Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-18-Speech-4-059"
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"en.20000518.3.4-059"2
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"Mr President, the shameful truth is that our prosperous and free Europe is tolerating a lucrative trade – the trafficking in women – which involves torture, inhumane treatment and flagrant violations of fundamental rights. The victims have described savage beatings, rapes, abductions, death threats and, on occasions, murders. The real scandal is that we not only tolerate it in Europe, but we contribute to its expansion. Every time members of the public purchase the sexual services of a woman trapped in a trafficking ring, they are adding to the abhorrent wealth of these criminal organisations, which employ increasingly cruel methods.
Unfortunately, the institutions’ search for solutions is progressing very slowly, and the problem is growing. In any event, we should recognise that the European Commission’s proposals are, on the whole, reasonable and hopefully useful. Nevertheless, and given the cross-border nature of this crime, we need to harmonise its classification in all the Member States, including cross-border aspects and universal jurisdiction.
The receiving countries should grant the victims a temporary residence permit for the duration of legal proceedings, regardless of whether or not they wish to testify. Furthermore, the extremely harsh conditions in which the victims live more than justify the Member States granting them permanent residence permits for humanitarian reasons.
Furthermore, persecution on the basis of gender and, specifically, the trafficking in women, should be considered appropriate grounds for the granting of refugee status. If we really want to help the victims, we must guarantee their safety as well as that of their families and compensate them through the seizure of the networks’ assets. These victims should also have free access to shelter, medical and psychological assistance, social services, help in finding work, etc.
All of these considerations have been approved practically unanimously by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities, but they will not be enough. Combating the trafficking in women and immigration policy must become a priority within the political agenda of the European Union and the Member States. Immigration policies which revolve around the consequences and which are not aimed at tackling the causes will do nothing more than exacerbate this terrible pattern of exploitation which is tantamount to slavery. Poverty, social inequality and armed conflict explain migratory flows. Until we find overall solutions to the question of development, the number of people searching for a better life will be unstoppable and migratory pressure uncontainable.
So let us analyse, assess and implement genuine development and integration policies. At the end of the day, the fight against the trafficking in human beings, as well as being essential to the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice, is an unavoidable ethical duty."@en1
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