Today we have just started the second round of trainings in Ciudad del Este or better known as the Triple Frontier in Paraguay. Pictures are part of the opening ceremony with dignitaries from the different government agencies investigating , persecutors, immigration and victim services in Paraguay.
Immigrations Director of Alto Parana
Comisario de la Policia del Alto Parana
Secretario de Gobernacion presented Resolution
The event is sponsored by the US State Department, The Organization of American States, Ministerio de la Mujer and the Government of Paraguay.
Since we arrived we have been escorted by members of the National Police for safety issues. We have 3 assigned officers to be with us even at the hotel and traveling with us in the same vehicle. Remember that Human Trafficking is a 34 billion dollar a year industry and we are the enemies because of our anti-trafficking stand. We must always remember that by us reporting every single event and steps we take in this field we are not only jeopardizing our safety but also the safety of the victims.
On a more positive note, this morning the Government of Alto Parana in Ciudad del Este signed a formal Resolution #0275/2014 GAP creating a formal Human Trafficking Task Force will be implemented and coordinated to establish prevention programs in the fight against human trafficking in Ciudad del Este. This is great news!!!!
Another thing that I was pleased to see was that Paraguay has an amazing campaign regarding labor trafficking, both domestically and internationally. One thing that was noted during the conference today is that there has been an increase in labor trafficking. This is not good but it makes sense due to the fact that each and everyone of us is part of the demand for cheap labor, which fuels labor trafficking. On another note, prostitution is legal in Paraguay and sex workers have united and have created their own union as they see and refer themselves as “professional sex workers”. These new organizations want people to understand that not all sex wormers are victims and have not forced, threatened and coerced to work this “profession” as they are saying.
This is what we are now seeing in the US as well as in many other countries around the world.
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