Combatting Sex

Trafficking through
Advocacy
Atty. Sheila Lynn M. Catacutan-Besario
 Current Law
• UNHDR; ICCPR; ICESCR; CEDAW
• R.A. 9208 – Anti-Trafficking in Persons
Act of 2008
• R.A. 10364 – Expanded Anti-Trafficking
in Persons Act of 2012
 What is trafficking in
persons?
• refers to recruitment, transportation,
transfer or

• harboring or receipt of persons

• WITH or WITHOUT the victim’s CONSENT or

knowledge

• within or across national borders

 Purpose of trafficking:
• prostitution

• pornography

• or other forms of sexual exploitation

• forced labor or services, slavery,

involuntary servitude or debt bondage

• or the sale or removal of organs

 By means of:
•threat • deception

•use of force or • abuse of power

other forms of or of positions
coercion • taking
advantage of
•abduction
the vulnerability
•fraud of the person
TRAFFICKING IS BY MEANS OF FOR THE PURPOSE
OF EXPLOITATION
Recruitment Threat Prostitution
Transportation Use of force Other forms of sexual
exploitation, including
“cybersex” through
the internet
Transfer Deception Forced Labor or
services
Harboring Abduction Slavery or similar
practices
Receipt Taking advantage Removal of organs
of the vulnerability
of others
 Who are trafficked?

• YOUNG WOMEN
• CHILDREN (GIRLS and BOYS)
Why are they vulnerable?
• marginalized, minority and poverty groups
• those in conflict areas and areas visited by
disasters and calamities, refugees and illegal
migrants
• mainly because of their low levels of education
and illiteracy
Who are the traffickers and buyers?

• Illegal recruiters
• Organized crime groups including those
involved in narcotics and arms smuggling
• Local pimps and procurers
• Entertainments promoters and impresarios
• Male buyers (local and foreign) of
prostituted women and children
Who may file a complaint for trafficking in
persons?

• ANY PERSON who has personal knowledge of

the commission of any offense

• trafficked person

• his or her parents, spouse, siblings, children or

legal guardian
 NGO Work in TIP
• GWAVE – Gender Watch Against Violence and
Exploitation

• NGO based in Dumaguete City, Negros

Oriental

• Caters to Gender Based Violence cases

• VAWC
• Sex trafficking
• Child Sexual Abuse
 GWAVE
• Started as in informal organization in 2000 when a
group of women and men supported a rape victim

• GWAVE incorporated in 2004

• Funded mainly by EED (conglomeration of

protestant churches in Germany)

• With projects with Consuelo Foundation, and

AVON and special projects with the US Embassy
 Challenges in
Prosecution of TIP
• Apprehension
• Syndicates or highly connected
individuals
• Refusal of Witnesses to testify
• Victim Fatigue
 Case Scenario
• In 2008, a cyber sex operation was uncovered
in Dumaguete City

• Minors (12-17 years old) were housed in an

apartment

• Two minors escaped and reported to the

Police

• Cyber Sex Operation was busted

 Case Scenario
• Preliminary Investigation proceeded

• Information against the perpetrators were

filed

• Three individuals were charged; third one was

also a minor

• Both adults were detained pending the case

 Case Scenario
• In the course of the proceedings, we lost
contact of the minor victims
• Families of the minor witnesses “relocated”
• They could no longer be relocated
• Until the case was DISMISSED for failure to
prosecute – NO more witnesses
• After four (4) years, the case was DISMISSED
 Reality in the Courts
• Good Laws – R.A. 9028 and R.A 10364
• Prosecutors are doing their best to prosecute
• Court process takes a LONG time
• On the average 4-5 years to finish the trials of
theses cases
• Although with the recent developments on
trial rules, it might take shorter
 Realization
• With all the challenges in the prosecution of
TIP, we realize that ADVOCACY is the KEY

• Efforts on ADVOCACY has been INTENSIFIED

• INFORMED COMMUNITY translates to less

CASES in TIP
 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• Capacity Building and Monitoring of VAW Desk
Functionality
• Seminar/workshops on laws that protect
women and children including the Anti-Human
Trafficking Law
• Capacity Building to equip barangay officials in
spotting possible trafficking cases in the
community and how to reports and get in touch
with appropriate agencies
 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Orientation
(CSAP)
• Sessions conducted in barangay and
schools
• Includes input on child trafficking and
child pornography
 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• Kontra-Abuso Hotline

• A seven-day, 8 am to 8 pm, phone and text

line that could be accessed by anybody to
reports Violence Against Women and Girls
(VAWG) including TIP
 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• Radio Plugs

• Short radio skits in the local dialect aired

over the radio to raised the community’s
awareness

• Includes a skit in Trafficking

 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• INFORMANCE

• Informative Performance

• One of GWAVE’S Informances entitled

“Nakikita kita” showcases trafficking and child
pornography

• Actors and actresses are survivors themselves

together with male volunteers
 GWAVE’s
Advocacy Efforts
• “Nakikita Kita” INFORMANCE
• Joint effort of YATTA (Youth Advocates
Through Theater Arts) and GWAVE
 Henceforth:
• ADVOCACY is the KEY
• We have seen a drop in the number of TIP
cases
• We attribute the drop in TIP to COMMUNITY
AWARENESS
• WE hope to minimize (eliminate) TIP through
STRONG ADVOCACY and SUCCESSFUL
PROSECUTION