THERE were 33 victims of human trafficking in South Africa last year. So said Thora Mansfield of the Open Door Crisis Centre as she addressed the Bulwer Community Safety Forum on Tuesday night.
Mansfield said human trafficking was unspoken of before the Provincial Task Team was established in 2008. The Open Door Crisis Centre is now a leading organisation in the field and is recognised as one of the first shelters to take in victims of human trafficking. Mansfield said the organisation has gained recognition internationally, and that she has been to Cambodia, Bangkok, Singapore and the US to discuss the problem.
“Human trafficking in South Africa is a reality and it is alive and well,” she said.
She said the organisation worked closely with the police and with a new officer for the portfolio now, she hoped more victims would be able to get healing and restoration.
“These people are embroiled in the situation. We only know where it’s happening when there are raids. Sadly there are not enough raids,” she said.
She said the organisation works on four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships in fighting what she called ‘modern day slavery’, which is one of the greatest curses facing South Africa.
“It’s happening right here in our country. Worldwide 12 million people have been enslaved, 80 per cent of them women and children. Fifty per cent of these are minors between the ages of eight and 15 whose bodies have not yet matured, and are taken into prostitution and forced to have sex 10 to 15 times a day. Older women are used to have sex around 30 times a day. Stats show that between 600 and 800 women and children are trafficked nationally. It is the third largest criminal activity in the world,” she said.
Mansfield said the crime was a process and not an event, which involved recruitment, transportation and exploitation for profit.
With the new Human Trafficking Act which was signed off in March, these three elements are used in prosecution. “The Act lays out how the courts are able to prosecute traffickers. In Point Road recently, 10 women were rescued and brought to Open Door. They told us stories of how they were exploited, tied up and forced to have sex, having to take drugs to live through this. Many have no hope unless raids put an end to it, they are under so much control they can’t go anywhere by themselves and are told when to eat and sleep,” she said.
She said forced begging on the streets, which is something very common to the area, was another form of trafficking, where boys are forced to beg and the money is taken away from them, and they are used and abused for profit.
“People are pulled into human trafficking through promises of employment, education and travel opportunities. You just have to look at the papers to see the personal ads. We have tried through the Provincial Task Team and agencies to stop these adverts going into the paper, but we can’t because it’s about money. These people are pulled into this life, and are ensnared and in bondage unless they can get out, like in the Point Road case,” she said.
Mansfield said the causes had to do a lot with a lack of economic opportunities and victims of poverty were easily taken by promises of a better life.
She said people in the community needed to be trained on policy regulating human trafficking, and if young people wanted to go work overseas after finishing school and had the opportunity, parents should instil in them the danger of going alone.
“If this opportunity arises, parents need to ensure the employer is registered. Contact the Embassy in the country and if you have friends in that country, get them to check the physical address. Get a job contract, if possible as well as terms of employment, work hours and wages. It’s so easy for young people to be vulnerable. I implore parents to educate the youth,” she said.
The film Dear Sister was shown to residents, which showed them the process of human trafficking. The film was shown to 6 000 learners in schools last year.
