The horrific case of 39 people found dead in a truck in the UK raises questions about Hong Kong’s role in human trafficking. The most recent authoritative analysis was the “2018 Human Trafficking Report” published last year by the U.S. Department of State. It said Hong Kong is a destination and transit point and to a much lesser extent a source for human trafficking.
The report zeroed straight onto the subject of domestic helpers in Hong Kong, about 370,000 of whom work here. Some become victims of forced labour in the homes in which they are employed. The US department quoted an NGO report saying about one in six helpers is a victim of labour exploitation. Some are required to work as much as 17 hours a day. Some suffer verbal, sexual and physical abuse.
IF YOU KNOW OF A DOMESTIC HELPER IN A DESPERATE SITUATION make sure she knows how to get in touch with Christian Action or the Mission for Migrant Workers. Both are easy to look up. They provide hostels, counselling, translation and para-legal services for helpers in difficulty.
Many helpers are not granted the legally required one day off a week. Some domestic workers sign contracts to work in Hong Kong then are forced or coerced into jobs in China, Middle East or Russia. Criminal syndicates lure women to Hong Kong from the Philippines, South America or China using false promises of lucrative jobs then force them into prostitution. Traffickers sometimes threaten to reveal photos or recordings of victims in sexual situations to their families. Compensated dating leads to the sexual exploitation of Hong Kong children, the US report said.
The Department of State gives credit to the Government for trying to combat these evils. Twenty-eight trafficking victims were identified in Hong Kong in 2017 compared to 36 the year before. Screening programmes in 2017 by the police, immigration and customs found 4710 vulnerable individuals. Seventeen children were identified as sex trafficking victims. Despite these measures, the officials did not consistently recognise potential victims of prostitution during investigations. Fear of being penalised makes victims reluctant to report to the authorities. The system and the law renders them powerless and hopeless.
The Government should enact comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation that criminalises all forms of trafficking, including sex trafficking and forced labour. It should increase efforts to identify victims among vulnerable populations. It should vigorously prosecute traffickers and recruiters, especially those who exploit domestic helpers. It should stop penalising victims for non-violent crimes resulting from their exploitation. Protective services should be expanded and labour tribunals made more effective with translation services and access to counsel. The requirement that domestic helpers must depart Hong Kong within two weeks of leaving their jobs must be lifted, the report said.
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