Sex trafficking in the Philippines is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Republic of the Philippines. The Philippines is a country of origin and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit for sexually trafficked persons.[1]
Filipino citizens, primarily women and girls, have been sex trafficked to the various provinces of the Philippines, as well as other countries in Asia[2] and different continents.[3][4] Some are trafficked using student, intern, and exchange program visas. Children[5][6][7][8] [4][9] and people in poverty[10][11] and with low education levels are vulnerable. Other vulnerable groups include indigenous peoples and those displaced by typhoons[6] and conflict and violence.[4] Sex trafficked victims are deceived[12] and forced into prostitution,[6] marriages,[11][7] pregnancies, and unfree labour.[4] Their documents, including passports, are often confiscated.[4] They are threatened[5] and tied or locked-up[8] and experience physical and psychological trauma.[4] Many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and nightmares.[8] They contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes,[8] and abuse, malnutrition, and poor living conditions,[13] including rooms with little ventilation,[14] are common.[4] Cybersex or online sex trafficking and victims being in pornography is a significant problem.[13][10][7][8] Sex trafficking victims are sometimes forced to perform sex acts on live webcams.[4][9] Some have been coerced into bestiality.[8] Traffickers use many different internet and social media sites and apps, as well as email, to lure victims.[4][11]
Officials and police have been complicit.[4] A number of traffickers are members of or facilitated by criminal syndicates.[6][4] Some government officials and workers, as well as foreigners, have profited from sex trafficking in the Philippines. The perpetrators are sometimes the victims' family members and friends.[9][7] Pedophiles travel to the country for child sex tourism.[14][4][7]
The scale of sex trafficking in the Philippines is difficult to know because of the dearth of data.[10] Corruption is pervasive.[3][4] The government has been criticized for poor anti-sex trafficking law enforcement in some areas and not providing enough victim protections and rehabilitation services.[3][6]
As reported over the past five years, the Philippines is a source country and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.