Sex trafficking in Kazakhstan
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Sex trafficking in Kazakhstan is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan citizens, primarily women and girls,[1] have been sex trafficked within the country and to other countries in Asia[1] and different continents.[2] Foreign victims are sex trafficked into the country.[2] Children, persons in poverty, and migrants are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Victims are deceived,[2] threatened, or forced into prostitution or forced marriages.[3] Their passports[2] and other documents are often taken. They suffer from physical and psychological abuse and trauma and are typically guarded and or locked up in poor conditions. A number contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes. Many victims are afraid to report their experiences to the police because of fears of being stigmatized and rejected by their communities.[2]
The government of Kazakhstan has been criticized for its inadequate anti-sex trafficking efforts and corruption. Police and officials have been accused of being complicit in sex trafficking crimes in the country.[4]
Bride kidnappings
Non-consensual bride abductions, in which women and girls are forced into marriages and pregnancies through force, intimidation, or societal pressure, is a form of sex trafficking in Kazakhstan.[3]
At the Fourth World Conference on Women, bride abductions were recognized as a type of "culture-based violence against women" in Kazakhstan. Despite the fact that they have many characteristics with human trafficking as defined by the United Nations, they have not been regarded as a form of it. And despite efforts to stop it, Kazakhstan has made bride abduction more straightforward.[5]
Non-governmental organizations
The International Organisation for Migration supports projects against sex trafficking in the country.[6][2]
The Sana Sezim Legal Centre for Women's Initiatives conducts anti-sex trafficking efforts in Kazakhstan.[6]
References
- ^ a b "Central Asian women targetted by sex traffickers". BBC News. April 10, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kazakhstan: A New Destination For Trafficked Women". Radio Free Asia. March 15, 2006.
- ^ a b "The Rise of Non-Consensual Bride Kidnapping in Kazakhstan: Developing a Culturally-Informed and Gender-Sensitive Response". Wilson Center. 2013.
- ^ "2019 Trafficking in Persons Report: Kazakhstan". U.S. Department of State. 2019.
- ^ "Bride Abductions in Kazakhstan and Human Trafficking Discourse: Tradition vs Moral Acuity". OSU News. March 5, 2018.
- ^ a b "US grant to help Kazakhstan build network against human trafficking". CARAVANSERAI. April 25, 2019.