AUSTRIA WOMENS ISSUES

One half of the victims of trafficking in women to Austria are from Central Europe, and 1/4 from Eastern Europe, yet Austrian policy on trafficking does not reflect this reality. ("International Workshop on Trafficking in Women in Central and Eastern Europe, Budapest," IOM, 4-5 October 1997)

Since 1990, there has been a major increase in the number of women trafficked to Austria from Central and Eastern European Countries. In 1990, the Austrian authorities discovered only 50 cases. Figures for 1994 and the first half of 1995 indicate that there were 318 cases (representing 752 women) reported, with by far the majority concerning women from Central and Eastern Europe." ("Trafficking of Women to the European Union: Characteristic, Trends and Policy Issues," European Conference on Trafficking in Women, (June 1996), IOM, 7 May 1996)........

There were 752 women trafficked from 35 countries into Austria in 1994 and the first half of 1995. Three forths were from the Central and Eastern European Countries. However, only 2 people were convicted of forcing a woman into prostitution, out of a total of 49 cases. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Trafficking is often a repeat offense. Of 49 persons convicted, 27 had previous convictions, 10 of these for the crime of trafficking. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

There is cooperation between domestic and foreign pimps for organizing the transfer of prostitutes from abroad to Austria. (Police interviews, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Women trafficked from Slovakia are mainly on the streets. They are brought to Vienna by car and live in small hotels with their pimps. (Study, 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1995, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Women trafficked from Hungary have been found mainly in bars. They were formerly prostitutes elsewhere before being trafficked to Austria. (Study, 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1995, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Dominican women trafficked to Austria were open to recruitment because they did not have enough income to pay for food in the Dominican Republic. (Lateinamerikanische Exilierte Frauen in sterreich - Exiled Latin American Women in Austria report 1996, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Women trafficked from Eastern Europe often enter Austria as tourists with valid passports. (IOM interviews in Graz, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

The sex industry in Austria is controlled mainly by Austrians who cooperate with partners in Eastern Europe, who provide enough women for there to be a high turnover of prostitutes. The trafficked women normally only have contact with transporters and recruiters, therefore can provide only limited information to police. (Interviews with police, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

In the past, women in the trafficking industry were dominantly Austrian, and Latin American, especially Dominican women. Although trafficking from the Dominican Republic remains prevalent, the majority of prostitutes in many areas of Austria are from the Central and Eastern European Countries. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Dominican women in Austria were brutally beaten, treated as slaves, and kept in inhumane conditions by their pimps, brothel keepers and traffickers. One woman was so mistreated she tried to commit suicide. They lived in the same unsanitary rooms where the men who bought them raped them. (Lateinamerikanische Exilierte Frauen in sterreich - Exiled Latin American, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Women, aged 19-42, were susceptible to traffickers because of high debts and unemployment in their home countries. 1/3 of the women were beaten by their fathers in their homes. The majority of women were not engaged in prostitution in their own country. Of 1/4 of the women, their husband or boyfriend has contacts with pimps. (IOM interviews in Graz, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Women are trafficked from countries with relatively high standards of living, such as the Czech Republic, which challenges the common assumption that only economic circumstances in home countries is the root cause of trafficking. (IOM interviews in Graz, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Prostitution is legal and viewed as a taxable source of income for Austria, provided women register with authorities and undergo health checks. In Graz, police are prepared to register women as legal prostitutes even though these women do not have either an Austrian residency permit or work permit. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Only 1/3 of reported cases of trafficking led to a conviction. There is little action taken against owners of sex establishments, and it is difficult for witnesses to cooperate in investigations. \("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

The majority of the sentences against traffickers have been imprisonment, most of which are suspended. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

An Austrian brothel owner in Upper Austria forced 100 Dominican women into prostitution in 1994. (Study, 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1995, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

In 1994, two club owners were convicted for "offering" two Dominican women rooms for prostitution. This was the first time that not the act of leading women into prostitution but of forcing them to remain in prostitution resulted in a conviction. ("Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Police has generally tolerate the prostitution of foreigners, and investigating possible cases of trafficking in women has not been a priority for the police. (Interviews with police, "Trafficking in Women to Austria for Sexual Exploitation," IOM and the Austrian Minister for Women’s Affairs, June 1996)

Migrant women in prostitution are forced to have sex and live in bad sanitary health conditions. (Licia Brussa, "Transnational AIDS/STD Prevention Among Migrant Prostitutes in Europe," TAMPEP, 1996)

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