CROATIA WOMENS ISSUES

In the last 5 years organized crime has moved into trafficking in women for prostitution, which has increased due to the deployment of international military forces and the opening of Eastern European borders. ("NGO report in the staus of women in the Republic of Croatia," 5 January 1998)

Transboundary illegal trafficking of one or more persons is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, but carries a longer sentence when it involves a minor, even if the person prosecuted had no previous criminal history. Procurement for the purpose of prostitution was penalized under the law, with the imposition of a fine or up to one year in prison. Coercion or force would increase the sentence to up to three years. Cases involving a minor or a child carried a sentence of up to 10 years. (Ms. Karajkovic, Assistant Minister of Justice, UN: Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee Concludes consideration of Croatia's initial report," M2 Presswire, 28 January 1998)........

Prostitutes are not covered under the criminal rape act. (UN: Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee Concludes consideration of Croatia's initial report," M2 Presswire, 28 January 1998)

Massage parlors, telephone services, entertainment places and restaurants front as brothels, and are increasingly common, as newspapers advertise them. The only measures by police are occasional raids with consequent charges against procurers and the eviction of the illegal women from Croatia. ("NGO report in the staus of women in the Republic of Croatia," 5 January 1998)

Prostitution is under concealed protection of the state, the law, the judiciary and the police. There have been a number of murders connected to organized crime gangs in Zagreb. (Boris Raseta, "Squaring of Accounts ‘Chicago Style’," AIM Zagreb/ GMT 20 July 1997)

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