PARAGUAY: TIP VICTIMS RECOUNT THEIR EXPERIENCES

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000797

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SMIG PREL KWMN PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: TIP VICTIMS RECOUNT THEIR EXPERIENCES


1. SUMMARY: On 7/20, A/Pol and Pol Intern met with Graciela
Zelaya, Director of the Office of Women's Support and the
Center for Trafficking Victims in the Secretariat of Women's
Issues, to discuss the parameters for a meeting with three
recently repatriated victims. POL had requested the meeting
with the TIP victims to gain better insight into their
experience in terms of the recruitment process, living
conditions and recovery. In a meeting on the same day, Pol
Intern met with one of the TIP victims guided by a Paraguayan
psychiatrist. In their meetings with the Pol Intern and the
Paraguayan psychiatrist, the TIP victims spoke frankly about
their experience, including their successful effort to return
home. End Summary.

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The Recruitment
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2. On 7/20, Pol Intern sat in a meeting, directed by a
psychiatrist, with one of the TIP victims describing their
experience. (NOTE: Graciela Zelaya, Director of the Office
of Women's Support and the Center for Trafficking Victims in
the Secretariat of Women's Issues, specifically requested the
female Pol Intern participate in the meeting vice male
PolOff. End Note.) According to the psychiatrist, each of
the three female victims indicated that they were approached
by women, who asked them if they had a job and if they would
be interested in working in Argentina. One woman, from the
town of Ypane in the Central Department just south of
Asuncion, was approached in a health clinic waiting room
while the other two women were recruited by people they
identified as "friends." Once they agreed to consider
employment in Argentina, the women were given the telephone
number of a man by the name of "Antonio" (no last name
given). (NOTE: The women were told that they would be
working as waitresses in a restaurant and/or maids in a hotel
but nothing related to prostitution. End Note.)


3. Antonio facilitated all of the preparations on the
Paraguayan side. He arranged for their travel documents, bus
tickets and hotel stays in Asuncion. Prior to boarding the
bus, Antonio gave them their documents. He told them he
would not be traveling with them but gave them instructions
about what to do upon arrival in Buenos Aires. According to
one of the victims, they crossed into Argentina at Puerto
Falcon, located in the suburbs of Asuncion, in April, shortly
after they were recruited. He explained that they should
hold a rose and gave them a description of the person who
would make contact with them. Two of the women indicated
that they changed their minds and wanted to remain in
Paraguay but Antonio got upset and stated that they had to go
because he paid for their documents and tickets already.
None of the victims were given any travel money for food or
personal items.

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Going to Work
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4. When the women arrived in Buenos Aires (BA),the contact
(name unknown) recognized the roses, took their documents and
escorted them to a vehicle (owned by a remise service). They
were driven 6 hours from BA to Ola Varrida (unsure of correct
spelling - this was how the victim spelled it) to a farm
called "La Quinta VIP". They said the owner identified
himself as "Julio Araujo." All of the other women there, 8
in total including the 3 escaped victims, were all Paraguayan.


5. When they were recruited, they were told they would work
in a restaurant and would earn 1,500 Argentine pesos per
month. The real jobs, however, included strip dancing and
prostitution. When a male client uttered the words "ir de
pase," this meant he wanted to go to a room for sex. Each
male client would pay them 30 pesos for 15 minutes. They
were allowed to keep half. Each of the victims had to pay
for room and board as well as for her clothes and personal
items. This kept them in endless debt to Araujo.

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The Great Escape
--------------


6. Early one morning in June 2006, according to the victim,
while Araujo was asleep, the three women made their beds to
appear as if they were sleeping and escaped through a window.
In very cool weather wearing little clothing and sneakers,
the women ran more than 15 kilometers (9 miles) through the
countryside. One of the victims said that Araujo passed them
in his car as they hid in the wooded area nearby. A good
samaritan picked them up along the rode and gave them shelter
and food. This man also built a fire for them because they
were shaking from the freezing temperatures.

7. The good samaritan took them to the local police station,
where an officer contacted the International Organization for
Migration (IOM). The women spent 22 days under the care of
IOM in Buenos Aires where they received medical and
psychological treatment as well as given USD 150 to pay for
clothes and other personal items.


8. During the questioning by the psychiatrist, the victim
also stated that the Argentine police paid a visit to "La
Quinta VIP" but Araujo was not there. The women that
remained at the location stated to the police that they were
there of their own free will. (NOTE: The victim with whom
Pol Intern met stated that one of the women at the farm
monitors the others for Araujo and reports everything they
say. The clear implication was that the other women could
well be afraid to speak up. End Note.)

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Back Home
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9. On 7/13, the three female victims were repatriated to
Asuncion. They will continue to receive medical and
psychological treatment, provided by the Secretariat of
Women's Issues, for several more months. The women all
reside in the towns of Ypane and Limpio, both located in the
Central Department, and will be commuting to Asuncion on a
weekly basis. According to one of the victims, each of them
are receiving good care in Asuncion. (NOTE: The interior
government-run health clinics do not have the capacity to
address the medical and psychological issues related to a
trafficking victim. NGOs and local governments in the cities
of Asuncion, Encarnacion and Ciudad del Este are the only
places that can assist victims of trafficking. Smaller towns
do not have people that have been trained to care for TIP
victims. End Note.)



10. COMMENT: Recruiters are notorious for seeking out
underaged girls as well. According to Zelaya, victims have
indicated that recruiters have also visited schools and
approached parents directly. The victims often tell similar
stories of being told they would work in restaurants,
supermarkets or stores but are later forced into prostitution
and threatened repeatedly. The documents that the vicitms
are given are most often fraudulent, which makes it difficult
to verify their identity and repatriate them back to
Paraguay. Despite limited funds, Post continues to work with
the GOP and consults with other governments and NGOs urging
them to complement our efforts to provide assistance for the
prevention and protection of victims as well as prosecution
of perpertrators. End Comment.
CASON