COUNTER TRAFFICKING

Media Room - News at October, 2005

Sabah Newspaper - October 31, 2005

Öykü YAZICIOĞLU

A call saved 198 women

'157 Helpline' became the hope of escape for foreign women forced to prostitute… Most of the calls came from the clients.

157 helpline, established for the victims of human trafficking, has been in service since May. Project assistant Selin Ünal from the IOM (International Organization for Migration) states that women brought to Turkey from Ukraine, Moldova and Russia call the helpline the most. Ünal says that "26 percent of the callers are the victims themselves while 74 percent of the callers are friends or clients of the victims."

They are scared to call

"The women forced to prostitute are frightened to call us" says Ünal and talks about their fields of service: "Our mission is to build a bridge between the victim and the authorities."

Selin Ünal also adds that they have established a shelter for victims rescued through the helpline which is operated by highly competent specialists speaking 5 languages. Ünal says that "There is one shelter related to counter-trafficking in İstanbul, but a second shelter will soon go in service in Ankara as well."

The rescued victims explain

"A Moldovan, who doesn't want to expose her ID, explains what she has been through and how she has been saved:"

"I had economic problems in my country. One of my friends told me that I can earn good money if I work as a dancer in Turkey. She arranged my plane ticket and passport. Yet people who met me in Antalya took away my passport and told me that I was brought here to prostitute. Telling me that I had no choice, they threatened to kill me. As soon as I got a chance, I called the civil society organization in Moldova. They told me to call 157 helpline in Turkey. I called 157, explained my situation to the operators and gave them my address. Antalya police rescued me from the hotel I was in."

Their ages are between 19-25...

Selin Ünal, from the IOM, says that the women brought to Turkey are between 19 and 25 years of age. Ünal states that "26 percent of the callers are the victims themselves while 74 percent of the callers are friends or clients of the victims."

Kuzey Ekspres Newspaper (Trabzon's Local Newspaper)- October 13, 2005

Kuzey Ekspres Newspaper - Trabzon

Trabzon as the Pilot City

Marielle Sander Lindstrom, International Organization for Migration Turkey's Chief of Mission, stated that Turkey is seen as the country of opportunities for the third world countries, Lindstrom continued as 'We identified Trabzon as the pilot city in Turkey because we are sure that public here will support us. People here are quite sensitive here about the issue.'

The workshop on 'Defining Counter Human Trafficking Strategy and Capacity Development' was organized by International Organization for Migration in Macka. IOM's Chief of Mission Marielle Sander Lindstrom stated that Turkey appears as the country of opportunities for third world countries.

Ms. Sander-Lindstrom underlined that human trafficking is a problem without borders. 'IOM is in close cooperation with the Turkish government. We have started a two day workshop on counter human trafficking in Eastern Europe, Turkey and former Soviet Republics. This workshop is focusing on issues of preventing human trafficking, protection and law enforcement. In the workshop we exchange information about the 157 emergency help line for rescuing victims of human trafficking and publicize it in the Black Sea region with a specific emphasis on Trabzon. The Black Sea region has a remarkable importance in this large scale fight against human trafficking' added Ms Lindstrom.

Lindstrom stated that Trabzon has an important role in the project of counter trafficking because it has proximity to the sourcing countries of human trafficking and it provides the entrance point to Turkey through sea and air routes. Lindstrom continued as 'Our aim is to save and protect the real and potential victims of human trafficking. It also involves raising public awareness, the development of education regarding the law enforcement and provision of direct medical and psychological support to the sufferers of human trafficking. This project is conducted by the US government through the common financing of Turkish and Swedish governments. Italian government is also providing substantial support to the IOM counter trafficking project. We have chosen Trabzon as the pilot city. The public has an interest here'.

Lindstrom highlighted that they have reached 3 victims in Trabzon and 165 victims in Turkey in total. She talked as 'After the 157 Help Line got activated on 23 May, we had the chance to reach out 45 people. However, the number of sufferers entering into Turkey via Trabzon is quite a lot. This city is seen as an importance access point. Third world countries regard Turkey as the place where dreams come true. Human traffickers abuse this weakness to the maximum level. It is very important to counter traffickers. For that reason, sever punishment of traffickers has a key importance. The difference of Turkey from other European countries is that European countries only deal with the protection of the victims while on the other hand Turkey is involved in both the protection of victims and the avoidance of human trafficking. In addition, Turkey is also sending the sufferers here to third countries. Turkey organizes resocialization of programmes for 6 months for the people whose return to their countries is problematic. Then, it delivers them to the United Nations'.

Government officials, police officers and the representatives of civil society organizations were among the participants of the meeting.

Hüryol Newspaper (Trabzon's Local Newspaper) - October 13, 2005

Hüryol Newspaper - Trabzon

Trabzon is selected as the pilot city for counter trafficking efforts

The Country of Opportunities

Marielle Sander, International Organization for Migration Turkey's Chief of Mission, stated that human trafficking is a problem which is goes beyond international borders. She added that Turkey appears as the country of opportunities to the third world countries. Our aim is to save and to protect the victims of human trafficking'.

Trabzon as the Key Country

Lindstrom stated that Trabzon has an important role in the project of counter trafficking because it has proximity to the sourcing countries of human trafficking and it provides the entrance point to Turkey through sea and air routes. She continued as 'The workshop focuses on issues of preventing human trafficking, protection and law enforcement. We picked up Trabzon as the pilot city'.

Ms. Sander-Lindstrom underlined that human trafficking is a problem without borders. 'IOM is in close cooperation with the Turkish government. We have started a two day workshop on counter human trafficking in Eastern Europe, Turkey and former Soviet Republics… In the workshop we exchange information about the 157 emergency help line for rescuing victims of human trafficking and publicize it in the Black Sea region with a specific emphasis on Trabzon. The Black Sea region has a remarkable importance in this large scale fight against human trafficking' added Ms Lindstrom.

Lindstrom continued as 'Our aim is to save and protect the real and potential victims of human trafficking. It also involves raising public awareness, the development of education regarding the law enforcement and provision of direct medical and psychological support to the sufferers of human trafficking. This project is conducted by the US government through the common financing of Turkish and Swedish governments. Italian government is also providing substantial support to the IOM counter trafficking project. We have chosen Trabzon as the pilot city. The public has an interest here'.

Government officials, police officers and the representatives of civil society organizations were among the participants of the meeting.

Taka Newspaper (Trabzon's Local Newspaper) - October 13, 2005

Taka Newspaper - Trabzon

Human Trafficking discussed in Trabzon's town Macka

Marielle Sander, the Chief of Mission from International Organization for Migration (IOM), stated human trafficking is beyond borders

Government officials, police officers and the representatives of civil society organizations were among the participants of the meeting.

Bugün Newspaper - October 01, 2005

Nurten ERTUL

Sex Slaves

Women forced to work as sex slaves by the prostitution mafia are waiting to be rescued by the help of fellow women.

Elina Siderova is working hard for nine months to save women captured by the prostitution networks. As IOM's (International Organization for Migration) Secretary of Turkey, Siderova stresses that this crime of humanity can only be prevented by the support of women.

Call 157

Siderova states that through their 157 helpline, 159 women were rescued from the houses they have been locked up in. She also adds that most of the victims are reported by their clients and that victims who refuse to have an intercourse are brutally punished. Cruel punishments involve lighting off of cigarettes on the faces of victims or burning their bodies with hot oil.

She Doesn't Want to Be Recognized

Elina Siderova did not want herself to be recognized for the purposes of security.