Sex Slave Death in Villawood

KASAMA Vol. 16 No. 3 / July-August-September 2002 / Solidarity Philippines Australia Network

On 26 September 2001 a young Vietnamese woman died in the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney. Allegedly brought to Australia for prostitution at 12, she lived a life of sexual servitude until she was 20, when she was detained by the Department of Immigration.
On January 13 2002, a second trafficked woman died in Villawood.

Why are we detaining and deporting trafficked women?

Why have there been no prosecutions of traffickers?

How can we stop these deaths?

To commemorate these women's deaths and raise awareness of the plight of trafficked women and girls in Australia come along to

THE GPO, BOURKE STREET MALL

11 AM, WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

wear white clothes or a white headband

and bring a white chrysanthemum

10:30 Briefing (outside GPO)
11-12 Commemoration ritual in Bourke St Mall, then proceed to State Library Steps
12-12:30 Speakers: Melba Marginson - Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition, Hong Vo - Vietnamese Women's Association of Victoria, Kathleen Maltzahn - Project Respect

Trafficking in women for prostitution is huge international criminal industry. Where 'people smugglers' transport people, often asylum seekers for a fee, traffickers move women with the aim of exploiting them in prostitution. In 1999, the Commonwealth Government brought in Slavery and Sexual Servitude legislation to address this crime. There have been no prosecutions.

SHOW YOUR COMPASSION AND SOLIDARITY!

Enquiries: 9416 3401,
URL: http://www.projectrespect.org.au

Organised by:

Project Respect
Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition
Vietnamese Women's Association of Victoria

In the following week we will be distributing information about a letter writing campaign to urge the Federal Government to change their approach to detaining trafficked women, and we would be very appreciative if individuals and organisations could write to the government and media about this issue.