What is the human rights dimension of the                  problem?

Trafficking is defined by the coercive, non-consensual and exploitative or servile nature of the purpose of movement, and involves a number of serious human rights violations, including forced labour, sexual and labour exploitation, violence and abuse of the victims.

“Violations of human rights are both a cause and a consequence of trafficking in persons. Accordingly, it is essential to place the protection of all human rights at the centre of any measures taken to prevent and end trafficking. Anti-trafficking measures should not adversely affect the human rights and dignity of persons and, in particular, the rights of those who have been trafficked, migrants, internally displaced persons, refugees and asylum seekers”.

April—September 2007

Volume Q2/07

Name of client:  Li

 

Background Information

Li is a 21-year-old girl from China mainland who was trafficked into prostitution in Malaysia. She had been forced to serve customers for six months since December 2002.

She is the eldest child at home, two younger brothers aged 18 and 15 years old respectively. Father is 50-year-old and mother is 42-year-old. Parents are both peasants in a remote countryside in Guangxi. 

She was working as a cook for her godmother earning RMB 300-400 per month prior to Malaysia.

 

Chronology of Events

 

· In May 2002, a female friend whom she knew for half a year started to persuade her to come to Malaysia for a promising job as a waitress earning RMB1,200. That time she declined the invitation.

· In November 2002, she re-considered the suggestion due to her keenness to support her two younger brothers financially. One is studying at a University and the other is in Form three. Being the eldest and illiterate herself, she felt that it was important to support her brothers to continue their study.

· She did not tell her family about her plan for going to Malaysia for a job.

· On 8 Nov 2002 in Guilin (4 or 5 hours bus journey from her village), she signed a ‘contract’, which stated that she can work for three or four years with her five years passport. She also gave her important documents to apply for passport. She could not fully understand or aware what kind of paper she signed but was told that it was a ‘contract’. She spent a day in Guilin and was treated well. She saw three persons including her girlfriend who introduced her the job. There were both another woman (believed to be the big boss) and one man who met  her that day.

· She did not pay prior to coming Malaysia but RM2,000 will be deducted from her pay while working in Malaysia.

· On 27 Nov 2002, she received a call informing her that everything was in order; her flight to Malaysia was on 29 Nov 2002.

· On 28 Nov 2002, she took a bus to Guilin to meet her girlfriend and they went for shopping before they boarded another bus to Guangzhou that evening. Her girlfriend did not follow her to Guangzhou.

· On 29 Nov 2002, she reached Guangzhou (it takes her 14 hours from Guilin to Guangzhou) at about 8pm. She called a guy as told earlier on and followed this guy to a hotel for resting. At 1pm, that guy drove her to Baiyun airport. Her flight was at 3.30pm. She was given RMB2, 000 for entering Malaysia and was returned back to the pimps later day.

· On 29 Nov 2002, 7pm, when she reached KLIA, three persons waited to meet her whom known as Ah Ping, Lili (Ah Ping’s wife, who is from Beijing) and Ah Shu. They gave her something to eat before they brought her to the living place in Puchong.

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)

INROADS

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· She met Wang  (another trafficking case referred to WAO at the same time) and the other five ladies in that condominium. She was told that Ah Ping and his wife were going to China and she was left with the six other women for few days.

· On 3 Dec 2002, she was brought to shops to buy clothes and necessities. Until this stage, she was not suspicious about the vice she was involved in. 

· On 4 Dec 2002, she was brought to a lounge and given a ‘number plate’, she was stunned and suddenly realized the situation she was involved. The attitude of three pimps changed drastically and told her that they bought her from the boss in China for RM10, 000 and she needs to pay back the ‘debt’. She insisted on going back to China and refused to prostitute herself. Thus, she was sent back to her living place.

· One week later, she decided to serve customers because she felt that she was stuck in Malaysia and was promised to be sent back to her hometown after she worked for six months as a sex worker.

· She found out later that the female friend who persuaded her coming here was given commission by the syndicate ranging from RMB 3, 000 to 6, 000.

CASE 1

3 documented cases of trafficked women who sought shelter at the WAO Refuge.