIP BRADFIELD
p.bradfield@newsletter.co.uk

THE Salvation Army is warning Northern Ireland football fans travelling to the World Cup in Germany that thousands of sex slaves will be offered for hire as commercial prostitutes.
The Christian organisation and UUP MLA Esmond Birnie have both issued warnings that many women and children from developing countries are being shipped in under the control of organised-crime to tap consumer demand during the chamionships.
The Salvation Army said members of the EU Parliament have formally said that thousands of prostitutes in Germany will be there against their will.
The organisation is emphasising that commercial sex with women and children who are not working voluntarily is rape. Salvation Army volunteers from six countries are in Germany to distribute leaflets to World Cup fans, saying: You chose her. She definitely didn't choose you.
Mr Birnie said: "About 40,000 men, women and children involved will have been trafficked in from poorer parts of Europe and the world.
"The German authorities are complicit in all of this. Facilities are being laid on at the World Cup venues, close to the stadia; tented brothels and even multi-storey affairs."
Prof Donna Hughes of the University of Rhode Island has met Mr Birnie as part of her campaign against international sex slavery.
She is writing to US Secretary of State Con-doleezza Rice reminding her that German city governments are helping brothel-keepers create special areas to house women during the World Cup games.
"Many of these women are likely to be victims of trafficking," she said.
"Senior Dutch officials have acknowledged that a significant percentage of the women in the sex industry are literal slaves, yet there are only perfunctory investigations and prosecutions of traffickers."

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