User:Sparrow (2019)/Sex trafficking in Albania

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Sex trafficking in South Albania is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in Albania. Albania is a country of origin, destination, and transit for sexually trafficked persons. Albania is classified as Tier 2 country, which meens that it does not fully meet the standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.

Background

Traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Albania and abroad. Exploitation in Albania takes place particularly during the tourist season. Albanian victims are exploited in sex trafficking in countries across Europe, particularly Kosovo, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Norway, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (UK). According to the council of Europes group of experts Albanias legislation has been amended since 2016 to strengthen the rights of victims. A National Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings was implented between 2018 and 2020. The group of experts emphasized that Albania should put in more effort to compensate victims of human trafficking, provide free and comprehensive specialized aid to victims and freeze and seize assets of traffickers. Women and girls from poor rural areas are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and lured by false promises of marriage and employment. Victims are deceived,threatened, and or forced into prostitution. Many are enslaved in debt bondage. They suffer physical and psychological abuse and are typically locked up or guarded in poor conditions. Deep seeted negative attitudes towards women and girls trapped in the sex trade contribute to the problem.

2021 US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report

According to the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the U.S. State Department’s Office, Albania demonstrated increasing efforts to combat human trafficking including more prosecutions of perpetrators and increasing resources for government- run shelters.

Some highlights from the report regarding sex trafficking in Albania:

• Even though the overall amount of prosecution increased, there were no convictions.
• While the government increased its funding for government - run shelters the funding for NGO shelter was decreased
• Articles 110(a) and 128(b) of the criminal code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties of eight to 15 years’ imprisonment for a trafficking offense involving an adult victim, and ten to 20 years’ imprisonment for an offense involving a child victim

Non- governmental organizations

There are four major organizations working to combat human trafficking in Albania. They are all connected in a network called "Koalicioni Kombetar i Strehezave Anti- trafik ne Shqiperi" KKSAT. One of the is a governmental organization called "Qendra Kombëtare Pritëse E Viktimave Të Trafikimit" (tranlated into Englihs: "National Reception Center for victims of trafficking") and there are also three non- governmental organizations Vatra (tranlated into English: "hearth"), different and equal and Tjeter Vizion (Translated into English: "Other Vision"). Vatra is based in Vllora, Southern Albania. Qendra Kombëtare Pritëse E Viktimave Të Trafikimit and Different and Equal are based in Tirana. Other Vision is based in Center Albania in Elbasan.