DOMINICA: TRAFFICKING VICTIMS LIKELY EXIST, BUT NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001562

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT FOR PRM-DENZEL
DEPT FOR G/TIP-TAYLOR AND BRESNAHAN
DEPT FOR DRL-MAGGIO
DHS FOR CARIBBEAN ATTACHE-LAPORE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: KCRM PHUM PGOV ELBA CN DR ST XL
SUBJECT: DOMINICA: TRAFFICKING VICTIMS LIKELY EXIST, BUT NO
ONE CAN CONFIRM

REF: BRIDGETOWN 1530

Classified By: DCM O.P. Garza for reason 1.4 (b).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: PolOff hosted a roundtable discussion on
trafficking in persons, pulling together representatives from
key government offices and NGOs. The discussion showed that,
although many officials believe trafficking victims might
exist among commercial sex workers, Chinese laborers, and
participants of transactional sex, little research has been
conducted to gather concrete evidence on this issue.
Participants agreed that further research and outreach are
both necessary, but that Dominica's human and financial
resources are insufficient to accomplish such goals.
Incorporation of Dominica into existing PRM-funded IOM
programs would be a simple solution to help Dominica initiate
domestic anti-trafficking programs. END SUMMARY

THE WHO AND THE WHY
--------------


2. (SBU) On November 27, PolOff hosted a roundtable
discussion on trafficking in persons in Dominica.
Participants included representatives from the Dominica
National Council of Women, the Red Cross, the Criminal
Investigations Division of the police force, the Coast Guard,
Immigration, the National AIDS Program in the Ministry of
Health, and the Welfare Division and Women's Bureau, both of
the Ministry of Community Development. The purpose of the
discussion was to help interested parties come together on
the issue of human trafficking. Previous conversations
between PolOff and relevant parties suggest that there is
little consensus in Dominica on the existence of trafficking
victims, with many government officials believing it is not
currently a problem.

TRAFFICKING IN THE SEX INDUSTRY
--------------


3. (U) The workshop identified four possible scenarios
involving trafficking victims in Dominica. The first
pertains to trafficking victims among foreign prostitutes.
Almost all formal prostitutes in Dominica are from the
Dominica Republic. An HIV/AIDS counselor discussed the
findings from a 2006 study conducted by the Centre of
Integrated Orientation and Investigation. The study claimed
that women left the DR to Dominica for work, traditional or
sexual; but that once there, they faced various problems
entrapping them into sex work. The Dominican public has a
general bias against any women of Latin American origin,
assuming she is there for prostitution. As such, DR women
are commonly treated poorly and face cultural and language
barriers inhibiting their ability to reach out for help.
Also, most of these women are enslaved to debt, either back
in the DR or as a result of travel to Dominica.


4. (SBU) Roundtable participants generally agreed with these
characterizations, with the HIV/AIDS counselor insisting that
Dominican attitudes towards DR women need to change before
any assistance will find success. An NGO counselor supported
these statements, claiming that she can safely say that
trafficking is alive and well in Dominica, but that she could
not give details due to confidentiality.

CHINESE LABORERS AS POTENTIAL VICTIMS
--------------


5. (C) Participants agreed that some of the Chinese laborers
are likely trafficking victims. Dominica's Red Cross
representative pointed out the stark increase in Chinese
labor throughout the island and the poor living conditions
these laborers commonly endure. Prior to the workshop,
Dominica's Labor Commissioner, Matthew LeBlanc, informed
EmbOffs that he recognizes the likelihood of trafficking
victims among Chinese laborers, but that the stark cultural
divide between the two countries makes outreach or assistance
extremely difficult.


TRANSACTIONAL SEX
--------------


6. (SBU) Similar to other Caribbean islands, the
pervasiveness of transactional sex is a potential source of
trafficking victims (reftel). Like its neighbors, Dominican
society suffers from impoverished families forcing their
young girls into informal prostitution as a source of family
income. Girls offering sexual favors to older men in
exchange for gifts is another common phenomenon. A number of
these women become entrapped by their situation. A Dominican
welfare officer shared with PolOff a specific example in
which a college student has been in a transactional
relationship with a drug dealer for five years. This
relationship currently pays the student's school fees. In
addition to the financial assistance, the victim will not
leave the relationship out of fear of what her abusive, drug
dealer "boyfriend" will do to her if she did.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
--------------


7. (SBU) While the roundtable participants were able to
identify the above sectors as likely sources of trafficking
victims, they lacked evidence to substantiate these beliefs.
The quorum agreed that the first priority needs to be
research and investigation. Government officials agreed that
there are insufficient funds and human resources to
successfully conduct such research. (NOTE: In addition to
the lack of resources, there appeared a lack of experience
and capacity in how to perform such research. End Note.) To
overcome this, participants agreed that they need to identify
who should take the lead in research and investigations and
then obtain training in trafficking investigations for these
officials. They also agreed that there needs to be more
public awareness and outreach. Furthermore, police
representatives agreed that Dominican law needs to be
updated, giving officers better tools in combating
trafficking in persons.

THE HISTORICAL HAITIAN SCENARIO
--------------


8. (U) One of the greatest obstacles in recognizing
trafficking victims is widespread confusion between human
trafficking and human smuggling. In previous years, Dominica
suffered from large amounts of illegal migration through its
borders. Immigrants, predominantly Haitian, would travel
legally to Dominica, but then leave illegally by ship to the
French islands of Martinique or Guadeloupe as a stepping
stone towards the United States. Dominica cracked down on
this issue by requiring Haitian citizens to obtain a visa for
travel to Dominica and to pay a ECD 1000 (USD 400) deposit,
refundable upon legal departure from Dominica. This trend,
however, created a general misunderstanding among government
officials and the public that such illegal smuggling and
trafficking are synonymous. Dominica is the only Eastern
Caribbean state with a law against trafficking in persons,
but the text of the law clearly prohibits human smuggling
rather than trafficking. Experts aware of the legal
difference between smuggling and trafficking are currently
working to change current misunderstandings in Dominica.

A LITTLE TRAINING WOULD GO A LONG WAY
--------------


9. (SBU) COMMENT: Dominica is a clear example of where
modest assistance through basic training sessions and
outreach materials could have a large impact. Participation
in the International Organization of Migration's Caribbean
program, funded by PRM, could be a perfect example of such
assistance. This workshop proved that there is enough
interest in Dominica to initiate a standardized approach in
identifying and combating trafficking in persons on the
island.
OURISMAN