Citation

Pickup F. Gend. Dev. 1998; 6(1): 44-51.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Oxfam)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12321535

Abstract

A 1997 international conference held in Moscow addressed the issue of trafficking of women from Russia and newly-independent states. During the first half of the 20th century, policies to abolish "white slavery" were based on abolitionist ideas that understood the women solely as victims. It is now recognized that high rates of unemployment may lead women to choose migrant prostitution as a survival strategy. Feminists entered the debate with concerns about whether prostitution is a valid job option or a form of violence against women. Thus, some women's groups distinguish between free-will prostitution and forced trafficking. Others argue that all forms of trafficking and prostitution are forced and, therefore, violent. The UN definitions distinguish between trafficking and forced or coerced prostitution. The Moscow conference identified possible state responses to trafficking as 1) considering trafficking to be a form of organized crime and invoking criminal statutes (this is difficult and ignores women's real needs), 2) considering trafficking a form of illegal migration and invoking criminal statutes (this is also problematic, especially since corrupt government officials can foster trafficking), and 3) applying international law (this is of limited use because relevant laws have not been ratified). Nongovernmental organizations generally adopt abolitionist strategies like job training or education and consciousness-raising. An empowering policy would include preventive educational initiatives and support for repatriated women.

Language: en