Japan is a destination country
for a large number of women
and children trafficked from Asia, Eastern Europe and
Latin America. They are brought in to service the massive
Japanese commercial sex industry.
Japan has one of the most severe
human trafficking problems
among major industrialized democracies, and was one
of the only developed countries placed on the "Watch
List" in the U.S. government's annual report on trafficking
in persons.
Under intense international pressure, the government of Japan
recently acknowledged the problem, and criminalized the practice
by law in 2005. However, services available for trafficked persons
in Japan are severely underdeveloped, with almost no full-time
staff, a lack of understanding of trafficking victims' needs, and
less than 25 beds available nationwide in trafficking shelters.
Shared Hope International (SHI) examined the marketplaces of
exploitation in Japan as part of DEMAND.
While conducting the investigation
in Japan, SHI discovered a critical need for improved shelter
and outreach services in Tokyo.
To address this need, SHI funded
two local organizations with funds from the U.S. Department
of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
(I’d like to support Shared Hope International's life giving efforts)
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