Bahrain/Gulf: Sex trafficking through the internet
My good friend Mohammed, president of the exceptional Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), has been working tirelessly in exposing one of the methods that people use for sexual exploitation within the Gulf. His growing organization published two reports (1 & 2) about the use of internet to worsen the sexual terrorism within the region. To summarize the problem:
A BAHRAIN human rights group has launched an investigation to unmask the perpetrators behind more than 35 websites offering sex to customers here and in other Gulf countries.
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) president Mohammed Al Maskati said they were concerned about women who were being brought here on promises of lawful employment only to find themselves victims of sexual exploitation.
He said women from Europe, Middle East and Asia were being advertised for sex through more than 35 Arabic and English websites.
(Read rest of the report here.)
This morning, Gulf Daily News published another report concerning BYSHR’s efforts, highlighting a fine example of how technology is being used for the exact opposite reason that we are using it for; human rights and awareness:
The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights is already investigating the perpetrators behind websites that are offering sex to customers here and in other Gulf countries, and now with the same technology it hopes to help solve the problem.
To note the extent of BYSHR’s efforts:
The society also hopes to produce a film exposing sex trafficking in Bahrain.
What are other good ways to spread awareness and influence change? Mohammed hopes to launch a campaign about this; one we should definitely play a role in, as human traficking is an increasing problem that most criminals get away with in our region.
Let us know if anyone is interested in joining these efforts. Something must be done about this, and now!
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Dear All,
This is a wonderful effort. How can we at http://www.giftasia.in help.
I would also be happy to get comments from all of you on what you would like added to the http://www.giftasia.in site.
regards
Tushar
[…] Esra’a draws attention to a new campaign to uncover those responsible for online prostitution rackets in Bahrain. Share […]
All Bahrain does is keep the families of the Thai Girls in poverty by perpetuating a system of human trafficking for profit. Thailand will never educate the people of Issarn like those in Bangkok’s govt. schools; least of all ISB School where no common Thai kid goes to school. Thai Immigration lets them out of the airport because they paid to get out. There’s no Bahrain Embassy in Thailand, just totally corrupt immigration working at the airports. Follow the money trail. The girls pay 200BD to get out of the airport and off to Manama. Lots of them borrow a lot before they go indenturing themselves. Thai/Issarn girls know exactly why they’re going to Bahrain before they go. They don’t have any skills that any employer wants. Isn’t it awful that these girls make more money than an unemployed Bahraini UOB graduate? All the ugly Thai women back in Thailand - they work like dogs for $4.50/day. At least your King pays you to be unemployed, so seeing how he can’t make a profit off the unemployed, he brings people in who will. Your in a vicious cycle that can be broken and it’s been going on for decades. I love reading that US 500,000,000 is wired back to Thai bank accounts annually, mostly from the pockets of US Servicemen whom I pay taxes to support and surely the balance from KSA who I am also paying taxes to safeguard. Meanwhile, I don’t have any national healthcare or insurance coverage, so how do you think I feel? I’m not against prostitution as long as you keep them home working because an imported Thai dog to Bahrain gets better healthcare than a Thai Prostitute in your country. They’re all very greedy, aren’t they?