Introduction

Violence against women is internationally recognised as one of the greatest violations of human rights. It is based on a situation of unequal power between men and women that generally leads to suppression and a violent display of might.

Many women that live in poverty have to deal with violence on a daily basis. In many cases the offender remains unpunished, especially when the aggression takes place in the surroundings of the family. Those women and girls find themselves in a vulnerable and, most often, isolated position with poor or none possibilities to improve their situation.

In a desperate need of income, they are easy preys for 'friends' promising them means to live a better life by offering a job in a foreign country. Some of these women take the opportunity with both hands, unaware of the high probability of them being exploited.

With the prospect of good earnings and of visiting other countries, these women are brought to Western European countries, as for instance to the Netherlands. In the destination country they immediately become dependent on the traffickers, owing them money because of the travel and living expenses, the so called debt bonding. Many of these women are forced into prostitution, ending up in slavery-like conditions.

Although the majority of the trafficked persons are female, there are also male victims of human trafficking. Other forms of trafficking in human beings are also recognised by Dutch and International Law, as for example trafficking for forced labour in domestic work, in agriculture, in construction, and many other forms of forced labour in slavery-like circumstances.