If a woman is moved from place A to place B, through means such as abduction, coercion or deception, for the purpose of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, then she has been trafficked. The bottom line: women are exploited and held in slavery or slavery-like conditions.

When they’re brought out to Australia women trafficked are victims of cruel deception. The broker has probably lured them with the hope of a better life, work in a restaurant or the tourism industry, or good pay in the sex industry.

Many women trafficked agree to do prostitution but of course are not told that once here, they will be severely exploited. Some women may have done prostitution before. Many have not. While they’re expecting employment in a karaoke bar, or a select clientele and the ability to choose their clients, the reality is a nightmare. What is the same, regardless of the woman’s expectations, is the intended and actual exploitation by their traffickers.

Often, the women are held in debt bondage, forced to provide profit for their traffickers to pay off a unilateral, legally unenforceable debt.

Most women trafficked to Australia are from South East Asia and China however trafficking from Europe and Latin America is not unknown. Today, the largest known group of trafficked women are from Thailand.