Combating Trafficking in Persons

Problem
Due to rising public awareness, efforts by NGOs and critical international pressure, sex trafficking of women from Eastern Europe is on the decline. Nevertheless, trafficking in persons has not disappeared, just changed form. Trafficked persons fall into roughly four groups:

 

  • Labor Trafficking of Migrant Workers: These are usually female domestics from countries such as Sri Lanka, India and Nepal. Other migrants are victims of forced labor and slavery.
  • Sex Trafficking of Women from South East Asia: We have early indications that sex trafficking of women from countries such as China is on the rise.
  • Sex Trafficking of Women from the former Soviet Union: While few new women are being trafficked into Israel, many of those trafficked in previous years live in Israel with no legal rights or access to rehabilitation.
  • Sex Trafficking of Israeli Women: Young Israeli women in distress, particularly new immigrants, are vulnerable to trafficking both within Israel and beyond Israel’s borders.


Solution
Our 2013 program will build on our expertise in combating trafficking for prostitution and our in-depth knowledge of the migrant community. We will enhance structures already in place while tacking areas of particular difficulty. Some primary foci include:

 

  • Increasing survivor identification and access to services.
  • Increasing knowledge about rehabilitation and its impacts.
  • Improving the process of awarding rehabilitation visas.
  • Pressing for full implementation of two national anti-trafficking plans developed in previous years: trafficking for labor and trafficking for prostitution.
Our staff and volunteers will provide direct assistance to the survivors through visits to detention, distribution of information on rights, legal representation, personal advocacy and humanitarian aid. We will work directly and intensely with migrant communities to ensure we reach as many survivors as possible. Legal activities will focus on precedent-setting cases, areas of weak law enforcement and training of government officials. We will educate the public and decision-makers through publication of a report, meetings and letter writing, lectures, intensive work with the media, and cooperation with governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations.


Goals

  • To meet standards set by the UN convention on trafficking regarding prosecution, protection and prevention.
  • To ensure that trafficked persons are properly identifie d and granted the opportunity to achieve their rights and access rehabilitation.
  • To ensure that all survivors receive appropriate legal redress, rehabilitation, healthcare, legal representation, visas and more from the state.
  • To monitor and draw attention to changing patterns of trafficking in Israel.
  • To raise the profile of the importance of rehabilitation in Israel and its efficacy.
  • To increase enforcement against traffickers of both foreigners and Israelis.
  • To strengthen partnerships with Israeli and foreign NGOs.
  • To educate the public, government officials and decisions makers about the issue.

This project is supported by the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Chicago, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the Levi Lassen Foundation and the Moriah Fund.