28 November 201228 November 2012

EU House

Rita Superman

Head of the Office of Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Cyprus Police

LEGISLATION�Law 87(I)/2007 for combating Trafficking in Human

beings and the protection of victims of trafficking and exploitation.

�Part IV of the Criminal Code under the heading "Criminal offenses prejudicial to the public generally" and under the subheading "Criminal Offences Against and under the subheading "Criminal Offences Against Ethics."

� Article 156 Suppression of brothels

� Article 157 Pimping

� Article 164 Exploit prostitutes and persistent solicitation for immoral purposes.

SITUATION IN CYPRUS

� Increase of the prostitution networks

� Women in prostitution coming from Greece, Bulgaria and Romania and in a lesser extent from Latvia, Lithuania and Czech Republic

Prostitution in flats and in the streets� Prostitution in flats and in the streets

� Women have exercised prostitution in other countries but not in their home country

� Young women 18-25

Cases investigated

� 2011- Out of the 26 cases investigated, 18 cases included offences of trafficking and/or sexual exploitation by the virtue of the Law 87(I)/2007.

� 2012- Out of the 33 cases investigated, 5 cases included � 2012- Out of the 33 cases investigated, 5 cases included offences of trafficking and/or sexual exploitation by the virtue of the Law 87(I)/2007

Why women in prostitution do not

speak about their situation� Prostitution is the only solution to their problems

� Pimps offer them jobs

� They do not trust the Police or the society in general

They fear the vengeance of pimps� They fear the vengeance of pimps

� Pimps control the market

How a prostitute can become a

victim of trafficking � Prostitutes – The most vulnerable group for trafficking

in human beings.

�It's easier to approach and exploit a prostitute

�An agreement between the pimp and the prostitute is �An agreement between the pimp and the prostitute is made in advance

�Working conditions and payment are also agreed in advance

The exploitation begins ….

Why the police can not suppress this

phenomenon

� Corroborative evidence

� Lack of tools to investigate organised crime cases

� Women do not cooperate

� Demand is on the increase

� Accommodative factors such as the economic crisisAccommodative factors such as the economic crisis

� Uncontrolled flow from the occupied areas

� Lack of programs to help women to exit prostitution

� Lack of programs of re-victimisation

� Men buying women are not recognised as abusers and sexual exploiters

TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION

ARE INTERLINKED� Most prostitutes in their first steps were initiated into

prostitution by another person

� Prostitutes do not always fall into the category of people who can be identified as victims of traffickingwho can be identified as victims of trafficking

� Perceptions of society

� Increased social acceptance of men’s entitlement to buy women. Denial of the harm of sexual exploitation to women.

� Prostitution as a form of violence

� Legal, social and ethical legitimization of the sex industry

Thanks

for your attentionfor your attention