WAO Newsletter

In 2003 and 2004 there were 11 and 5 trafficked women, respectively, who sought shelter at the Refuge. Once in our Refuge, the services extended to them include assistance in obtaining necessary documents, medical attention, counselling, making police reports and assistance in returning home. All the women who have sought shelter at WAO wanted to return to their home countries as soon as possible, and did not wish to pursue police cases against their traffickers or pimps.

In many cases, and in the cases handled by WAO, women forced into the sex industry were guaranteed that they would have a legitimate job and work permit upon their arrival in Malaysia. In reality, however, they were forced to service clients in brothels and in many cases they were paid poorly or not at all.

Trafficking in Malaysia

For a larger picture of the issue of trafficking in Malaysia, police statistics in the CEDAW Shadow Report show that between November 2003 and March 2004 there were 2,340 foreign nationals involved in prostitution. Of this, 795 victims were from Indonesia, 787 from China, 507 from Thailand, 101 from the Philippines, 52 from Cambodia, 46 from Vietnam, 20 from Uzbekistan and 32 from other countries.

These numbers may illustrate one aspect of the problem but they do not necessarily indicate the absolute number of trafficking victims. This is because many foreign women who have been trafficked for sex are charged with immigration offences instead of prostitution, women are trafficked for labour rather than sex work, and many trafficking victims are not arrested or rescued and therefore will not be counted in the statistics.

April—September 2007

Volume Q2/07

Vulnerabilities at different stages of the migration process

From “An Information Guide”, Booklet 1, An International Labour Office publication

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)

INROADS

Page 4

Trafficking

Migrant Domestic Workers; Helping the Help at Home	2
WAO's work for Refugees	3
Vulnerabilities at different stages	4

Trafficking in Malaysia	4
Press Statement	10

Vulnerabilities at different stages & Trafficking

Vulnerabilities at different stages of the migration process
Migration Stage	Vulnerabilities faced by female migrant workers
Recruitment and Pre-departure	Illegal recruitment and trafficking Excessive fees for placement and documents Cheating and extortion by agencies and brokers Non-existent jobs Inappropriate and expensive training programmes Being locked up by recruiters, abuses in “training centres” Not being sent abroad at all Falsification of worker’s identity Lack of information on terms and conditions of employment
Journey	Expensive fares Unofficial transportation/smuggling Hazardous travel Victimization in transit
Working and living abroad	Contract substitution or contract violations Dependent employment relationship Withholding of papers/documents Poor working and living conditions Health and safety risks and lack of social protection Non-payment of or unauthorized deductions from wages Physical, psychological or sexual abuse or violence Limited freedom of movement Lack/absence of information, access to services and redremechanisms No embassy or inadequate services provided by embassy
Termination of contract	Illegal termination Sudden, unjust termination No place to stay before being sent home Absence of complaint and redress procedure
Return and Reintegration	No alternative source of income, difficulties of finding employment Extortion and overpricing of services by airport and customs personnel, moneychangers, etc. Bankruptcy Family problems, adjustment Social reintegration difficulties, particularly for survivors of violence abroad Danger of being re-trafficked.
Adapted from: Asian Migrant Centre, Asia South Pacific Bureau for Adult Education, Migrant Forum in Asia, Clearing a Hurried Path: Study on Education Programs for Migrant Workers in Six Asian Countries (Hong Kong, 2001), pp.93, 114-116; Unlad Kabayan Migrant Services Foundation Inc., Planning Your Re-entry Filipino Migrant Workers Orientation Course (Quezon City, Unlad Kabayan, November 2001), pp.16-17; and Asian Migrant Centre and Coalition for Migrants’ Rights, “Strategies, Experiences and Lessons: Protecting the Rights and Empowering Asian Migrant Domestic Workers”, power point presentation made at the ILO Programme Consultation Meeting on the Protection of Domestic Workers against the Threat of Forced Labour and Trafficking, 17-19 February, 2003, Hong Kong.