Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BERLIN2754
2006-09-18 15:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

GERMANY'S FAMILY MINISTER ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TIP

Tags:  KCRM KWMN PHUM KJUS SMIG ELAB PREL GM 
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VZCZCXRO6183
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #2754/01 2611501
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181501Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5313
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 002754 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, PRM, DRL/IL, INL/HSTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM KJUS SMIG ELAB PREL GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY'S FAMILY MINISTER ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TIP

REF: BERLIN 2534 AND PREVIOUS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 002754

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, PRM, DRL/IL, INL/HSTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM KJUS SMIG ELAB PREL GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY'S FAMILY MINISTER ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TIP

REF: BERLIN 2534 AND PREVIOUS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. German Family Minister Ursula von der
Leyen, meeting with the Ambassador, stressed Germany's
commitment to fighting trafficking in persons. She noted the
study, underway in the Ministry at her direction, to
establish a factual analysis of the effects of the 2002 law
concerning the promotion of prostitution. While the report
will not be final until late 2006, she believes provisions
passed under the Schroeder government have not had the
desired effects. She is particularly concerned that by
dropping the provision in the civil code that prostitution is
against public moral standards police have lost a basis to
check developments inside brothels, including the possible
presence of TIP victims. The Minister would also like to
focus more on clients. Von der Leyen noted the work the
German government, police, and NGOs had done in the run-up to
and during the World Cup including answering concerns from
the international public. She agrees Germany should raise
the profile of its anti-TIP efforts and sees potential for
increased cooperation with the U.S. and others. We should
consider how to partner more actively with Germany in
specific anti-TIP programs. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Ambassador, accompanied by EMIN, met with Ursula
von der Leyen (CDU),German Minister for Family, Senior
Citizens, Women, and Youth, September 7 to encourage
Germany's efforts in fighting trafficking in persons (TIP)
and to follow-up on his initial formal discussion with the
Minister on TIP in February. Von der Leyen was joined by Eva
Maria Welskop-Defaa, Director General for Gender Equality
(who joined the Ministry in May after heading the office of
economic and social issues in the Central Committee of German
Catholics, and who remains closely linked to the German
Catholic Women's Movement).

Developing Her Facts to Revisit the 2002 Law
--------------


3. (SBU) Saying she had misgivings about the effects of the

law the Schroeder Government passed in 2002 that amended the
civil code so that prostitution is no longer considered
against public moral standards (NOTE: legislation from 2005
raised the penalties for TIP),von der Leyen instructed the
Ministry to conduct an in-depth analysis of the legislation
and its impact. While the goal had been to improve the human
dignity of prostitutes and help them move into other jobs,
she is concerned it may also have made conditions too easy
for brothel owners. She thinks as well that it has made it
harder for police to check brothels, including to identify
possible trafficking victims. Von der Leyen said the study's
initial findings were inconclusive, so she has directed that
further work be done. She also said police are divided on
whether the change in the law made their work easier or
harder. When the Ambassador raised the question of whether
the police could use health concerns as a reason to check
brothels, von der Leyen said the division of portfolios meant
such a question was in the purview of the SPD-run Health
Ministry, thus suggesting it would be inappropriate for her
to explore that point.


4. (SBU) Once she has the report showing the facts of the
current situation, von der Leyen plans to approach the Social
Democratic partners in Merkel's coalition to discuss possible
new legislation. Von der Leyen is not looking to reverse all
the changes the SPD made in 2002, but recalibrate the
legislation so that it helps the women engaged as
prostitutes. She also wants to put more of the focus on the
clients. Von der Leyen plans to raise the results of the
study and her interest in revisiting the 2002 amendments in a
meeting with the CDU leadership as well. She does not want
to start a public discussion of the issue before the study is
complete in order to keep the debate from becoming emotional
and, by implication, less effective.


5. (SBU) Reacting to our questions on police actions and
prosecution for TIP-related activities, Welskop-Defaa said
cases require the cooperation of the TIP victims and it has
been very difficult to get the evidence needed for court
proceedings. Without the necessary evidence, authorities
have had to use lesser charges to get suspected traffickers.
While the 2005 law made it easier to say someone was
trafficked, the Ministry does not yet have statistics showing
whether it has had this effect.

The World Cup
--------------


BERLIN 00002754 002 OF 002



6. (SBU) Von der Leyen noted her predecessor had been
involved in preparations for the World Cup and pointed to
good cooperation with the Interior Ministry and with
state-level police. The Minister also pointed to work German
authorities and NGOs had done in the run-up to the World Cup
and during the events to raise public awareness of forced
prostitution and to have a better system for dealing with it.
The Minister was surprised by some of the allegations that
had appeared in the international press before the games
regarding forced prostitution in Cologne and elsewhere on the
margins World Cup events and at how persistent these
allegations had proved. The Ministry had received "an
enormous amount of e-mails", for example, raising questions
about TIP, but had also answered them receiving in return,
Welskop-Defaa stated, numerous e-mails thanking the Ministry
for the completeness of its answers. She said authorities
had not reported an increase in TIP crimes during the World
Cup.

A More Visible International Partner
--------------


7. (SBU) Minister von der Leyen agreed with the Ambassador
on the need for Germany to raise the profile -- domestically
and internationally -- of its activities fighting TIP. It is
important Germany show leadership in the fight against TIP,
the Ambassador stressed. He also pointed out that senior
figures in the U.S. Justice Department plan to come Germany
in October to participate in an anti-TIP workshop, news that
the Minister welcomed. She concurred that it is important
that we better publicize this cooperation.


8. (SBU) Responding further to the Ambassador's point, von
der Leyen agreed Germany's EU Presidency and the accession of
Bulgaria and Romania should offer possibilities for further
action and cooperation. Looking at countries outside the EU,
she saw a potential for cooperation in educating people there
to make them aware of the ruses traffickers use to attract
potential victims.

Comment
--------------


9. (SBU) The Family Minister's overarching point was that
Germany is looking closely at the question of TIP and taking
it seriously. Given this interest, the resources and efforts
Germany is already putting into the international fight
against TIP, and Germany's upcoming presidencies of the G-8
and the EU, this may be the time to look at how to partner
with Germany more actively in specific anti-TIP programs.
End Comment.
TIMKEN JR