PARAGUAY: NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000147 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR G-TIP, G-ACBLANK, INL, PRM, WHA/PPC AND WHA/BSC MDASCHBACH, AND USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB PGOV, PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT REF: 07 STATE 132759 ¶1. (SBU) This cable responds to reftel questions regarding anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts in Paraguay. ¶2. (SBU) THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION ¶A. What are the sources of available information on trafficking in persons? What plans are in place (if any) to undertake further documentation of human trafficking? How reliable are these sources? Members of the government's Inter-Institutional Roundtable for the Prevention and Combat of Trafficking in Persons (hereafter referred to as the "Roundtable," including the Foreign Ministry, Public Ministry, Women's Secretariat (SMRP),Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat (SNNA),and Development Secretariat for the Repatriated and Co-National Refugees (SEDERREC),publish limited information on trafficking in persons, particularly on trafficking cases. The Roundtable publishes an annual compendium of its anti-trafficking efforts but does not provide further documentation. The International Labor Organization (ILO),International Organization for Migration (IOM),United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),and several NGOs have studied Paraguay's trafficking situation and published reports related to sexual exploitation and forced labor in Paraguay. Information published by these organizations offers a general overview of Paraguay's trafficking problem but few statistics. Information on trafficking in Paraguay is generally reliable but imprecise. ¶B. Is Paraguay a country of origin, transit, and/or destination for internationally trafficked men, women, or children? Does trafficking occur within its borders? If so, does internal trafficking occur in territory outside of the government's control? To where are people trafficked? For what purposes are they trafficked? Provide, where possible, numbers or estimates for each group of trafficking victims. Have there been any changes in the TIP situation since the last TIP Report? Paraguay is a country of origin and transit for women and children who are internationally trafficked for sexual exploitation. It is also a country of origin and transit for men, women and children who are internationally trafficked for purposes of domestic servitude and manual labor. �A;Paraguay is not an international destination for internationally trafficked women and children, although the domestic trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and forced labor also occurs. In one case opened in 2008 and currently under investigation, a Brazilian-Korean trafficking syndicate forced two Paraguayan women into arranged marriages with Korean men. Trafficking occurs within Paraguay's borders in territory controlled by the government. Most victims are trafficked to Argentina (50 percent) and Spain (25 percent); smaller numbers of victims went to Brazil, Chile, Italy, and Bolivia. Foz do Iguacu, Brazil and Argentine cities Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Posadas, and Puerto Iguazu are major transit points and destinations for Paraguayan trafficking victims. Most trafficking victims depart Paraguay via border crossings near Ciudad del Este, Asuncion, and Encarnacion. This year prosecutors opened new cases investigating allegations that victims are being trafficked from Paraguay to Argentina via vessels navigating Paraguay's river system, and to Puerto Montt and Iquique, Chile via the border crossing at Pozo Hondo. Anecdotal evidence suggests that each year several thousand women, children, adolescents, and trans-gendered prostitutes (taxi boys) are trafficked internationally. An estimated 80 percent of victims are young women and adolescent girls. Most traffickers remain free and operate with impunity. The NGO Center for Attention, Prevention, and Surveillance of Boys, Girls, and Adolescents (CEAPRA),which operates a children's shelter in Ciudad del Este, estimated in 2008 that up to 20 victims were trafficked each day to Brazil and Argentina via the Friendship Bridge in Ciudad del Este. The Public Ministry estimated in February that up to ten victims are trafficked by river to Argentina with each voyage. With the discovery of new trafficking routes and destinations, the Paraguayan government is more cognizant of its trafficking in persons problem. However, in general the TIP situation in Paraguay has not changed since the last report. ¶C. What kind of conditions are the victims trafficked into? Once victims arrive at their destination, they are typically forced to surrender their travel documents and are subjected to a severe beating that serves as a warning of what will come if they attempt to flee. Afterward, they are sexually exploited in brothels or night clubs, or forced into domestic servitude in sweatshops or private residences. ¶D. Vulnerability to TIP: Are certain groups of persons more at risk of being trafficked? Paraguayan women, adolescent girls, and children are most at risk of being trafficked. Most victims live in the rural eastern interior of the country, particularly in the departments of Alto Parana, Canindeyu, Caaguazu, and Itapua. Many street children are also trafficking victims. Studies show that most victims worked as street vendors when traffickers targeted them and that 70 percent of victims had drug addictions. ¶E. Traffickers and Their Methods: Who are the traffickers / exploiters? What methods are used to approach victims? What methods are used to move the victims? Are employment, travel, and tourism agencies or marriage brokers involved with or fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic individuals? Most traffickers are Paraguayan, Brazilian, and Argentine. Many work in large, organized criminal syndicates based in Argentina and Brazil with local contacts operating nationwide, particularly in Asuncion, Ciudad del Este, and Encarnacion. Traffickers include relatives or acquaintances of victims who are paid by syndicates to refer victims. They typically make initial contact by offering false promises of educational opportunities and employment, including work in the service industry or as models. In some cases, parents are aware that their children plan to work in other cities or countries, but are unaware of the potentially exploitative conditions they will encounter. Some parents believe they are helping their children by giving them new opportunities to work and improving their overall living condition. Other parents sell their children to traffickers for profit fully knowing the repercussions. Victims who accept these offers are referred to handlers, including some who double as travel agents, who facilitate travel and lodging, and issue false travel documents. Traffickers then transport victims domestically or internationally through unrecognized or lightly monitored border crossings. ¶3. (SBU) SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP EFFORTS ¶A. Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a problem in the country? Yes. ¶B. Which government agencies are involved in anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the lead? The Public Ministry is the lead agency in investigating and prosecuting traffickers. The Attorney General's office of the Public Ministry established a Trafficking in Persons Unit in October 2008 with three prosecutors and six assistants dedicated to trafficking in persons. These TIP prosecutors work with local prosecutors nationwide, particularly in Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion, to investigate and prosecute traffickers. The Foreign Ministry, Women's Secretariat (SMPR),Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat (SNNA),and Development Secretariat for the Repatriated and Co-National Refugees (SEDERREC) work closely with the Public Ministry to combat TIP. The Interior Ministry, which oversees the National Police and Immigration, assists the Public Ministry with investigations and arrests. The Interior Ministry announced January 9 the creation of an intra-agency workgroup on trafficking and other issues. The government coordinates anti-trafficking efforts through its Inter-Institutional Roundtable for the Prevention and Combat of Trafficking in Persons led by the Foreign Ministry. The Roundtable meets monthly in Asuncion to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts. The Roundtable's influence outside Asuncion was limited by its inability to coordinate with field offices around the country. Agencies participating in the Roundtable include the Foreign Ministry; Public Ministry; SMPR; SNNA; SEDERREC; Ministry of Education and Culture; Ministry of Industry and Commerce; National Tourism Secretariat; Social Action Secretariat; Directorate General of Statistics, Surveys, and Censuses; Directorate General of Migration; National Police, Interpol, and Crime Identification and Investigation; Itaipu Binational Authority; Public Defender's office; and the Municipality of Asuncion. The government incorporated the military's Joint Peace Operation Training Center (CECOPAZ) into the Roundtable this year. International organizations that participate in the Roundtable include the IOM, ILO, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),UNICEF, and the United Nations Population Fund (FNUAP). Representatives from foreign missions, including the United States, European Union, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, also participate as observers. NGOs that participate in the Roundtable include Amnesty International Paraguay; Aprevim Paraguay; BASE IS; Business Bureau of Consultants and Advisors (BECA); Paraguay Human Rights Coordinator (CODEHUPY); Children's and Adolescents' Rights (CDIA); Women's Forum of Mercosur; Center for Integral Assistance (CEDAI) Foundation; Arco Iris Foundation; Paraguayan Foundation of the Catholic Commission of International Migrations; Marco Aguayo Foundation for the Fight Against AIDS/HIV; Global Infancia; Grupo Luna Nueva; Institute of Comparative Social and Penal Science Studies (INECIP); and Soroptimist International. ¶C. What are the limitations on the government's ability to address this problem in practice? For example, is funding for police or other institutions inadequate? Is overall corruption a problem? Does the government lack the resources to aid victims? The government's ability to address human trafficking in practice is limited by insufficient financial and technical resources, and a lack of political will in light of many competing demands for government resources. The government focuses its efforts on prosecuting traffickers and providing victims' assistance. It devotes virtually no resources to locating trafficking victims or screening to identify potential victims. In areas where funding is available, government agencies involved in fighting TIP often have to make difficult choices. Many officials do not have computers, adequate access to information, or lack official vehicles to transport victims. Victims typically received limited government assistance. Further compounding the government's ability to address the problem are allegations of interagency rivalry, distrust among officials, and reported complicity in trafficking operations. There are allegations that some government officials undermined investigations or alerted suspected traffickers of impending arrests. ¶D. To what extent does the government systematically monitor its anti-trafficking efforts and periodically make available, publicly or privately and directly or through regional/international organizations, its assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts? Although the government made some progress in monitoring anti-trafficking efforts, its ability to monitor trafficking in persons was limited by resource constraints. The Foreign Ministry publishes an annual report each March summarizing its anti-trafficking accomplishments and a list of ongoing TIP projects. The Public Ministry uses a nationwide TIP database to help manage trafficking cases. ¶4. (SBU) INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS ¶A. Existing Laws against TIP: Does the country have a law or laws specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- both for sexual exploitation and labor? If so, please specifically cite the name of the law(s) and its date of enactment and provide the exact language of the TIP provisions. Please provide a full inventory of trafficking laws, including non-criminal statutes that allow for civil penalties against alleged trafficking crimes. Does the law(s) cover both internal and transnational forms of trafficking? If not, under what other laws can traffickers be prosecuted? For example, are there laws against slavery or the exploitation of prostitution by means of force, fraud, or coercion? Are these other laws being used in trafficking cases? Law 3440/08 "Modifying Various Articles of the Penal Code," which includes a provision ratifying a series of international conventions on trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation and labor, will go fully into effect on July 16. Under Law 3440/08, Paraguay became a signatory to ILO Convention 182 concerning the elimination of the worst forms of child labor; ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on forced and compulsory labor; the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography; and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. Law 3440/08's anti-trafficking in persons statute will take effect on July 16. An unofficial English translation of the statute follows: BEGIN TRANSLATION. "Article 129b.- Trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation. 1 .- Whoever takes advantage of a situation of constraint or vulnerability of another found in a foreign country, induces or coerces him/her to participate in or to continue to participate in prostitution or bringing about other sexual acts, with another or in front of another, with purposes of sexual exploitation, shall be sentenced to deprivation of liberty for up to eight years. The same penalty shall be applied to whoever induces a minor under eighteen years of age to participate in or continue to participate in prostitution or in the performance of acts indicated in paragraph 1. 2 .- With a prison sentence of up to twelve years, the person will be punished who, by force, threat, deception or trickery: ¶1. induces another to participate in or continue to participate in prostitution or sexual acts indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 2; ¶2. detains another with intent to induce them to participate in prostitution or continue to act as a prostitute or commit sexual acts indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 2. 3 .- The same penalty applies when the victim is: ¶1. a person under fourteen, or ¶2. is exposed, upon doing the act, to grave physical abuse or danger to his/her life. 4 .- With the same penalty shall be punished he who acts commercially or belongs to a gang that was formed for the purpose of realizing acts indicated in the preceding paragraphs. In this case, Articles 57 and 94 will also be applied. The consent of a victim to any form of exploitation is not taken into account when using any of the means enunciated in this article. Art 129c .- Trafficking in persons for purposes of personal exploitation and labor. 1 .- Whoever takes advantage of the constraint or vulnerability of another found in a foreign country, subjects another to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar conditions, or makes someone do or continue to do work in conditions disproportionately inferior to other people who do identical or similar work, shall be sentenced to deprivation of liberty for up to eight years. The same penalty shall be applied to whoever subjects a minor less than eighteen years of age to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar conditions, or to the performance or continuation of work indicated in paragraph 1. 2 .- With a prison sentence of up to twelve years, the person will be punished who, by force, threat, deception or trickery: ¶1. subjects another to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar conditions, or attempts to make someone do or continue to do work indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 1; ¶2. detains another with the intention to subject them to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar conditions, or attempts to make them do or continue to do work indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 1; ¶3. detains another with intent of facilitating the extraction his organs without consent. 3 .- The provisions in article 129b, paragraph 3 and 4, also apply. The consent of a victim to any form of exploitation will not be taken into account when using any of the means enunciated in this article." END TRANSLATION. Until the new law goes into effect in July 2009, the 1997 Penal Code Law (1160/97) remains in effect. The TIP statute of Law 1160/97 prohibits trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation and labor. It contains several articles that address trafficking in persons and associated violations, including: Article 129 Trafficking in Persons; Article 246 Production of Illegal Documents; Article 25 Production of Government Documents with False Information; Article 185 Extortion; Article 25 - which prohibited the forced extraction of a person from Paraguayan territory; Article 24 Deprivation of Freedom; Articles 20 and 121 Coercion and Grace Coercion; Article 22 Threats; and Article 135 Child Sexual Abuse. These articles are not properly enforced. Laws for domestic trafficking do not exist; however, prosecutors have used other laws to investigate and prosecute trafficking. The 2001 Children and Adolescents Law (1680/01) includes provisions that could be used in the prosecution against traffickers, including: Article 25 Children's rights Against Exploitation and Article 31 - which prohibited the use of children in commercial sexual activities. The 1997 Adoptions Law protects the rights of children against violence and exploitation. The 2000 Domestic Violence Law (1600/00) protects women and children from physical violence and violence associated with trafficking in persons. ¶B. Punishment of Sex Trafficking Offenses: What are the prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking people for sexual exploitation? The 1997 Penal Code's anti-trafficking statute in effect until July 15 prescribes up to eight years' imprisonment for international trafficking for the purpose of prostitution, sexual exploitation, intent to commit personal sexual acts, slavery, forced servitude, or subjecting victims to inferior working conditions. The revised Penal Code, Law 3440/08, which goes into effect on July 16, punishes offenders with imprisonment of up to eight years for taking advantage of another person who is vulnerable, or compelling the victim to practice prostitution or engage in sexual acts for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The same penalty applies to those whom aid and abet a person who compels a person under 18 years of age to practice activities related to sexual exploitation. The revised statute also punishes offenders for up to twelve years should the crime be considered an aggravated offense. The statute also explicitly provides penalties of up to twelve years when a trafficking victim is under fourteen years of age, or is exposed to serious injury or whose life is in danger. It includes a provision for offenders committing trafficking offenses through gang involvement or commercial activities. Laws used to prosecute domestic traffickers, including the 2001 Children and Adolescents Law, 1997 Adoptions Law, and 2000 Domestic Violence Law, sentences traffickers up to five years in prison for exploiting victims under eighteen years of age, and to five years for labor exploitation. ¶C. Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses: What are the prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor exploitation, such as forced or bonded labor? The revised Penal Code punishes offenders with up to eight years' imprisonment for enslaving an individual or forcing anyone into servitude. The penalty is the same when the victim is a minor. The penalty increases to twelve years in prison when the offender commits the crime in an aggravated manner. The law does not specifically penalize recruiters who engage in recruitment of workers using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers with the purpose of subjecting workers to trafficking. ¶D. What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible sexual assault? The law criminalizes rape, including spousal rape, and provides penalties of up to 10 years in prison for rape or forcible sexual assault. If the victim is a minor under the age of 18, sentences range from three to 15 years. The government generally prosecutes rape allegations and often obtains convictions; however, many rapes went unreported, and the police are generally reluctant to act on rape reports. ¶E. Law Enforcement Statistics: Did the government prosecute any cases against human trafficking offenders during the reporting period? If so, provide numbers of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences imposed, including details on plea bargains and fines. Please note the number of convicted traffickers who received suspended sentences and the number who received only a fine as punishment. Please indicate which laws were used to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers. Also, if possible, please disaggregate numbers of cases by type of TIP (labor vs. commercial sexual exploitation) and victims (children vs. adults). What were the actual punishments imposed on persons convicted of these offenses? Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced? If not, why not? During the reporting period, the Public Ministry investigated 46 TIP cases; indicted 11 suspected traffickers and associates involved in trafficking 19 victims, including six minors; and earned convictions in two cases against four traffickers who received six years in prison. In addition to the four traffickers convicted during the reporting period, another 23 traffickers and 16 associates are currently in prison serving sentences for trafficking-related offenses. Of the 62 victims involved in trafficking cases opened this year, 54 were trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation, six for forced labor, and two for arranged marriages. Paraguay's lead TIP prosecutor, Teresa Martinez, told PolOff February 10 that in November 2008 a Brazilian-South Korean marriage broker syndicate reportedly trafficked two Paraguayan sisters to Korea via Sao Paulo, and forced them into arranged marriages with Korean men. The women escaped and filed complaints with prosecutors in 2008; the case remains under investigation. Martinez stated that prosecutors opened a case in January to investigate allegations that four boys and two girls had been trafficked to Japan for purposes of labor exploitation. Martinez stated that two Paraguayan women trafficked to Chile by a Chilean trafficking syndicate for purposes of sexual exploitation filed complaints with Chilean authorities in May ¶2008. Although one of the victims withdrew her complaint, prosecutors identified nine potential victims of the Chilean trafficking syndicate. Paraguayan prosecutors convicted one trafficker in the case; three Chileans are under investigation by Chilean authorities. A 15-year old trafficking victim who escaped from a brothel in Buenos Aires in March 2008 fled to Ciudad del Este, where she filed a complaint with prosecutors. Based on her complaint, Argentine and Paraguayan authorities rescued 25 women from the brothel. Charges remained pending against the traffickers. ¶F. Does the government provide any specialized training for government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and prosecute instances of trafficking? Specify whether NGOs, international organizations, and/or the USG provide specialized training for host government officials. The Roundtable provides government officials with training on TIP via two seminars during the reporting period. Following the military's Joint Peace Operation Training Center (CECOPAZ) admission into the Roundtable, CECOPAZ officials attended an anti-trafficking seminar in Buenos Aires in 2008. In addition, the Roundtable and OAS co-hosted in July 2008 an anti-trafficking seminar for TIP officials in Asuncion. During the reporting period, six prosecutors and police officials attended anti-TIP seminars at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Lima, Peru. Police officers and prosecutors use basic, reactive investigative techniques; they do not use advanced investigative techniques such as electronic surveillance and undercover operations. There are no laws that permit the police to engage in covert operations to combat TIP. ¶G. Does the government cooperate with other governments in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases? If possible, provide the number of cooperative international investigations on trafficking during the reporting period. The government cooperates with other governments and Interpol in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. Government officials from the Foreign Ministry (including Paraguayan embassies and consulates),Public Ministry, National Police and SEDERREC cooperated during the reporting period with Argentine, Brazilian, Spanish, and Chilean authorities to investigate trafficking cases and repatriate victims. Spanish National Police arrested four men, including one Paraguayan and three Spaniards, in Pamplona, Spain February 20 for forcing six Paraguayan women into prostitution. The suspects recruited the women aged between 19 and 22 in Paraguay by offering them work in Spain. They facilitated their arrival through a travel agency, and levied the victims with a 6,000 euro debt payable through providing round-the-clock sexual services. TIP prosecutors remain in frequent touch with Spanish authorities on trafficking cases. ¶H. Does the government extradite persons who are charged with trafficking in other countries? If so, please provide the number of traffickers extradited during the reporting period, and the number of trafficking extraditions pending. In particular, please report on any pending or concluded extraditions of trafficking offenders to the United States. The government extradites persons who are charged with trafficking in other countries if it has extradition treaties with those countries. Paraguay has a multi-lateral extradition treaty with Mercosur countries and bi-lateral extradition treaties with the United States, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The law allows Paraguayans and foreign nationals who were charged with trafficking in other countries to be extradited. However, the government did not extradite any traffickers during the reporting period. ¶I. Is there evidence of government involvement in or tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? There were reports by members of the anti-TIP community that public officials, including political figures, border guards, police, prosecutors, judges, or other officials, participated in, facilitated, or condoned human trafficking. There were reports that officials accepted bribes directly or indirectly to facilitate trafficking in persons and to release victims from incarceration. ¶J. If government officials are involved in trafficking, what steps has the government taken to end such participation? Please indicate the number of government officials investigated and prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption during the reporting period. Have any been convicted? What sentence(s) was imposed? Please specify if officials received suspended sentences, or were given a fine, fired, or reassigned to another position within the government as punishment. Please indicate the number of convicted officials that received suspended sentences or received only a fine as punishment. Despite reports of involvement by government officials in trafficking in persons, the Public Ministry did not investigate these allegations, and no government officials resigned or were removed over allegations of trafficking. A lack of resources and political will hindered prosecutors' ability to prosecute government officials for trafficking. ¶K. Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute criminalized? Are the activities of the brothel owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? Are these laws enforced? If prostitution is legal and regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? Although the law prohibits minors under the age of 18 from engaging in prostitution and prohibits the sexual exploitation of women, it does not outlaw prostitution over the age of 18. The law does not prohibit pimping, owning or operating brothels, or frequenting prostitutes. However, government officials occasionally cracked down on prostitution activities, including street- and brothel-based prostitution, citing alternative legal bases such as improper business registration to justify crackdowns. Some brothels are owned by politicians, including members of Congress. Some members of the anti-trafficking community alleged that police and prosecutors asserted influence over the local prostitution trade for purposes of kickbacks. ¶L. Government investigation of troops involved in international peacekeeping efforts: The military's Joint Peace Operation Training Center (CECOPAZ) supports the United Nations' global peacekeeping operations with peacekeepers. The Paraguayan military deployed a platoon of 31 peacekeepers to Haiti under MINUSTAH, a squad of 17 peacekeepers to D.R. Congo, 11 to Sudan, 10 to Cote d'Ivoire, and a total of 13 peacekeepers to Afghanistan, Liberia, Nepal, and Western Sahara. The military is now preparing a 136-member engineering company to conduct peacekeeping missions under its own flag, and plans to deploy this unit by the end of the year. The military conducted police and military background checks on all soldiers before allowing them to join the unit, and some CECOPAZ members attended anti-trafficking training in Buenos Aires last year. The Paraguayan government did not have any incidents of Paraguayans deployed abroad requiring investigation, prosecution, conviction, or sentencing for trafficking-related offenses. ¶M. If the country has an identified problem of child sex tourists coming to the country, what are the countries of origin for sex tourists? How many foreign pedophiles did the government prosecute or deport/extradite to their country of origin? Although there is no identified industry devoted to child sex tourism in Paraguay, child sex tourism does occur, and Paraguay has several locations where foreign pedophiles are known to frequent, particularly in Ciudad del Este. The government did not prosecute, deport, or extradite any foreign pedophiles during the reporting period. ¶5. (SBU) PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS ¶A. What kind of protection is the government able under existing law to provide for victims and witnesses? Does it provide these protections in practice? The government provides limited protection, including some security safeguards, to victims who live in shelters or are assigned to foster parents. The government also provides shelter, meals, and transportation to some victims on a short-term basis. Because resources are limited, the government can only assist up to approximately 100 trafficking victims at a time and only for a limited time. Roundtable members Development Secretariat for the Repatriated and Co-National Refugees (SEDERREC),Women's Secretariat (SMPR),Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat (SNNA) also help repatriate victims to their families; SNNA placed some child and adolescent victims in foster homes. The government does not typically follow up with victims once they are returned to their families, and does not provide protections to witnesses. ¶B. Does the country have victim care facilities (shelters or drop-in centers) which are accessible to trafficking victims? Do foreign victims have the same access to care as domestic trafficking victims? Where are child victims placed (e.g., in shelters, foster care, or juvenile justice detention centers)? Does the country have specialized care for adults in addition to children? What is the funding source of these facilities? The country has some government-supported victim care facilities, including two shelters and three assistance centers for women, adolescents, and children who are victims of TIP. These include a USG-supported shelter run by the Women's Secretariat in Asuncion for up to 18 women who are trafficking victims; a shelter and assistance center for children in Ciudad del Este run by the NGO Center for Attention, Prevention, and Surveillance of Boys, Girls, and Adolescents (CEAPRA) and supported by the Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat; an assistance center at the Women's Secretariat in Asuncion; and an assistance center in Asuncion run by the NGO Kuna Aty with support from the Women's Secretariat. The country does not have victim care facilities for men, and the government usually places boys with their families or in foster homes. Foreign victims generally do not have the same access to government-operated shelters as domestic victims. International organizations and NGOs work with Roundtable members and local Municipal Councils for Children's Rights (CODENI) in several cities to place trafficking victims with their families, in shelters, and in foster care. NGOs independently operate shelters and assistance centers for victims in Asuncion, Encarnacion, and Villarrica. The NGO Grupo Luna Nueva runs a shelter in Asuncion exclusively for domestic child and adolescent trafficking victims. The Red Cross, Paraguayan Network for Human Development (REPADEH), Dequeni Foundation, and Catholic charities run shelters and assistance centers for children and adolescents in Asuncion; a Catholic charity runs a shelter for children and adolescents in Encarnacion; the NGOs Women's November 25 Collective, CECTEK, and Kuna Roga operate assistance centers for women, children and adolescents in Encarnacion; and the Integral Attention Service for Adolescents (SAIA) has a children's and adolescents' assistance center in Villarrica. The Paraguayan government provides some funding to support victim care, particularly shelters. However, Post estimates that the government spends less than USD 50,000 annually to combat TIP, relying heavily on international assistance. In addition to the USG's ongoing support for the SMPR's Asuncion shelter, the Paraguayan government received funding during the reporting period from the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, Inter-American Development Bank, IOM, ILO, and the Spanish government to support various anti-trafficking initiatives. However, this amount was inadequate to support the government's efforts. ¶C. Does the government provide trafficking victims with access to legal, medical and psychological services? Does the government provide funding or other forms of support to foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations for providing these services to trafficking victims? The government provides trafficking victims with limited medical, psychological, and legal services to women in the Asuncion TIP victims' shelter. The government also supports NGOs CEAPRA's and Kuny Aty's efforts to provide medical, psychological, and legal services to victims who live in their shelters. Refer also to response in 5.B. ¶D. Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, for example, by providing temporary to permanent residency status, or other relief from deportation? If so, please explain. The government provides limited assistance to foreign trafficking victims, notably Bolivians trafficked internationally through Paraguay. However, the government concentrates its efforts on aiding Paraguayans who are victims of international trafficking. The government provides temporary or permanent residency status on a case-by-case basis. ¶E. Does the government provide longer-term shelter or housing benefits to victims or other resources to aid the victims in rebuilding their lives? No. ¶F. Does the government have a referral process to transfer victims detained, arrested or placed in protective custody by law enforcement authorities to institutions that provide short- or long-term care (either government or NGO-run)? SEDERREC, SNNA, and SMPR refer victims to institutions that provide short-term care but lacked the capability to provide long-term care. ¶G. What is the total number of trafficking victims identified during the reporting period? Of these, how many victims were referred to care facilities for assistance by law enforcement authorities during the reporting period? By social services officials? What is the number of victims assisted by government-funded assistance programs and those not funded by the government during the reporting period? Prosecutors identified 62 trafficking victims, including 20 children, and the Roundtable referred 46 victims to care facilities for assistance during the reporting period. Of these 62, the government rescued 25 victims who had been trafficked internationally. Based on prosecutors' referrals, the Roundtable assigned victims to member agencies for follow-up assistance based on age and gender. ¶H. Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and social services personnel have a formal system of proactively identifying victims of trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they come in contact? For countries with legalized prostitution, does the government have a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims among persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? The government does not have a formal system of proactively identifying trafficking victims. The government does not have a mechanism for screening trafficking victims among persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade. Immigration and customs officials at ports of entry, particularly at land border crossings, are neither equipped with appropriate tools nor trained in techniques to identify traffickers or victims. Most land-based ports of entry are patrolled by fewer than four police officers or immigration and customs officials who frequently allowed traffic to pass through borders without conducting identification and document checks. The Paraguayan government relies heavily on Argentine and Brazilian immigrations and customs officials to monitor international border crossings, although they too have been ineffective in identifying and stopping human traffickers and their victims. ¶I. Are the rights of victims respected? Are trafficking victims detained or jailed? If so, for how long? Are victims fined? Are victims prosecuted for violations of other laws, such as those governing immigration or prostitution? Although the rights of victims are respected in most cases, abuses occurred. Anti-trafficking crusader Cynthia Bendlin, winner of the 2008 Secretary's International Women of Courage Award and advisor to Interior Minister Rafael Filizzola, told PolOff that police investigators detained one victim in 2008 for several days for refusing to cooperate with the investigation of her case. In general, the government does not prosecute victims for violating laws. ¶J. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking? How many victims assisted in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers during the reporting period? May victims file civil suits or seek legal action against traffickers? Does anyone impede victim access to such legal redress? If a victim is a material witness in a court case against a former employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other employment or to leave the country pending trial proceedings? Are there means by which a victim may obtain restitution? The government encourages victims to file complaints against traffickers, and assists in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers. Many victims cooperate by filing complaints to open investigations. However, victims avoid participating in the legal process, including acting as witnesses for fear of potential retaliation by traffickers and social stigma. Victims may file civil law suits or seek legal action against traffickers, and if the victim is a witness, they may seek other employment or leave the country. ¶K. Does the government provide any specialized training for government officials in identifying trafficking victims and in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, including the special needs of trafficked children? Does the government provide training on protections and assistance to its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are destination or transit countries? What is the number of trafficking victims assisted by the host country's embassies or consulates abroad during the reporting period? The government generally does not provide specialized training for officials in identifying trafficking victims. However, the government's human trafficking intervention manual provides written guidance on identifying and assisting trafficking victims. ¶L. Does the government provide assistance, such as medical aid, shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are repatriated as victims of trafficking? SEDERREC repatriates trafficking victims from abroad and provides them with limited legal, medical and psychological assistance (see also 5.B). The agency attempts to place repatriated victims with their families. When unsuccessful, the agency refers child and adolescent victims to shelters or foster homes and women to the Asuncion women's shelter for trafficking victims. ¶M. Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work with trafficking victims? What type of services do they provide? What sort of cooperation do they receive from local authorities? International organizations and NGOs work with trafficking victims through the Roundtable and independently. They provide a wide range of services, including repatriation assistance, shelter, victims assistance (including medical, financial, and legal assistance),and education. No international organization or NGO offers a comprehensive program to assist trafficking victims, and all receive cooperation from local authorities. Refer to response 5.B for a list of international organizations and NGOs that work with trafficking victims. ¶6. (SBU) PREVENTION ¶A. Did the government conduct anti-trafficking information or education campaigns during the reporting period? If so, briefly describe the campaign(s),including their objectives and effectiveness. Please provide the number of people reached by such awareness efforts, if available. Do these campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or the demand for trafficking? The government did not conduct an anti-trafficking information or education campaign during the reporting period. However, the Roundtable conducted an anti-trafficking seminar in Greater Asuncion during the reporting period to increase government officials' general knowledge of trafficking in persons (see also 4.F). Approximately 100 officials attended this training. The SMPR sponsors programs focused on supporting education and job training for women and adolescent girls. The SNNA sponsors programs to combat child and adolescent labor, including programs to protect children and adolescents from forced labor. The government also works with international organizations such as IOM, ILO, and UNICEF to publish reports on trafficking and labor abuses in Paraguay. ¶B. Does the government monitor immigration and emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking? Do law enforcement agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along borders? Refer to response in 5.H. ¶C. Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication between various agencies, internal, international, and multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a multi-agency working group or a task force? Refer to response in 3.B. ¶D. Does the government have a national plan of action to address trafficking in persons? If the plan was developed during the reporting period, which agencies were involved in developing it? Were NGOs consulted in the process? What steps has the government taken to implement the action plan? SNNA has a national plan to address trafficking in children through the National Commission for the Prevention and Eradication of Childhood Labor and the Protection of Adolescent Labor (CONAETI). SMPR also has a national plan to address women's issues. However, no comprehensive national plan exists to address TIP. The Foreign Ministry publishes an annual compendium that includes the laws, legal codes, decrees, and resolutions related to trafficking that serves as a guideline for the Roundtable. As members of the Roundtable, NGOs play a key role in advising the government on its anti-trafficking efforts. ¶E. What measures has the government taken during the reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? The government did not take noticeable measures during the reporting period to reduce demand for commercial sex acts. Instead, the government focused its attention on victim's assistance and prosecuting traffickers. ¶F. What measures has the government taken during the reporting period to reduce the participation in international child sex tourism by nationals of the country? The government provided anti-trafficking training to its global peacekeepers to discourage them from participating in international child sex tourism (see 3.B and 4.F). However, in general, the government has not taken steps to reduce the participation of Paraguayan nationals in international child sex tourism. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion AYALDE