OF PROSTITUTION IN ESTONIA
Since prostitution is a
sensitive indicator that develops with changes in the social environment
and the state, it is useful to divide the history of this phenomenon
from Estonia's first independence according to the different historical
stages of the country.
the period of Estonian independence 1918-1940, when the prostitution
in Estonia was legalized. Secondly, the period of the Soviet occupation when prostitution
was criminalized. Thirdly, since Estonian new independence when prostitution
is neither criminalized
nor legalized (that is, the selling of and buying of a sexual service
is not a crime but prostitution is not considered a profession either).
On the first
of June 1919, so-called morality guarding, or censoring institution
in the bigger cities replaced censoring police. Attitudes to the organization
derived mainly from health considerations. That was not sufficiently
successful and in May 1920, obligatory measures to fight prostitution and STDs
were issued. Those
regulations linked the activities of the “morality guards” to the activities
of police, as it was realized that prostitution and criminality were“closely connected’.
On the 16
of December 1927 the Parliament accepted a new law of “Managing Public
Health” which handed the fight against prostitution over to the Health
and Social Support Department. The police were obliged to give necessary
prostitution was legal in 1918-1940, the data from that period is remarkably
precise and allows giving an adequate overview of the phenomenon. The
number of prostitutes had been relatively stable throughout that period,
showing only a slight increase.
in 1919 and 1920, there were 1187 and 1141 registered prostitutes in
Estonian cities, and the number remained the same until the 1930s.
mainly spread in the greater cities, Tallinn and Tartu, but also in
Narva and Parnu. The proportion in other cities was very modest. There
were 387 permanent prostitutes registered in Tallinn in 1920, and 455
in 1940. In Tartu, the numbers were 53 in 1922 and 156 in 1938.
also illegal, unregistered individual prostitutes of whom there is very
little and non-systematic data. In the mid-1920s the number of Estonian
hidden prostitutes was estimated to be up to 2000-2500. Police measures
were predominantly directed to uncovering and registering this contingent,
because unlike the registered prostitutes, neither
unofficial prostitute not their clients went through regular medical check-ups.
took place mainly in “pleasure flats” where the woman was operating
as a “free tenant”. Each of these apartments had approximately 4-9 women.
In 1940, there were 47 of such apartments registered. The majority (90%)
of Tallinn prostitutes in the beginning of the 1920s were Estonians,
8 % were Russian
and the rest other nationalities.
Thirty % up to 20 years old, but the largest group was 20-25 years old
(about 50%) and 26-30 years old were represented at around 15%. About 30%
were born in Tallinn, 60% from elsewhere in Estonia and about 10% from
Estonia's occupation by the Soviet Union, attitudes to prostitution
changed drastically. Legalization of prostitution was replaced by total
denial and was made criminal. For instance, Tallinn City Moral Censoring
Unit and Ambulatory of STDs which had been controlling the prostitutes
and their health, was now liquidated on the 16 of November 1940, only a
few months after occupation. Prostitutes who were registered at the police
were repressed as “ socially alien beings” and were listed, along with thousands
of other people, to be deported from Estonia in 1941.
Soviet period, pornography, prostitution and organizing prostitution
were criminalized and belonged to the phenomena called parasitic lifestyle.
There were three relevant paragraphs in the Criminal Law: Criminal Code
of Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (ESSR) (paragraph 200)
- preparing or distributing a pornographic item; paragraph 201 - keeping
a brothel; paragraph 201-3 - begging, vagrant or the
was not considered in the Criminal Law of ESSR. In reality those paragraphs
that were related to prostitution were hardly ever used. The reason was absence
of prostitution as a mass phenomenon in Soviet Estonia and indifference
to it from that part of the government. In Tallinn, only type of systematically
operating prostitutes existed - the so-called “foreign currency prostitutes”
who were only serving foreigners. Since the KGB kept a vigilant eye
on foreigners, the activities of those prostitutes were only feasible
with the knowledge and control of this structure. There are some reasons
to suggest that some prostitutes serving foreigners used as informants
changes started in the mid-1980s when the first signs of private businesses
emerged. That also brought along differentiation of incomes. The increase
in the relations with foreigners had a great impact on the following processes.
Due to the rise in prostitution, a new administrative liability for
the activity was introduced in 1987. In 1998, the militia registered
over 268 females whom had been caught performing sexual services for
money in hostels and hotels.
| GENERAL SOCIOECONOMIC SITUATION
situation of women in Estonia is generally worse than this of men. Important
difference maker is the gender segregation on the labor market. Women
are mostly in occupations, which have less prestige and smaller average
salary, like teachers, health and social workers, shop and market sales
workers. They rarely work as high-level managers and top specialists.
Men have better salaries and power positions.
more active in starting private businesses. Researches show that women
have less self-confidence in their business abilities - 38% of women
and 56% of men think they can run their own business, and 3% of women
and 8% of men do it.
of labor force are working as wage laborers. Average salary of women is
about ¼ less, last decade shows the growth of that difference.
Percentage of women's hourly salary of men's hourly salary (100%): 1992
- 79.8%; 1995 - 73.3%; 1997 - 72.0%. The biggest is difference in salaries
of service and sales workers (3/4 are women) - 63.2% (1997) and the smallest
in salaries of public officials 90.2% (1997). None of the fields is it
equal or in favor of women.
rate has grown rapidly in 1990s, at first it was equal rates, since 1995
there has been more unemployed men than women. Age, nationality, region,
urban/rural environment, education make important differences. According
the age is unemployment rate highest among youth (15-24 years).
on gymnasium student’s labor expectations shows that boys tend to choose
their future occupation according their interests and economic efficiency,
while girls choose according cultural stereotype of feminine, and these
fields are the least paid.
and women's rights - Estonian Parliament has signed international conventions
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (1992), the Social Charter of European Commission has caused much
discussions (especially paragraphs of equality and equal pay) in Estonian
Parliament and has not been accepted yet. Estonian SSR law of trade unions
exists from 1989.
| OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPING
PROSTITUTION AND SEXUAL BUSINESS IN ESTONIA SINCE 1991, ESTIMATION OF
THE NUMBER OF SEX WORKERS
collapse of the Soviet Union, unforeseen opportunities for all sorts
of activities opened up for the people. The beginning of the 1990s saw
the commencement of the first undertakings offering sexual services in
rented apartments. Such undertakings offered services on the premises
(as a rule, the conditions were rather meager) or the possibility to order
girls by phone to hotel rooms, to private parties etc.
Due to the
sudden opportunity to talk openly about sexual life, the phenomenon enjoyed
a short-term open acceptance in the early 1990s in the form of erotic
dancer's competitions being transmitted on national television, rather
liberal views spreading not just in the newly founded soft porn magazines,
but even in some newspapers which for instance could contain articles
on historical and political matters next to articles recounting sexual
sex business activities peaked in 1994-1995 and started to decrease from
1996, in relation to the changes in legislation, formation of a more
stable market situation and changes in the public opinion towards the
more negative. Also, small firms and undertakings ran out of business
and prostitutes had to relocate into hotels, saunas, night clubs and other
businesses that officially had other purposes.
has mainly disappeared from the public arena and has been linked to the
criminal world. Prostitution and the sex business tend to be financed,
controlled and regulated by organized criminal structures, with the help
of corrupt officials; this makes it difficult to identify the houses that
accommodate such undertakings. Prostitutes do not reveal much of the background
of their jobs. Which not only further obstructs the control, but also the
study as such phenomena. Classical forms of prostitution combine with the
other forms of the sex business, to such an extent that it is often impossible
to draw clear lines between prostitution and such activities as escort
services, strip-tease bars, premises providing different types of erotic
massage and erotic and pornographic magazines and films.
in the geography of the service occurred. The sex business is now firmly
located in Tallinn, other bigger cities (Tartu, Narva) and holiday or
summer resorts (Parnu, Haapsalu) where there are more wealthy clients (tourists,
foreigners). Prostitution has crossed the borders of Estonia, with the
numbers of girls searching for a better income abroad (Finland, Germany,
The exact number of brothels and sex service firms and
the number of woman employed
are very difficult
to estimate because the situation changes daily. Today, there are approximately
50 - 70 brothels in Tallinn and a few in the other major cities (Narva,
Pärnu - summer resort, Tartu). Between 5 and 20 women work in each
time a lot of sex employees move their businesses to summer resort Pärnu,
because during summer season it’s a thousands of tourists from abroad
visit this city.
of sex business
employees (mostly Estonian and Russian origin) from Estonia to Finland,
Germany and Sweden as well as to other countries has increased, especially
after cancellation of visa requirements to several countries (last example
- Schenghen countries).
of sex business in Tallinn and Pärnu are primarily visitors from
Finland, Sweden and other Europe countries also local Estonian and Russian
men. Finnish sex magazines, for example, carry detailed articles about
Estonian brothels, telephone numbers and prices.
Procuring and pimps
are totally common. Prostitution is clearly
a part of organized crime and the drug trade in Estonia. The advertisements
with invitations for sex work to the Dutch, German, Finnish sex clubs
are very common in Estonian (Russian and Estonian language) newspapers.
motivation for young women and girls are economical reasons, financial
support of parents, families, children, solving individual economic problems,
one part of the girls come to the sex business with only one reason - to
earn money for buying drugs.
pimp has little regard for the sex worker health, and with the large
number of young women involved; intervention is still very difficult.
There are call girls, sex firms as apartments, saunas, brothels and massage
saloons, with advertising of their activities in local newspapers with
contact telephone numbers.
like phenomenon (as it exists in Latvia, Sankt
Petersburg or Helsinki) does not exist in Tallinn. But NGO’s, working
with risk group’s reports growing number of cases, when adolescent street
children offer sexual services mostly for foreign tourists in
area of harbor
and big supermarkets.
is quite more hidden and taboo issue in mass media and society. It is
no estimation how much young men work in sex business, even work in
abroad. In Estonia it is mostly concentrated in capital and can be divided
on four main parts:
Brothels sauna’s massage
3-4 years ago usually only
in biggest brothels and clubs was possible to “order” the male prostitute,
mainly man working for the female clients. Last observations of
local advertisement in news paper clearly shows that in Tallinn at the
moment work one brothel, where the boys provide sexual services only for
men proposing in their adverts massage, escort etc. They constantly put
work announcements on gay or date web pages, spread their stickers in gay
sauna, bars, and hotels.
Tallinn works from 2 to 4 saunas, massage saloons where sex workers
from both genders provide sexual services for clients - men and women,
depending from the client wish. In general prices for male sex worker
services is 1,5-2 bigger then a female prostitutes.
It is comparatively remarkable
number of advertisements in Internet - from the unambiguous proposal
various kind of sex activities for money to request for dating with wealthy
men, who have no problem with financial resources and can “support” them.
young boys through the Internet search for older men, who can finance
their studies, pay for apartments or cover their debts, proposing to
pay, having sex relations (temporary or long time) with them. Also some
young guys search for the jobs in travel, model agencies, striptease
bars and ask for the roles in pornographic movies.
were observed proposals for anal and oral sex without condoms for a
bigger amount of money.
also advertisements of clients, including foreigners, in Internet with
the promises to pay for guide, escort services for young men during weekends.
Because of very small gay
scene in Estonia - the only cities, which have some gay clubs and bars,
are Tallinn and Tartu - a lot of young men, including students during
the weekend come to Tallinn for few days. Sometimes in Internet they suggest
to pay for getting them by car to capital having sex with client, sometimes
they ask about place to stay for some nights and promise to pay having
sexual intercourse with owner of apartment.
Sex work abroad
The part of the sex workers
working abroad is not estimated and probably is not very significant,
but through the partners of sex workers projects network the specialists
from AIDS Information & Support Center receive information about some
cases of working in sex business mostly in Scandinavia, but also in Germany,
Spain and Denmark.
Last year was overviewed
the case when 20 years old men was forced into the “fake” marriage to Denmark,
by older wealthy architecture from Arhus and was actually put in conditions
of slavery, working in country house without money and possibility to call
home. Fortunately after 3 months, the young men return home with the help
of his elder brother, who lived in Sweden.
|GENERAL SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC
CHARACTERISTICS OF WOMEN INVOLVED IN SEX BUSINESS
have also taken place in the structure of prostitution, most noticeably
in the age and ethnic background of sex business employees.
in the beginning of the rise of prostitution there was en equal number
of Estonians and Russians involved, the share of non - Estonians at present
is considerably larger. This has evidently been caused by integration
problems on their part.
As far as
the migration of prostitution is concerned, it should be pointed out
that sex business employees of Estonian nationality now proceed mostly
to Stockholm or Berlin (no visa needed, tough competition on the «Finnish»
market between woman from the Baltic states and Russia, Russian sex
business employees continue working in Finland).
was at its peak, more then half of the sex workers were under 18, and
now their share has dropped to 26-27%. At the same time constantly the
cases of only 15 or 16 ears aged sex workers have been observed, the youngest
girl, who was visited “Seastar-I” project services in Tallinn was 14 years
old. Approximately half of the sex business employees based in Tallinn
come from other regions with high unemployment rate.
“SEASTAR” project period (01.12.1996 to 31.09.1999), nearly 1200 sex
workers were counseled and given information on safer sex. A total of
382 sex workers filled in an anonymous questionnaire on their first visit;
on the basis of these questionnaires the following conclusions can be
26,5% of girls who filled the questionnaire was less then 18 years
old. Usually they are 18-24 years old - 46,4%, from 24 to 30 years
old - 16% and 11,1% older then 30 years.
of sex workers are from capital, 53% from other places in Estonia and
only 2% from other countries.
of the girls in sex business are Russians - 83%, 11% - Estonians,
6% - other nationalities (including Finnish, White Russian, Ukrainian,
Jew, Polish, Armenian, Kazahhian, Gypsy and other nationalities)
education level of Estonian sex business employees is relatively high;
only 23% of them have not graduated high school; only 4% have uncompleted
applied high school education, 47% have completed high school and 23%
have completed applied school education, university degree - 1%, uncompleted
university degree 2%.
marital status: 9% are married, 26% divorced, 65% single and 39% are
mothers of one, two or more children; some are the only supporters of
work is short-term occupation, and sex workers tend not to be involved
in it for very long time: 16% of the respondents had been working for
less than 1 month, 42% from 1 to 6 months, 23% from 6 months to one year
and 19% of them more than one year.
the question about they plans for the future girls answered as follows:
45% pointed half of the year, 37% - one year, 10% - two years,
8% - three years and longer to be involved in sex business.
interest for the working abroad is quite constant. Altogether 54% of
the respondents intended to continue their work abroad - 52% in Finland,
40% in Germany; 8% in other countries.
of safer sex is insufficient: 6% of the respondents do not use condoms
at all, and 26% in the middle of the project) do not use condoms all
was sexually abused in the childhood (under 16 years old). 40% of sex
business employees fall victim to violence and sexual abuse when working.
9% do not use alcohol at all, 42% use every week, 19% - every month,
and 30% answered that not very often. 90% of sex workers smoking.
the question about drug use were answered 321 sex worker and the results
are very alarmed - 28% of the girls use drugs. From those, who use (89
sex workers): smoke - 57%, inject - 45%, use tablets - 45%
|LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ESTONIA, LEGAL
REGULATION AND CONTROL BY THE INSTITUTIONS
It is no
special law concerning prostitution in Estonia.
It is no
national policy of the state (or ministry of justice, ministry of health
etc.) and no any state programs or financed by state projects regarding
effective has been paragraph 201 of the Penal Code “Allowing illegal
activities in a persons dwelling”, due to which many brothel keepers,
especially female ones or former prostitutes gave up their activities. Paragraph
202 of Penal Code “Involvement of minors in criminal activities or prostitution”
has also had a positive effect, though it would be bigger if the police
had better means of enforcing it. Paragraph 202 of the Criminal Code on
banning pimping can be considered a truly progressive step in the development
of our legislation. But at the same time we find out that big number of
owners just change the “sign” and reopen new brothels under new one -
saunas, massage saloons etc.
From 1 of
September 2002 was entered into the force new legislation:
of opportunity to engage in unlawful activities, or pimping. (PC Art.
268) - Pimping, or providing premises for the purposes
consumption of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, for organizing
illegal gambling, or for prostitution, is punishable by
punishment or up to 3 year’s of imprisonment. For an offence provided
for in this section, the court may impose a fine to the extend of assets
as a supplementary punishment pursuant to Art. 53 of this Code
its looks that police deal with cases only if they have operative information
about adolescent girls in brothels or drug use.
It is not
enough attention for the trafficking itself and very few investigation
regarding pimping or involvement in prostitution.
its enforcement is complicated and the number of court cases, which
really punish the pimps and owners by years in imprisonment is very little,
a mere existence of this law ended the virtually useless discussions
on legalizing or banning prostitution, neither of which is a constructive
solution. The discussion about legislation in our Parliament roll over
and rules only in one way - the range of taxes, which the state wish collect
from the sex business employees.
|SOCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
be pointed that providing social and medical services for sex workers
is still not in agenda of the state. Till beginning of year 2003 it was
only one temporary (3 months financing) attempt to organize services for
sex workers, financially supported and initiated by Tallinn City Government,
which has no remarkable success. Notwithstanding the fact, that working
with high-risk groups such as sex workers is one of the aims of National
AIDS Prevention Program accepted by Ministry of Social Affaires, for the
year 2003 financial resources for implementation of any activities are
not allocated in budget. Till this moment EU programs, international networks,
SOROS foundations and other funds and agencies from abroad financially supported
all projects and services, all activities
Meritähti - Seastar I
Prevention of Migratory Prostitution in Cross Border Regions
01.12.1996 - 01.09.1999
Since October 1996 for
September 1999 this work has been carried out, within the framework
of the project “SEASTAR” -
of Migratory Prostitution in Cross Border Regions, which was a Finnish-Estonian
joint project, financed partly by EU and partly by Helsinki Deaconess
Institute. The SEASTAR project was the part of UMBRELLA NETWORK projects,
by SPI (Social Pädagogischen Institute in Berlin, Germany). Partner
organization from Finland, who implemented the projects, was Pro-tukipiste
framework of SEASTAR sex workers receive the following assistance:
* Free advising on safer sex and HIV/STD prevention
* Free tests on HIV and STDs
* Free treatment of STDs
* Free counseling of the specialists (venerologist, narcologist etc.)
* Free legal, social and psychological assistance.
AIDS Prevention Center www.aids.ee participates in the project as a
coordinator, offering just methodological
to the project staff.
report period (01.12.1996 to 31.09.1999), nearly 1200 sex workers were
counseled, tested on HIV/STI and given
on safer sex.
customer work has focused on providing health services, counseling,
safer sex education and outreach work at the first half of the period
at Helsinki and Tallinn, later at Tallinn only.
medical examinations, safer sex education, specialist consultations (venerologist,
gynecologist, narcologist, psychologist) for sex workers were arranged
at the AIDS Information and Support Center.
provides doctors surgery hours six days in the week (in the afternoon).
lubricants, safer sex informative materials, leaflets about safer kinds
of work, about services in both countries, has been distributed on fieldwork
visits and in center.
volunteers of the center have long time experience of voluntary work.
During our visits to Helsinki sex bars (Kings Kakadu, Mermaid, Mikado)
and on the streets, during field work once a week in Tallinn we spread
more then 1000 safer sex «gifts» with the various kinds of
condoms, lubricants and informative materials about activities of both
services in Tallinn and Helsinki.
01.12.1996 - 01.09.1999
workers - first visitors:
|01.12.1996 - 31.08.1998
|01.09.1998 - 01.09.1999
| 01.12.1996 - 01.09.1999
| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
|| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
| Herpes gen.
workers - multiply visitors:
|01.12.1996 - 31.08.1998
|01.09.1998 - 01.09.1999
| 01.12.1996 - 01.09.1999
| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
|| Nr of patients
|% of the first visitors
| Herpes gen.
Medical examination was
given to 788 sex workers, out of whom 451 were first visitors and 337
multiply visitors. Totally nearly 35 % of the girls, consulted and examined
medically during their first visits were discovered minimum one sexually
of those sex workers, who visits center through the project, were diagnosed
candida and gardnerella.
figures among multiply visitors were decreased considerably, especially
when the girls come regularly.
Totally nearly 8-9 % of
the girls, consulted and examined medically during the multiply visits
are discovered minimum one sexually transmitted disease. 18 % of these
girls were diagnosed candida and gardnerella.
why multiply visitors are still discovered to have so many diseases is
that very often they get infected when not working or because they fall
victim of sexual violence when working
No other non-profit organizations
deal with the problem of prostitution. Over the years there have been
few cases when sex workers have turned to the Crisis Intervention Center
assistance or psychologists but by no means can such work be considered
have also turned to different STD specialists but they have received
only medical help for charge, not advising, training or psychological and
this project was never been supported or financed by the state.
|Harm Reduction Project
Among Sex Workers Intravenous Drug Users
- drug addicts is quite new phenomena in our society and the number
of sex workers -IDU-s increased remarkably at the last two years. The needs
of sex workers - IDU-s are specific, comparatively with others IDU-s,
who are mostly man.
activities during last six years in work with sex-workers shows, that
during last two years the number of IDU-s among sex-workers increased
dramatically from 1% in 1994 to 18% of sex workers IDU-s in period 1996-1999.
of the work with IDU-s shows, that the sex workers IDU-s contribute special
activities and measures, including not only needle exchange, but counseling
about STD-s and safer sex.
work shows, that it is better to provide services to sex workers IDU-s
separately from other IDU-s, who are mostly men and have different habits.
of prostitution, trafficking of women and girls inside and outside the
borders become more and more serious and dangerous. From the year 2001
center start the 2-year “Harm Reduction Project Among Sex Workers Intravenous
Drug Users, financially supported by IHRD www.soros.org/harm-reduction,
Open Society Institute www.osi.hu from New York and our own resources and
still no any financial support from the state.
of the project was:
of staff of the project for work using harm reduction methods.
of services for sex workers: needle exchange, counseling, voluntary
testing on HIV, STD, Hepatitis B and C. Distribution of information materials,
of “peer-education” system among sex workers - IDU-s. Organization of
goal of the project was:
the spreading HIV/AIDS infection among sex workers - drug users and in
the future to prevent spreading of infection
from IDU mother
was implemented with following aims and objectives:
of activities undertaken from Tallinn to 6 another cities of Estonia
(cities at risk).
implement a harm reduction methods among sex workers - drug addicts
involve in the project as many sex workers - IDU-s as possible by using
the method of outreach work
reduce the number of Hepatitis B and C and STD-s among sex workers - IDU-s
as much as possible with using safe injecting and safer sex practice
prove that IDU-s sex workers also have human rights and right for health
change the stigma concerning sex workers - drug addicts in society from
“witch hunt” to tolerance and assistance
clarify real situation with sex workers - IDU-s
educate the staff of the AIDS Information & Support Center, to implement
harm reduction methodology in work practice of the staff of the project
SEASTAR, concerning HIV/STD prevention among sex workers
make available for sex workers - IDU-s counseling, needle exchange, safer
sex practice education, voluntary confidential testing, informative materials,
sterile equipment for injections and condoms
purposes following measures were undertaken by team of the project with
collaboration of other partners:
spread positive experience of the project from Tallinn to other cities
- (Pärnu - at summer time increasing number of sex workers and Narva
- high level of unemployment, high number of sex workers - IDU-s)
of the SEASTAR project (HIV/STD Prevention among sex workers) was educated
and trained, how to implement harm reduction approaches in their work
personal of needle exchange and methadone program was used in work
work was provided with aim to reach as much as possible sex workers
for following of kind of services for clients of project were provided:
needle exchange program, counseling of medical doctor, psychiatrist,
provide possibilities for sex workers - IDU-s, who want to be “drug-free”
to have access to detoxification treatment, and for heroin users methadone
maintenance treatment (who need it).
informational materials (about safer sex practice, safe injections,
prevention of Hepatitis B and C, prevention of STD-s), condoms, bleach,
sterile injection equipment were distributed for sex workers IDU-s
and confidential HIV/STD testing, pre- and post counseling was provided
active sex workers - IDU-s were recruited to be “peer-educators” for
others sex workers - drug addicts in question of AIDS prevention
for sex workers - IDU-s in order to find out about existence of factors
of risk behavior, frequency and opportunities of avoidance (questionnaire)
former sex worker - IDU-s were acquired for outreach work
among sex workers - drug addicts were spreaded in Tallinn, Pärnu
and Narva since that is a large amount of cases reported of Hepatitis
B and C among IDU-s and high level of prostitution there.
persons: project leader, 2 medical doctors, and two outreach workers
experience of AIDS Information & Support Center shows that the main
difficulty is stigmatization of such groups in society, like sex workers
and IDU-s. So sex workers who are at the same time the drug addicts are
double stigmatized. Social support of that targeted group faced with the
ignorance and opposition of decision-makers, and finally of all society.
measure for changing opinion of society is work with mass media.
Project workers have a useful experience in organizing media campaigns
and use this method in future for creating tolerance and support.
efforts they build co-operation with National AIDS Prevention Center
and National Drug Prevention Program.
workers tried to prove to governmental structures and decision-makers
the importance and necessity of such kind of work.
of project results we hope to apply continuing financing from governmental
recourses. Very important side of this project is to take advocacy efforts
with aim to guarantee human and sexual rights of young women, involved
in sex business and drug use.
support and advocacy of sex workers - drug addicts were provided
first year of the project 532 SW were reached more then once (two or
more times multiply visits individuals).
first year of the project approximately 822 SW IDU-s in 8 cities Tallinn,
Narva, Parnu (summer months), Sillamäe, Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi,
Ahtme, Kiviõli were participated in syringe/needle exchange.
syringes, 33542 needles total number of needles/syringes distributed
to sex workers through this project during the past six months.
Tallinn, Parnu (summer months), Narva, Sillamäe, Kohtla-Järve,
Jõhvi, Ahtme, Kiviõli 31020 (16000 in first 6 month) syringes,
33542 needles (17000 in first 6 month) were distributed to sex workers
IDU-s in 1 year.
outreach, harm reduction and service needs for the SW IDUs clients
looks as follows:
total number of sex workers assisted by referrals to other places for
medical and social services and 12
of them succeeded in accessing and using those referrals.
and treatment of STD, HIV
working with SW IDU-s project workers find that the part of the adolescent
girls are quite bigger, especially if we talk about this girls, who
don’t work in usual locations (bars, clubs, saunas etc), but sell sex
for earning money for drugs. In last year the part of Estonian speaking
IDU-s was growing, same process was happened among sex workers IDU-s.
and drug-related risks:
services for drug users (methadone detoxification, methadone maintenance)
with police problems with owners of sex agencies
the contacts with sex workers IDU-s we have now quite clear picture
about kinds of drug use, the “brothels” sex workers IDU-s use mostly
amphetamines, also inject heroin, take tablets, smoke marihuana and other
group, working in occasional places, old houses, street, use mostly heroin.
group works in saunas, sex clubs, hotels, massage saloons, striptease
clubs and use drugs to keep themselves in “working” conditions, the others
work in apartments, old, ruined houses, streets, drug users gathering
places, cars, toilets etc. and use received payment for immediate acquisition
of the drugs.
years fortunately the workers of projects don’t find the HIV positive
sex workers, but during last 1,5-year situation changed, already are diagnosed
more then ten women, who are HIV positive drug users and sell sex for
drugs. More of that, some man, which were founded infected through the
HIV/STD testing in our center for general public (not drug addicts themselves)
give us information, that they are sure that they were infected by prostitutes.
the group of sex workers IDU-s from bars, clubs, saunas, brothels is
affected by their clients, who ask unprotected sex and are ready to pay
2-3 times more for that. Because in those cases sex workers don’t need
to pay this “additional” money for pimps, guards, and other mediators
- the girls very often agreed to serve clients without condoms. Other
groups of young girls, who sell themselves for drugs or for money to apply
drugs is affected by immediate need earn money and buy drugs. Some of them
don’t use condoms at all, motivation to buy condoms is very weak, and it
looks that for that group extremely important to guarantee free condoms
of project promotion City Government of Tallinn and Ministry of Social
Affaires gave additional financial resources for needle exchange in
Eastern part of Estonia, which is mostly affected by epidemic of HIV.
It was allowed
to open 6 additional needle exchange sites for IDU-s in region (May 2001).
The staff of opened sites was trained for needle exchange and counseling
of IDU-s and SW particularly. Local sex workers now have possibility
to visit these new sites in Narva (additional mobile unit), Sillamäe,
Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi, Ahtme, Kiviõli.
is the first signs of acceptance of harm reduction ideology by government
and policy makers. As result of this, first time through HIV/AIDS era
the state gave finances for needle exchange program, what include particularly
services for sex workers too.
countries in Baltic region, especially Finland and Sweden began to put
more attention for serious situation with HIV, drug use problems in
Estonia and try to support some activities.
should give a special attention to these problems in a frame of extremely
fast spread of HIV infection in last year.
2000 total number of HIV positive people as nearly 100. In year 2000
- 390 new HIV cases and 3 AIDS cases were founded, in year 2001 - 1474
HIV cases and 7 AIDS cases, and in 2002 year 899 new cases, including 224
in prisons. Nearly 30% from new infections in 2002 were women. All together
2859 HIV positive people were diagnosed, 11 people diagnosed AIDS.
of new infections this year were young people in the age of 15-24 years.
They are mostly intravenous drug addicts.
be pointed that that it is clear epidemic situation among drug users,
especially in age 15-24 years old and it is constantly growing number
of infected women. The infected drug users are in the age of high sexual
activity and very common situation is follows: young boys IDUs, which was
founded HIV positive, who live in Ida-Virumaa (Narva, Kohtla-Jarve) has
a girlfriends, who work on temporary basis in capital (sometimes in sex business).
It is alarming situation and because that situation contribute immediate
and common measures. The last tendency in HIV statistics shows that it is
constant growing of number of cases, when HIV spread through sexual way.
| DROP-IN CENTER FOR
Center For Sex Workers, located in premises of AIDS Information &
Support Center was opened in October 2002 with financial support of Mama
Cash Foundation www.mamacash.nl (The Netherlands), Embassy of Finland
in Tallinn, methodological help of AIDS Prevention Center (GO) and advisory
from GENDERS Center (Riga, Latvia)
consultations and fieldwork with sex workers, and research of trafficking
of women and girls team of AIDS Information & Support Center faced
the immediate necessity to create premises for case management and urgent
help for them.
It is two
rooms for that purposes located on Kopli street 32, Tallinn.
Kitchen, WC/shower room, TV, computer (in future), press, literature, condoms,
lubricants etc. This center open 5-7 days in a week for four-six hours.
For extraordinary situations it is possible to provide temporary lodging
for 1-2 persons. Project includes 2 workers medical nurses.
aims of the project are
confidential, culturally and linguistically appropriated anonymous services
for sex workers - drop-in center on daily basis, possibility to talk about
problems, receive literature on safer sex, condoms and lubricants, consultation
on reproductive health, medical advice, psychological consultation, wash
clothes, get coffee/snacks, have a shower, referrals to venerologist, gynecologist,
reception hours confidential, personal and anonymous services for possible
victims and case management for victims of trafficking - drop-in hours
for trafficked women and lectures for possible victims, legal consultations,
informational services (computer) - background of firms, details of
legal work abroad, computer courses, video/TV (special films about trafficking),
language lessons, temporary financial help (if possible), consultations
of psychologist, self-help groups.
objectives were followed for implementation of the project:
- To prevent
the spread of STD-s and HIV/AIDS, to reduce risk of HIV/STD infections
among sex workers in Tallinn
create a strong commitment for promotion of prostitution policies based
on principle of treating sex workers with dignity, respect and confidentiality
and to promote their health, safety and civil rights, providing culturally
and linguistically appropriated services
identify social and health service providers and to make there services
available, appropriate and accessible to sex workers
provide sex workers with information on safer sex, promote the use of
safer sex techniques in prostitution
provide possible victims of trafficking with information of legal possibilities
to work abroad, about background of advertising companies, legal situation
in countries of destination, risks and possibilities to get help from
NGOs and governmental institutions, embassies abroad.
results will be:
provide case management for victims of trafficking
care delivery and management of support system for sex workers will
have been integrated within the services, offered of existing NGO-s and
risk of HIV/STD infection among sex workers in Tallinn will have been
integration of activities concerning reproductive health of sex workers
into the prevention and health care activities, reduction of risk of
unwanted pregnancies will have been acquired.
network of social and health services which provide sex workers with
non-discriminatory health promotion programs will have been created
and innovative instruments for health promotion activities for sex workers
(adequate information, drop-in center, outreach work, peer education,
community based organizations with direct involvement of sex workers)
will have been created
level of STD-s among sex workers, especially after safer sex education
and multiply visits to focal point will be decreased.
planned and at the moment partly implemented:
awareness and information about trafficking and possible risk of working
abroad should be increased considerably
of toilet; installation of shower cabin, hot water boiler, mixer and
furniture, light equipment, gas cooking range, small refrigerator, coffee-maker,
tape recorder, television, video, computer, kitchen ware, heating
appliance, burglar alarm, microwave, washing machine, bedclothes.
of library of literature on prostitution and trafficking, data-base
condoms and lubricants, printing and copying of appropriate literature
on 2 languages
renovation of procedure room for making tests on STDs and AIDS for sex
safer sex trainings for sex workers
possibilities for shower, washing clothes, snacks, coffee for sex workers
training films about sex work and trafficking of women
the daily hot-line for the sex workers
possibility for STD/HIV testing, STDs treatment, counseling by gynecologist,
venerologist, therapist and psychologist
and training peer-educators from the number of sex workers
self-help group for sex workers
HIV/STD Prevention Among Sex Workers
of the project “MERETÄHT-Seastar II project
Prevention Among Sex Workers” financially supported by Family Health
International from USA www.fhi.org is prevention of HIV/STI among sex
workers, reducing the number of STDs among sex workers in Tallinn, increasing
the level of safer sex knowledge.
strategies and activities, confidential, anonymous, culturally and linguistically
appropriate services for sex workers were implemented in one year period:
testing on HIV/STD: pre- and post consulting, treatment of STD, referrals
to other service providers - both governmental and NGOs.
medical advice, legal consultations, psychological consultation, consultation
on reproductive health, appointments as necessary with venerologist,
gynecologist, therapeutist, narcologist.
sex promotion: Distribution of special literature on safer sex, condoms
and lubricants, safer sex education, promotion the use of safer sex
techniques in prostitution.
services: drop-in services (wash clothes, get coffee/snacks, have a
education of sex workers: self-help groups, identification of possible
peer educators, trainings for peer educators, peer education events
on base of drop-in center.
with mass media: articles, TV, radio interviews for reducing of the level
of stigmatization of sex workers in society and increase awareness about
sex work issue.
with others service providers and governmental structures: for creation
of the strong commitment for promotion of prostitution policies based
on principle of treating sex workers with dignity, respect and confidentiality
and to promote their health, safety and civil rights, providing culturally
and linguistically appropriated services. Identify social and health
service providers and to make services available, appropriate and accessible
to sex workers. Referrals to anti-trafficking project STOP II (AIDS Information
& Support Centre), governmental STD clinic, Methadone treatment program,
needle exchange and rehabilitation centre (AIDS Information & Support
Centre), Institute of Human Rights (NGO) if needed.
campaigns in other cities Narva and Parnu: informational campaign, dissemination
of condoms, lubricants, stickers, leaflets for sex workers and clients
in Narva - city of original of nearly 35% of sex workers and Parnu -
resort and very popular transfer place of sex workers in summer times.
(on monthly basis) is constantly collected about number of project visitors,
their location, time of involvment in the sex business, age, nationality,
educational background, condom use, alcohol, drug and tobacco use etc.
For monitoring the use of services and to better understand the needs
sex workers, a questionnaire which was implemented will be analysed at
the end of the project.
At the end
of the project comparative statistic data about age, education, ways
of involvement , sex work conditions (violence, sexual abuse questions),
drug use, alcohol use, condom use, location etc of the women in sex business
will be collected and analysed.
epidemiological data concerning HIV, STD will be collected and analysed,
comparing first and multiplyed visits (influence of safer sex education,
by Dr Nelli
Kalikova from AIDS Prevention Center and Dr Tatjana Kurova from GENDERS
center from Riga. Activities with
women can be coordinated by Kvinnoforum from Sweden.
team includes 3 persons:
doctor and medical nurse outreach worker.
8 month of project were served 164 first time visitors and 104 multiply
visits that receive even one medical procedure.
of contacts with sex workers was closely to 350 including medical services
but also safer sex education and condom, literature, lubricants distribution
and visits for drop-in. For sex workers during reception, drop-in center
open hours, outreach work and using peer-educators the total number of
4500 condoms were distributed.
period October 2002-December 2002 male sex workers start to visit the
project and received some medical services. It was 7 first time visits
and 15 multiply visits, male sex workers were mostly interested in condoms,
lubricants and testing on STI’s.
International will to continue financial support for this project additional
year from April 2003.
aim to find additional resources for the services for sex workers project
manager undertakes following measures:
in writing project proposal for the Global AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Fund www.globalfundatm.org with the help of international expert and
in collaboration with CCM (Country Coordination Mechanism group), which
was created with participation of Ministry of Social Affaires. Positive
result was announced in late January.
& Support Center participate in project proposal competition for
Health Department, announced by Tallinn’s City Government with the purpose
of providing services for sex workers in November 2002 for the period of
3 months (it was first attempt of local city government to response the problem
of prostitution at all. Unfortunately, for the several reasons - not acceptance
of NGO for the participation in principal; burocratic procedure (24 documents
requested); breaking the rules of tender - the winner, Lasnamae Polyclinic
have not 3 years experience working with sex workers, like it was required
in the rules - for this reasons the Center don’t receive this additional
financing. The results - just few visitors to site of Lasnamae Polyclinic
period of 1,5 month, negative reaction of society, because the wrong way
of advertising project activities in mass-media and society, very low
interest in service from sex
experience: visit of project leader to Prague, visit NGO R-R , specialised
on work with sex workers (shelter, mobile car unit for testing, social
assistance, drop-in centre), centre for child prostitution, LIGHTHOUSE
- 24h services house for HIV positive persons, incl. sex workers.
It is very
hard to estimate the number of trafficked woman in our country, because
it is no official statistics and no special research provided on this
issue. There are two ways of trafficking in woman in Estonia:
country, when the girls enforced to go to the capital and bigger cities
from the country side and small cities (mostly from Ida-Virumaa with
bigger part of Russian speaking inhabitants and higher rate of unemployment)
the country, when the woman can be trafficked crosses the borders to
the other country.
is mostly country of origin of trafficked woman and in some way country
of destination, because in prostitution in Tallinn and bigger cities are
involved previously young girls from the countryside and smaller cities.
If 5-7 years ago it was a number of cases when the woman was coming from
Byelorussia, Russia, Latvia, now nearly all trafficked woman are local.
Thanks to stronger border regulation the number of foreigners trafficked
of trafficking are various: we have a wide range of destinations of trafficked
women from Estonia. But most «popular» are: Finland, Sweden,
Poland, Holland, Spain, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Germany. But we have
also information about other
like Thailand, Greece, Cyprus, Japan, and USA.
trafficked for the following purposes:
a domestic workers, nannies, householders etc.
work as striptease dancers, dancers, waitresses etc.
women, failed by promises of high income, security, medical insurance,
good work conditions, are have no intentions to work like prostitutes,
but the situation, they find out their selves in abroad, put them make
very difficult choices, which arise from absence of legal status (tourist
visas, end of visas, passports), financial situation (no money for the return
home); physical or psychological violence, blackmail.
way of recruiting women is the advertising of «marriage agencies»,
«employment companies», and straight invitations for sex
work in 3 main advertising newspapers - Kuldne Börss, SOOV, Privat-INFO,
one weekly magazine - Den Za Dnjom and one sex magazine MAJA, also from
the working prostitutes from existing brothels and clubs. It is very few
individuals who work independently on sex market, it is all the time some
mediator (pimp, owner of club, driver, bodyguard etc.) between sex worker
and client. The attempts of some women began to work individually, advertising
they phone number in papers, are mostly ends by fiasco because of threatening
by violence and financial racket.
are mostly local, previously criminal persons; often ex-prostitutes;
also on this field are very active traffickers from Finland, Russia, Germany,
and Holland etc.
It is the
clear linkages between traffickers from country of origin (Estonians,
Russians) and countries of destination (owners of clubs, agencies, hotels,
In a society
exist very different attitudes regarding the problem of trafficking
in woman, violence and prostitution. But if 3-5 years ago the tone of articles
and reports in mass media was totally sensational, now prostitution theme
is quite «usual», but it still less awareness about trafficking.
the marriage with purposes of sexual or labor exploitation
|POLICY AND LAW REGARDING TRAFFICKING
Penal Code does not specify trafficking of human beings or trafficking
in woman as a single valued crime. However that could be criminalized
in concurrence of offenses:
6: Offences Against Liberty
(PC Art. 133) -
human being, through violence or deceit, in a situation where he or
she is forced to work or perform other duties against his or her will for
the benefit of another person, or keeping a person in such situation,
is punishable by 1 to 5 year’s imprisonment
act, if committed:
or more persons, or
a person of less than 18 years of age
by 3 to 12 year’s of imprisonment.
(PC Art. 134) -
leaving a person, through violence or deceit, in a state where it is
possible to persecute or humiliate him or her on grounds of race or gender
or for other reasons, and where he or she lacks legal protection against
such treatment and does not have the possibility to leave the state,
is punishable by a pecuniary punishment or up to 5 year’s imprisonment.
act, if committed:
two or more persons, or
a person of less than 18 years of age
by 2 to 10 year’s of imprisonment.
11: Offences Against Family and Minors
or purchase of children (PC Art. 173) -
the sale or
purchase of children is punishable by 1 to 5 year’s of imprisonment.
The same act, if committed by a legal person, is punishable by a pecuniary
16: Offences Against Public Peace:
crossing of state border or temporary border line of Republic of Estonia
(PC Art. 258) -
of the state border or temporary border line of Republic of Estonia,
disregard of a stop signal or order given by Border Guard official;
by a pecuniary punishment or up to one year of imprisonment
act, if committed:
a means of transport in a location not intended for crossing;
by 4 to 12 year’s of imprisonment.
of opportunity to engage in unlawful activities, or pimping. (PC Art.
providing premises for the purposes of illegal consumption of narcotic
drugs or psychotropic substances, for organizing illegal gambling, or
for prostitution, is punishable by a pecuniary punishment or up to 3 year’s
of imprisonment. For an offence
in this section, the court may impose a fine to the extend of assets
as a supplementary punishment pursuant to Art. 53 of this Code
can be combined with rape (PC Art. 115) or sexual passion
satisfaction in an unnatural way (PC Art 115.1) or buggery (PC
laws against trafficking in woman do not exist.
It is no
remarkable pressure to develop this kind of laws from Parliament, politicians
or woman organization. The interest and concern of state institutions such
as ministries of justice, health, foreign affairs and social affairs are
It is no
any legislation or regulation concerning enforced marriages or marriages
on convenience. The General Assembly adopted the UN United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime in November 2000. The Convention
is currently supplemented by two Protocols, one is trafficking in persons
and one is on smuggling in persons. Estonia signed the Convention on 4 December
2002, which has entered into force on 19 January 2003. Estonia is going
to sign the both Protocols in the near future.
co-operation for these offenses are possible also under Council of Europe
conventions in criminal field, ratified by Estonia in 1997. The trafficker
- being a citizen of Estonia - can be penalized when the crime was committed
in another country, because Estonia ratified the European Convention on
the Transfer of Sentenced Persons on 26 of February 1997, in force since
causing serious damage to health;
|PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
programs or separate projects for the prevention and education regarding
trafficking in woman, initiated or supported by the state, do not exist.
NGO, which start to deal with awareness about this issue 5-6 years
ago and the prevention and education projects, including services for
trafficked woman was the NGO AIDS Information and Support Center (AIDS-i
STOP-2 projects (1998-2000), initiated by STAKES - Finnish National Research
and Development Center For Welfare and Health - www.stakes.fi/sexviolence
- and Finnish Ministry of Interior Affaires involved some Estonian state
institutions (police, prosecutors, border guards, schools, social and health
sector civil servants) but only on issue of prevention of sexual abuse
and involvement in prostitution the minors (under 18 years old).
| “Training and Capacity
Building Against Trafficking in woman and Girls in the Baltic Sea Region”
From March 2000 AIDS Information
and Support Center in cooperation with NGO-s from Finland, Sweden, Denmark,
Latvia and Lithuania implemented 1-year project «Training and Capacity
Building Against Trafficking in woman and Girls in the Baltic Sea Region»
- project, initiated by Kvinnoforum www.qweb.kvinnoforum.se from Sweden
and financed by Daphne initiative.
aim of the project was two folded:
enhance the capacity of work related to trafficking among local NGOs
interested and working with women at risk of being trafficked or victims
develop the network between these organizations in the Baltic Sea Region.
aim was reached through fulfilling the following objectives:
of national focal points (in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania
and Estonia) which works now as resource centers and coordinators in
the national NGO-work against trafficking, as well as communicate their
activities to other focal points, the media and the general public.
and executing a workshop, in each participating country, for NGOs providing
important methods and facts when working against trafficking in women.
task force groups, which will facilitate the capacity building of NGOs
working against trafficking in women.
a network consisting of e-mail lists on specific topics concerning
trafficking. This network is linked to the European Network Q-web
(i.e. the network established during 1999).
of the project:
workshop in each of the Baltic countries and a one day workshop for
each of the Nordic countries were organized.
For the participation
at the national seminar in Estonia were invited 33 persons, from which
22 persons attended. Notwithstanding of several attempts some invitations
have no response (police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, border officials).
In process of preparing workshop we find out the fact, that at this moment
(July 2000) and unfortunately at the present no one person in police
is responsible for the work with prostitution and trafficking. Continuous
staff replacement, corruption, priority on dealing with problems of growing
drug use rule finally for the situation, that the special group (Narkopolitsei),
some of specialists of which deals with prostitution and trafficking cases
just sign out this issue from their responsibilities. The specialists
of Consular department and border officials have a very weak impression
about trafficking like phenomena with comments like “it is not our problems”.
To the seminar
were invited mostly the members of existing NGOs, which meet or can
meet through they work the issue of prostitution and trafficking, some
persons from governmental institutions. On seminar was video film “Bought
and Sold” was presented. The members of Baltic network Rima Praspaliauskiene
from “Praeties Pedos” Lithuania, Tatjana Kurova and Rimma Kurova from GENDERS
Center from Latvia were participated in seminar
2 days of lectures, workshops, discussion, the focus of the first day
- main presentation about phenomena of trafficking of human/trafficking
of women, lectures of joint network members. The second day consists discussions,
workshops and evaluation.
results: The basis of the national network against trafficking of
women was formed, the main tasks were defined, the e-mail list was formed
(including also not presented on the workshop organizations and persons),
exchange of reports about situation in other Baltic States aware understanding
of global character of trafficking. The work, implemented before the
workshop, receives new impulses for the new kind of activities.
The NFP were
network with other NGOs and organizations locally and regionally.
to the needs of each country the NFP focus their work on other activities
throughout the year. These activities are optional and may include lectures,
contacts with media, lobbying among politicians and decision-makers,
writing articles or other.
the international project regarding trafficking in women starts without
any help from the state. This project was continued for the first three
months of 2001 with the financial help of Likestilling Senteret www.likestilling.no
from Oslo, Norway
needs of training and capacity building vary for each participating
country. Therefore, each NFP was analyzed the needs fore each country
and suggest accordingly focus for their work. The NFP for Estonia is
director of NGO Aids Information & Support Center Jury Kalikov.
|CONTINUATION OF “TRAINING AND CAPACITY
BUILDING AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION”
of this successful short project were:
enhance the capacity of work related to trafficking among local Estonian
NGO-s interested and working with women and adolescent girls at risk of
being trafficked or victims of trafficking in Estonia
Information and Support Center started two new trafficking prevention
projects for youth at the end of 2002.
provide case management for trafficked women (layer, crisis financial
help, psychologist consultation, medical services, travel expense for
return home etc)
Campaign Against Trafficking in girls and women in Baltic States (Lithuania
November 2002- September 2003
Women’s NGO “Praeities Pedos”
Information and Support Center in Tallinn (AIDSi Tugikeskus)
of the project:
produce two preventive documentaries “Legal work abroad” (20 min., in
Lithuanian and Estonian). The documentary will promote, inform and encourage
girls to look for legal ways to get employed abroad. Therefore, the documentary
will actually help girls to avoid a possibility to fall into a trap of
the traffickers. The project envisages creation of two separate versions
of the documentary (for the Lithuanian and Estonian audience), as different
institutions provide the information on legal employment opportunities
in Estonia and Lithuania.
prepare the lecture “What do you know about trafficking in women and girls?”
(in Lithuanian and Estonian; different versions of the lecture for both
countries) that would be delivered during the informative campaign.
campaign will be carried on at several levels - meetings with senior
students and teachers from Estonian and Lithuanian provinces, as well
as training-seminars in Lithuania and Estonia:
essential part of the project - meetings with students and teachers
of main secondary schools in the Lithuanian and Estonian provinces (26
towns, 168 high schools). They will include demonstration of the documentary
“Legal work abroad”, delivery of the informative lecture “What do you
know about trafficking in women and girls?”. Moreover, additional meetings
with local journalists, social workers as well as police officers involved
in the work with juveniles will be arranged in the regions.
hold two training-seminars in Lithuania and Estonia. The seminars will
be intended to pass the expertise of the Lithuanian NGO “Praeities Pedos”
and the Estonian NGO AIDS Information and Support Centre to other NGO
in both countries and discuss the results of the project “Preventive-informative
campaign against trafficking in girls and women in Baltic States (Lithuania
and Estonia)”; the findings and recommendations presented by the people
involved in the implementation of the project during the seminars will
facilitate highlighting and actual reconciling of different views of public
authorities with regard to legalisation/criminalisation of prostitution
in Estonia and Lithuania. Presently, it becomes particularly crucial for
both Lithuanian and Estonian societies. Reasoned discussions will undoubtedly
help to foresee the strategy for further prevention activities. Participants
of the seminar: Lithuanian and Estonian NGO’s, journalists, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Interior.
|Project for the Prevention of Adolescent
Trafficking (PPAT- ESTONIA)
was developed by The International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA)
www.iofa.org in collaboration with NGO Living for Tomorrow and
NGO AIDS Information & Support Center and financially supported
by United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM) www.unifem.undp.org
proposes to replicate in Estonia already implemented “Project for the
Prevention of Adolescent Trafficking in Latvia (PPAT-Latvia)” currently
sponsored by the United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
PPAT-Estonia is being developed in response to a growing body of evidence,
which indicates that 1) trafficking is a burgeoning problem in Estonia,
2) the problem of trafficking is not being adequately addressed in Estonia,
and 3) victims of trafficking in Estonia tend to be under the age of 25.
The goal of this project is to prevent the trafficking of adolescents in
Estonia by raising awareness and educating youth about the issue of human
trafficking and forced labour. The project will also focus on
building the capacity of local youth serving NGOs to educate youth on
the issue of human trafficking and work to increase the cooperation between
NGOs and the Estonian government on the issue of combating human trafficking.
projects focusing on trafficking in Estonia have successfully established
a network of NGOs committed to combating human trafficking. This
project will build upon that foundation by providing youth serving NGOs
in this network with the training, skills, and tools to educate youth
about the issue of human trafficking. As a result of this project,
youth throughout Estonia will have the opportunity to receive free consultations
by trained and knowledgeable professionals before going abroad to work.
During the consultation with a trained counsellor, a file is created which
contains a copy of the young person’s passport, his/her work contract,
and contact information both at home and abroad. During the consultation
young people receive information on protecting themselves while working
abroad, watch a film about working abroad safely and are advised how to
check the legitimacy of their job offer.
the PPAT model in Estonia is an important next step for the development
of a cost-effective, sustainable, effective nationwide strategy to prevent
human trafficking in Estonia.
goal of the project is to prevent the trafficking of adolescents
objectives of the PPAT-ESTONIA project are:
increase the awareness of human trafficking and forced labor among a
significant number of adolescents aged 14-25 years in Estonia over one
increase the awareness of human trafficking and forced labor among adolescent
sex workers aged 25 or younger in Estonia over one year
a trafficking prevention program to be implemented nationally in Estonia
over a one-year period. PPAT aims to increase adolescents’ awareness
of trafficking and forced labor in Estonia through several coordinated
increase the capacity of NGO’s and government officials in Estonia to
prevent human trafficking and forced labor
network of 6 youth centers throughout Estonia will educate more than
3600 young people under the age of 25 about forced labor and human
youth centers will educate young people on human trafficking in three
ways. First, a module on human trafficking and forced labor will
be integrated into the existing curriculum of the youth centers. Secondly,
career workshops will be organized targeting young people in the community
who are not already connected to the youth centers. Finally, young people
will be offered the opportunity to come to the youth center in their
community and receive a free consultation before going abroad to work.
a five-day training for the staff and peer educators from these 6 youth
training, which was already conducted on 17.03.2003-19.03.2003 by local
and international experts in the field of human trafficking, works
to provide the project staff with a thorough understanding of the issues
surrounding human trafficking. The training provides the
project staff with the information, knowledge, skills, and tools to
successfully implement the education component of PPAT. Finally,
the training provides a forum for networking and coalition building among
professionals working to stop trafficking.
the local trainers as they educate and provide consultations to young
people planning to go abroad.
project partners will work to provide on-going training and support
to the project staff in order to ensure successful implementation of
the PPAT education module. This includes site visits, monitoring,
and evaluation of the performance of all staff members.
and train a Government Working Group in order to develop a coordinated
strategy to combat trafficking and forced labor in Estonia at the national
1) To provide
a forum for government leaders to share information and experience
in regards to trafficking and forced labor in Estonia.
2) To provide
additional resources and training to government leaders who are not familiar
with the issue of trafficking and forced labor.
3) To establish
a link between the NGO sector and government leaders and policy makers
regarding community based trafficking prevention programs, such as the
Project for the Prevention of Adolescent Trafficking (PPAT-Estonia).
4) To develop
a concrete Plan of Action at the national policy level regarding Estonia’s
strategy to combat trafficking and forced labor.
and Evaluation of the impact of the PPAT-Estonia project
steps will be taken to monitor and document the progress that is being
made on each activity and towards achieving the overall project goals.
As previously mentioned the Youth Coordinator and Training Coordinator
will monitor and evaluate staff during site visits. In addition,
the Youth Coordinator and Training Coordinator will work with an Evaluation
Consultant to design data collection instruments (based on those successfully
used in Latvia) to be administered to all young people who participate
in PPAT activities at the youth centers. Training will be provided
to all local trainers to ensure that data collection surveys are properly
administered. Conducting pre- and post-tests with the young people
who participate in the program will collect data collected on the impact
of the education module, career workshops, and one-on-one consultations
on the knowledge and attitudes of young people about trafficking.
Analysis of this data will provide important information on the efficacy
of the PPAT trafficking prevention model. A comparative analysis
will also be conducted using this data from Estonia and previously collected
data from PPAT-Latvia.
government working group meetings will be held to accomplish the following
Ministry of Social Affairs has presented to the Government of the Republic
the part of national program of the crime prevention «Establishment
of the system to assist the victims of crimes». Association «Support
and assistance for victims» have been established, also asylums.
Consult for victims, fiscal benefits, help of crisis are arranged by
the Social Rehabilitation Center and Association. Assistance for the victims
and their families is not sufficiently good. Respective programs are not
elaborated, specialists are not properly trained and economic problems are
not solved yet.»
It is quote
from official response of Ministry of Justice, which was edited for
the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities of European Parliament
three years ago. Unfortunately it is no remarkable changes till that
It is not
special governmental program or projects regarding victims of trafficking
in women. It is very few organizations, which provide some victim support.
NGO Tartu Support Center for Children, Tallinn Child Support Center -
for adolescent and NGO AIDS-i Tugikeskus (AIDS Information & Support
Center) - for the victims of sexual violence and rape on sex work
(some psychological and social support, free tests on HIV/STD and medication,
consultation of specialists - gynecologist, narcologist, venerologist etc.)
It is quite
hard to estimate the amount of women who met the problem of violence
in family, society, job place, during sex work etc.
no special help organizations for dealing with violence against women
and no special statistics about it. According to Statistical yearbook
of Estonia is a number of women in refuges and rehabilitation centers
for domestic violence 171 in 1996, 161 in 1997, and it is the forth-biggest
reason of going to refuge or rehabilitation centers.
Center in Tallinn has statistics that domestic violence is a reason
for 1.9% (253 in 1994-1999) of women to ask for help.
Center for Abused Children has 30-40% of families with the problem
of violence against women. They served altogether 399 families in 1999.
The biggest problems of women in violent relationships are that they
feel helpless and hopeless, hide domestic problems from colleagues and acquaintances,
can’t see that their children suffer for same reasons and can’t help
them, have long and undiagnosed depression, use alcohol instead of looking
for effective solutions, lack of supporting friends.
of our sex workers visitors through the SEASTAR project (1996-1999)
were sexually abused in the childhood (under 16 years of age). 40% of
sex business employees who visited us, fall victim to violence and sexual
abuse when working.
workers are very often in situation of different kinds of dependence
from the pimps, brothel or bars owners, traffickers etc.
Its can be
illegal deprivation of liberty (in clubs, especially private houses,
saunas, apartments); violence and sexual and physical abuse from clients
and pimps; financial dependence from owners of brothels; or traffickers,
who organize sex work abroad (travel costs, visa costs, accommodation costs,
sometimes clothes and food); in way of financial punishment for “mistakes”
during working with clients; social freedom deprivation - deduction of
documents, blackmailing by informing the parents, partners, relatives of
the girls “real job” - very often, especially in cases of the Ida-Virumaa
girls, the parents, relatives, boyfriends don’t know about actual activities
|THE ROLE OF NGO’s IN SOCIAL AND MEDICAL
is to great extent connected with criminal world and an already harassed
woman does not trust state structures, fearing punishment. Because
of that the main projects activities implementers in this field and initiators
were non-profit none governmental organizations.
of a non-profit, non-governmental organizations is very flexible, it
is used to untraditional approach, is located in the vicinity of a prostitutes
-: street work, work with pimps, interventions through Internet etc.
of a non-profit, non-governmental organizations have received
proper training, have a long-term experience, are customer friendly, which
allows building up mutual trust.
NGO is an
intermediate link between a sex workers and relatively stiff state
structures, which, on the one hand, makes it possible to protect the
interests of a sex workers (medical, social and psychological)
and, on the other hand, those of the state (alienation of minors from
prostitution, co-operation with police structures, prevention of STDs
has good contacts with the mass media, which allows of shaping public
opinion and developing understanding and tolerance towards harassed and
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