Switzerland Hungary - Switzerland: Zurich court process began on human trafficking

August 24, 2010

Comment: The video (in French) reports of the trial in Zurich of two Hungarian men, accused of forcing Hungarian (Roma) women into prostitution and using violence (also see Switzerland – Hungary: Zurich takes aim at human trafficking). It quotes one of the victims who explains that she had no freedom, all working conditions were dictated by the men. The report mentions that this trial just shows the growing criminality made possible by the free movement of people from the East. It also mentions that a large number of women were willing to testify against them – which is a victory for police and justice. Human trafficking is very hard to prove. 5 persons convicted and 16 women accepted to testify: an occasion for the justice to send a strong signal against this new form of criminality.

This reportage covers an important trial in Switzerland – the result of more than two-years of intensive investigation by police. Prostitution is legal in the city of Zurich, but forcing someone into prostitution and exploiting them is not. Police finds it quite difficult to get victims to testify, to come forward against their pimps who keep them in their grip with physical or emotional violence. Trafficking itself is harder to prove, given the free movement of people between Switzerland – and in this case Hungary. According to police estimates there are 3,778 sex workers of whom 314 came from Hungary.

While the report talks about human trafficking it fails to mention if and how many of the victims were recruited as minors. Also, the images used in the video are questionable as they repeatedly show images of sex workers in the street.

Read as well: Switzerland: Prostitution enters a critical area

Comment: Judit Almasi, Senior HR project coordinator, Regional Office for Central and South East Europe, Terre des hommes – Child Relief.