A round-table discussion on preventing cross-border women and children trafficking was recently held in Ha Long City of the northeastern province of Quang Ninh.

In the past 10 years, the trafficking of women and children has become a serious problem in Vietnam. Victims have been deprived of their rights to live happily and securely. Their dignity has been trampled upon by these crimes.

Thousands of women and children have been deceived, falling victims to overseas trade, prostitution, illegal marriage and intensive labour exploitation.

To cope with the situation, the Government has launched an action programme to fight women and children trafficking in the 2004-20010 period, with the participation of local ministries, sectors, police and border guards.

Crime needs to be condemned

Quang Ninh is one of the hot spots for criminals. According to Deputy Director of the Provincial Police Department Trinh Dinh Ai, since early 2005, local police have arrested 29 persons involved in the cross-border trafficking of women and children and 301 illegal immigrants from Vietnam to China, including 275 women who were deceived into being sold to China.

In the first half of this year, border guards in Quang Ninh received 72 women and children immigrants returned by Chinese border guards. Of that number, 53 were sold to China and 19 others voluntarily went to China for marriage or economic purposes.

Also in the same period, Quang Ninh border guards detected 6 cases, arrested eight traffickers and rescued eight victims.

Story of a returner

Pham Thi T. is a young and pretty girl living in northern Ha Long City. She is one of many victims rescued from woman smugglers eight months ago. T. was enticed and sold to Dong Xing, China in April, 2005 when she was only 16. She was forced to work as prostitute for four months. The perpetrator is an acquaintance of her cousin. Sweet words and promises of an attractive and high-income job persuaded not only T. but also her parents to entrust T.’s life to smugglers.

T. is one of a few lucky victims rescued from the ring of woman smugglers thanks to assistance from Chinese police.

T. said that while working as prostitute in China, she lived with other six Vietnamese women. One day before T. was rescued, all of them had been moved deeper into China.

Returning to Vietnam, T. identified her acquaintance to Quang Ninh police and received assistance in building a new life. She said she is helping her family at a market stall and has a boyfriend who is very sympathetic.

T. is just one of very few lucky Vietnamese women who have been rescued from the hands of woman smugglers. But there are still thousands other women suffering the same fate likes hers.

Difficulties and solutions

Senior lieutenant Nguyen Tien Mao - head of the station at the Mong Cai border gate said this is a new kind of crime in Vietnam. Traffickers have used different tricks to deceive women.

Over the past years, border guards at Mong Cai town have co-ordinated with Chinese police to crack down on trafficking rings. In addition, they have also helped many victims return safely to their homeland.

However, it is difficult to eradicate this kind of crime as Mong Cai is a hectic border-gate economic zone with a large volume of goods and people passing through. Deputy head of the Mong Cai police department, Lieutenant-colonel Nguyen Ba Truong said they face a lot of difficulties preventing the trafficking of women and children as this is one of insidious, well-hidden crimes committed by organised rings operating in both Vietnam and China. Such a crime is deeply entrenched in many localities throughout the country. Mong Cai is considered a transit spot for human traffickers. Therefore, it is necessary to set up a special force to co-ordinate with relevant agencies in the fight against this heinous crime.