Sex Trafficking Alive in Jamaica

I was taken aback this morning when I browsed the news from Jamaica and saw the blaring headline that there is a growing demand for youth in the sex trafficking and sex tourism markets in Jamaica. Growing up in Jamaica, that was not the kind of thing that people spoke about, so I have no real recollection of it ever being a problem. Jamaica, for what it is worth, is a great place to kick back and relax for a week or so, especially if you stay in an all-inclusive hotel, such as Sandals. The island has a plethora of activities for tourists, good food and wonderful beaches, however, there is a real problem with the aging infrastructure, high crime and unemployment rates, among other things, and now, sex trafficking.

A recent report and documentary entitled "Demand," from the advocacy organization Shared Hope International, the result of an investigative research in Jamaica, Japan, The Netherlands and the United States, focused on the business of sex trafficking and sex tourism. The report has shown that Jamaica's tourist industry, specifically its adult-only resorts, tend to encourage tourists to demand any pleasure they wish. Jamaica's heavy economic dependence on tourism and the high poverty rate seem to have created a culture of doing "whatever is necessary to survive," even if it involves the prostitution of youth. The field research for the documentary was conducted mainly in Kingston, Ocho Rios, St. Ann, Montego Bay and Negril. It has shown that the profile of victims found in the marketplace of sexual exploitation on the island ranges from foreign women trafficked into and through the island, to young girls entering the sex markets. The report also states that women and children are trafficked internally from rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual exploitation. Additionally, men and boys are reportedly also being recruited in growing numbers.

Trafficking of persons has become so rampant in Jamaica, that the island was elevated to the Tier Two Watch List of the U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report in 2006. I was also surprised to learn that information from international organizations and embassies working in Jamaica have suggested that women from the Dominican Republic and Eastern Europe are trafficked to the island for sexual exploitation. The trafficking is also for domestic servitude and forced labor. It is painfully apparent that the Jamaican government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but has made some significant efforts to do so. It was placed on Tier Two Watch List because the determination that it is making significant efforts is based, in part, on its commitment to take additional future steps over the coming year, a feat that the new Prime Minister Bruce Golding has to put on the top of his list of priorities.

There has been greater public debate on the subject, which has resulted in a significant increase in public awareness of the dangers of such a trade. To its credit, the previous administration had launched a public awareness campaign, created an inter-agency task force to coordinate anti-trafficking matters and appointed police officers, albeit too small a team, to handle such investigations. However, very few investigations have led to prosecution. The government should increase its law enforcement efforts, particularly in the number of officers assigned to this division. Surely six officers are too few to conduct investigations throughout the entire island. The government must take stronger action against corruption that may impede progress in investigations.

Jamaica has specific laws against trafficking in children, such as the "Child Care and Protection Act of 2004," but has no laws that specifically address trafficking of adults. According to the U.S. State Department, related criminal statutes may be used to prosecute individuals for trafficking, including the "Offenses Against the Person Act," which prohibits certain aspects of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. To date, there have been a number of raids and arrests, but no convictions under the Child Care and Protection Act. There have been some related convictions under other laws, including the Spirit Licensing Act and also some reported immigration code violations. There are at least six cases currently under investigation. The government also temporarily suspended work permits for foreign exotic dancers, some of whom are victims of trafficking. The Ministry of Labor is currently working on procedures to monitor individuals granted an exotic dancer permit, to ensure they are not being abused. However, despite some progress on law enforcement, official corruption remains endemic. Law enforcement efforts are also hampered by a lack of resources, personnel, and trafficking awareness.

The government's efforts to protect trafficking victims have remained limited. Child trafficking victims are referred to government-run shelters, however, there are no shelters for adult victims. The government provides medical, psychological and legal services to all trafficking victims and has occasionally placed adult victims in hotels or other temporary facilities.

The government cannot simply condemn human trafficking in public statements; it must act and implement a comprehensive strict plan to combat this growing trade. The government is on the right track, as evidenced from the steps it has taken to combat this trade. For example, it has partnered with Air Jamaica to include anti-trafficking information on all its flights and it has sponsored two anti-trafficking education events that reached nearly 800 people. The Bureau of Women's Affairs have conducted 21 anti-trafficking workshops that reached approximately 2,100 people. To combat sex trafficking much more information is needed to understand that root cause of this insidious trade and the conditions that create a need for a supply of trafficked women, men and children. Without this information, those who are motivated to engage in exploiting and using trafficked victims will remain a mystery. By understanding the dynamics of demand, the Jamaican government can develop the legal and political policies necessary to control and eradicate this horrific practice. The government must also implement programs and attract foreign investment that will create more jobs for the unemployed and reduce the crime rate.

Samuel Sharpe, a Jamaican slave once said, "I would rather die on yonder gallows than live in slavery." He was the main instigator of the 1831 Slave Rebellion which was largely instrumental in causing the abolishment of slavery in Jamaica. We have to work diligently and unite to eradicate the new slave trade that has reared its ugly head on the island of Jamaica. We now have to say, "This is a big problem mon!"