Cases investigated as procurement in Finland could qualify as human trafficking elsewhere

Intimidation used to keep prostitutes plying trade

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Cases investigated by Finnish police as procurement might be considered human trafficking in other European countries.
      The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) issued a statement on Thursday on the results of a study by the police and the Border Guard on human trafficking in Finland. A number of police units and members of the Border Guard interviewed more than 100 prostitutes around Finland to ascertain the extent to which trafficking in humans might be involved.
     
The investigation did not bring to light any cases of human trafficking, as defined under Finnish law. However, this could be a question of definition more than the way that pimps operate.
      According to the report, foreign prostitutes usually come to Finland voluntarily, knowing that they are expected to sell sexual services.
      However, in individual cases women are pressured to continue as prostitutes, through rules set up by the pimps, putting monetary pressure on those trying to leave the profession.
     
The NBI says that this type of coercion used to pressure prostitutes into continuing to sell themselves are considered human trafficking in international police cooperation. However, in Finland they are generally investigated as either procurement or aggravated procurement.
      Separate regulations on human trafficking and aggravated human trafficking were first introduced into the Finnish criminal law in the summer of 2004.
      “No clear distinction between these two sets of regulations was made. This has led to a situation in which we do not really know what distinguishes human trafficking from procurement”, says Venla Roth, who is writing a doctoral thesis on strategies against human trafficking.
      The greatest difference in principle between human trafficking and procurement is that in cases of human trafficking for sex, the prostitute is seen as an injured party, or victim. In cases investigated as procurement, the prostitute is considered to be a witness.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Men acquitted of human trafficking to sue state over wrongful detainment (8.4.2008)
  Customers of prostitutes say buying sex is hassle-free (30.10.2007)
  Sex service marketing: off streets and online (26.10.2007)
  Police say many well-known hotels used by Russian prostitution ring (19.10.2007)
  Police suspect some Helsinki Thai massage parlours of procurement (10.10.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat