2007 Trafficking in Persons Report - Center for Women Policy Studies

S P E C I A L C A S E S
The Government of Iraq does not prohibit all
forms of trafficking, but criminalizes the trafficking
of children for commercial sexual exploitation
through Article 399 of its penal code. This statute
prescribes penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment,
which are sufficiently stringent to deter,
but are not commensurate with those prescribed
for other grave crimes. Iraq should train its law
enforcement and judicial officers, and should take
measures to curb the complicity of public officials
in the trafficking of Iraqi women. Furthermore, the
government should monitor recruitment agencies
and contractors importing foreign workers to
ensure that no workers are being deceived or forced
to work in Iraq involuntarily.
The Iraqi government did not provide any protection
services to victims of trafficking during the
reporting period. The government did not operate
shelters for trafficking victims, nor offer legal, medical,
or psychological services. Iraq continued to lack
formal procedures to identify victims of trafficking
among vulnerable groups, such as women arrested
for prostitution. As a result, trafficking victims were
sometimes jailed for unlawful acts committed as
a direct result of being trafficked. The government
provided no assistance to Iraqi victims repatriated
from abroad, and some were criminally punished;
for example, some victims who were trafficked
abroad using false documents were arrested and
prosecuted upon their return to Iraq. Iraq neither
encouraged victims to assist in investigations
against their traffickers, nor offered foreign victims
legal alternatives to removal to countries in which
they may face hardship or retribution.
Iraq did not take measures to prevent trafficking in
persons this year, despite reports of a growing labor
trafficking problem among women and foreign
nationals in the country. The government does not
sponsor any anti-trafficking campaigns, and did
not monitor immigration and emigration patterns
for evidence of trafficking. Iraq has not ratified the
2000 UN TIP Protocol.
IRELAND
The Government and civil society have identified
sex trafficking in Ireland as a potential problem.
The presence of foreign women in prostitution and
a growing migrant labor population in Ireland raise
concerns about a potential trafficking problem in
Ireland. The Government has drafted new legislation
that will increase the penalty for trafficking to
help prevent trafficking from becoming a significant
issue in the country.
Scope and Magnitude. Ireland is a potential
destination country for women and girls
trafficked transnationally from Eastern Europe,
Africa, Latin America, or Asia for the purposes of
commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.
Unaccompanied minors from various source countries,
particularly in Africa, represent a vulnerable
group in Ireland that is susceptible to trafficking
and exploitation.
Government Efforts. Though the police are
currently investigating a small number of possible
trafficking cases, the Government of Ireland did not
report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in
2006. Under current Irish law, trafficking encompasses
both smuggling and trafficking. In July
2006, the government authorized the Department
of Justice to draft a criminal law that will separate
trafficking offenses from smuggling and increase
the penalties for trafficking. Ireland’s draft criminal
law, when passed, will specifically define and
prohibit all trafficking in persons offenses. Penalties
for commercial sexual exploitation of minors are
commensurate with those of rape, and penalties
under existing legislation for all other forms of trafficking
are up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Government of Ireland continued to demonstrate
strong efforts to protect and assist victims of
trafficking in 2006. The government encourages
victim participation in the investigation of traffickers,
but does not pressure them to do so. Irish
Naturalization and Immigration Service authorities
can provide potential victims with permission to
remain in Ireland. The government has a witness
protection program available for trafficking victims,
but no one has been protected to date by this
program. The current assistance program for trafficking
victims relies on NGO facilities and programs
that are partially funded by the government. The
Department of Justice provided over $580,000 to a
local NGO to fund victim care and living expenses
while victims await court appearances. The government
funds IOM to assist with return and reintegration
of victims.
Ireland continued to demonstrate efforts to raise
awareness and prevent trafficking in persons in
2006. The Minister of Justice launched an awareness
campaign in May 2006 as part of Ireland’s
participation in the UK’s Operation Pentameter,
a law enforcement effort that targets organized
criminal gangs involved in trafficking. The Sexual
Violence Center in Cork, which is partially funded
by the government, launched a sex trafficking
awareness campaign in June 2006 aimed at raising
public awareness of trafficking. Ireland funds
ILO programs in Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine
to promote employment, vocational training,
and prevent trafficking. The government’s foreign
assistance agency, Irish Aid, provided a total of $4.7
million for international anti-trafficking prevention
and capacity-building programs in 2006. Ireland
has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.
S P E C I A L C A S E S
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