Macau, China, 18 Jun – Macau is primarily a destination for the trafficking of women and girls from the Chinese mainland, Mongolia, Russia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Central Asia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, according to a report by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the United States Department of State.
"Most victims are from inland Chinese provinces who migrate to the border province of Guangdong in search of employment, where they fall prey to false advertisements for jobs in Macau" the report said.
According with the same document "Chinese, Russian, and Thai criminal syndicates are sometimes involved in bringing women into Macau for its legalized prostitution industry".
"The Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so" said the report released Tuesday.
The report recommend that the government should " push for greater investigations and prosecutions of traffickers under the new comprehensive anti-trafficking law, cooperate closely with source country governments on cross-border trafficking cases and increase efforts to identify victims of trafficking among vulnerable groups such as migrant workers and foreign women and children arrested for prostitution".
The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons said also that "the government passed a comprehensive antitrafficking law and began to provide shelter, counseling, and medical and financial assistance to trafficking victims. Nevertheless, overall efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers, particularly those involved in organized crime, remain inadequate".
The report however said that "the Macau government made some progress in its antitrafficking law enforcement efforts during the reporting period" and mention that "In June 2008, the Macau Legislative Assembly passed comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation, which prohibits all forms of trafficking in persons and prescribes penalties ranging from three to 12 years’ imprisonment, which are sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. "
According with the U.S. State Department "The government demonstrated progress in its trafficking prevention efforts. The government continued to publish anti-trafficking brochures in multiple languages that were displayed at border checkpoints, hospitals, and public gathering areas.
(MacauNews)
See full report on Macau Monitor
