Prostitution abroad and “labour enslavement” at home are the commonest forms. www.iwpr.net
Human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan say people-trafficking is on the increase. One form of this is common across the region – young women are lured abroad by the offer of a well-paid job, but on arrival, are forced into prostitution. Because the ciminal offence takes place abroad, it is often hard to prosecute the traffickers in cases like this.
The term also encompasses an almost medieval form of slavery, where men are held captive and forced to work, typically on someone’s farm.
Iskender Aliev is an IWPR contributor in Kyrgyzstan.
This audio programme went out in Russian and Kyrgyz on national radio stations in Kyrgyzstan. It was produced under two IWPR projects, Investigative Journalism to Promote Democratic Reform, funded by the European Union; and Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides in Central Asia, funded by the Foreign Ministry of Norway. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of IWPR and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the EU or the Norwegian government.