Sex trafficking in El Salvador
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Sex trafficking in El Salvador is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of El Salvador. It is a country of origin, transit, and destination for sexually trafficked persons.[1]
El Salvador citizens and foreigners, primarily women and girls, are sex trafficked to the different departments of El Salvador, as well as other countries, namely Mexico[2] and the United States.[3] The illegal transporting and sexual assault of migrants from Latin America to the United States is a problem. The majority of foreign victims of sex trafficking in El Salvador come from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.[1] Children, [4][5][6] deported migrants,[7] and people in poverty[2][4][5] are especially vulnerable to sex trafficking. Incidents have involved child pornography and sex tourism.[6] Sex trafficked victims are deceived[1][2][5][8] or abducted[2] and forced into prostitution and unfree labour.[2][7] They are guarded or locked up in brothels, homes, and other locations. Some are forced into marriages[2][6] or pregnancies, and victims' babies have been sold. They are threatened[2][4][5] and physically and psychologically abused.[2] Victims have been tortured and murdered.[2] Their family members are sometimes threatened.[7] Victims contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes without condoms.[2] They have been deprived of water[6] and other necessities and often live in poor and dirty conditions.[9] A number are drugged while in captivity.[2] Others are forced to get tattoos or breast implants.[2] Victims experience mental health problems, including depression, suicidal thoughts, and persecutory delusions.[2][7] Victims have participated in investigations and trials against their traffickers.[2] Sex crimes against women and girls, such as these, are a form of gender inequality in El Salvador.
Sex trafficking and exploitation have permeated all levels of Salvadorian society. Traffickers have been male and female. A number of traffickers are members of or facilitated by gangs and transnational criminal organizations.[2][4][7][9] Government officials and workers and police have been complicit and corruption and impunity[6] are issues.[2][10] Anti-sex trafficking efforts in the country have been criticized for being unsatisfactory.[6]
The scale of sex trafficking in El Salvador is not known because of the dearth of data.[7] Government anti-sex trafficking efforts and protections for citizens have been criticized for being insufficient.[4] Law enforcement is hindered by limited operating budgets and resources. [5] Victim care and rehabilitation programmes are lacking.[7]
Links to illegal drug trade[]
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Drug gangs in El Salvador engage in sex trafficking as an alternative source of profit.[4][6][7][9] Women and girls have been forced into sexual relationships and kept as sex slaves by gang leaders.[2][8]
Non-governmental organization[]
Ramá Network, part of the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in Persons, and the Association for the Self-Determination of Salvadoran Women (AMS) carry out anti-sex trafficking efforts in El Salvador.[7]
Further reading[]
- Zhang, Sheldon X.; Pacheco-McEvoy, Rodrigo & Campos, Roxanna (November 2011). "Sex trafficking in Latin America: dominant discourse, empirical paucity, and promising research". Global Crime. 13 (1): 22–41. doi:10.1080/17440572.2011.632504. S2CID 143936721. Abstract.
References[]
- ^ a b c "Music video against human trafficking and sexual exploitation launched in El Salvador". IOM. March 8, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Men Who Sold Women: Human Trafficking Networks in Central America". Insight Crime. October 25, 2012.
- ^ "Human trafficking of girls in particular "on the rise," United Nations warns". CBS News. January 30, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Gang Involvement in Human Trafficking in Central America". IPS. September 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Human Trafficking and the Children of Central America". IPS. August 21, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Crime No One Fights: Human Trafficking in the Northern Triangle". Insight Crime. June 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Central America – Fertile Ground for Human Trafficking". IPS News. November 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Forced Criminal Activities along Mexico's Eastern Migration Routes and Central America Department of Public Affairs and Security Studies". UTRGV. 2020.
- ^ a b c "My Story Bringing the Light of Jesus to Sex-Trafficked Women of El Salvador". CLD News. 2020.
- ^ "2019 Trafficking in Persons Report: El Salvador". U.S. Embassy in El Salvador.
- Child sexual abuse
- Crime in El Salvador by type
- Forced prostitution
- Organized crime activity
- Law enforcement in El Salvador
- Salvadoran society
- Sex industry
- Sex trafficking by country
- Crimes against women
- Women in El Salvador