The treatment of human beings as commodities, or products to be bought and sold, is considered a violation of their most basic rights to freedom, autonomy and human dignity by the United Nations (UN) and international human rights groups.”
– Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery International 2004; Human Rights Watch 2004; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2005.
In Australia, evidence suggest that trafficking of women into debt-bonded prostitution is the major form of trafficking, accounting for the majority of victims within our borders (Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department 2005; Project Respect 2004). Debt bondage is recognised as a form of slavery under the Australian Criminal Code and international law.”
From Trafficking in women for sexual exploitation – Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault
Want to learn more about human trafficking in Australia? Check out the websites of the following organisations:
Project Respect is an Australian non-government organisation which challenges exploitation of and violence against women in the sex industry. Project Respect conducts outreach programs and offers services to women in brothels especially where there is a high concentration of women from non-English speaking backgrounds. Project Respect has a particular focus on women trafficked to Australia for prostitution, and other women experiencing harm and violence within the sex industry.
HumanTrafficking.org is a web resource for combating human trafficking. Read about Australia and Human Trafficking here.
The Good Shepherd Social Justice Network has an extensive list of resources including journal articles, UN publications, government reports, education and advocacy kits and more here.
