Sex trafficking in East Timor

Citizen and foreign victims are sex trafficked into and out of the municipalities of East Timor. They are raped and physically and psychologically harmed in locations within these administrative divisions.

Sex trafficking in East Timor is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.[1]

East Timorese citizens, primarily women and girls, have been sex trafficked within the country and to other countries in Asia. Foreign victims are sex trafficked into the country. Children,[2] persons in poverty, and migrants are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Victims are deceived,[2] threatened, and or forced into prostitution.[3] They suffer from physical and psychological trauma[3] and are typically guarded and or locked up in poor conditions. A number contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes. Traffickers are often members of or facilitated by crime syndicates and gangs.[2]

The government of East Timor has been criticized for its inadequate anti-sex trafficking initiatives. Officials and police have been complicit in sex trafficking.[2]

  1. ^ "10 FACTS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN TIMOR-LESTE" (PDF). IOM. 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "2019 Trafficking in Persons Report: Timor-Leste". U.S. Department of State. 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Putting a Face on Pain: Innovative Training to Fight Trafficking in Timor Leste". International Organization for Migration. 19 July 2016.