[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 860 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 860

Calling on the Government of Germany to take immediate action to combat 
  sex trafficking in connection with the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2006

 Mr. Smith of New Jersey submitted the following resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the Government of Germany to take immediate action to combat 
  sex trafficking in connection with the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas trafficking in human beings, for sexual or labor exploitation, is an 
        egregious violation of human rights;
Whereas Congress passed and the President signed into law the Trafficking 
        Victims Protection Act of 2000 (division A of Public Law 106-386), the 
        Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (Public Law 
        108-193), and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 
        2005 (Public Law 109-186) in order to promote vigorous efforts worldwide 
        to combat all forms of trafficking in human beings;
Whereas major sporting events, conventions, and other such events that attract 
        large numbers of people have been shown to result in an increase in the 
        demand for commercial sexual services;
Whereas ``pimps'' and traffickers are aware of this demand and respond to it by 
        trafficking women and girls for prostitution at such events;
Whereas trafficked women are often persuaded to cross international borders by 
        false promises of legitimate employment in other countries, before being 
        forced to engage in prostitution;
Whereas Germany is a major destination country for trafficking of women and 
        children for prostitution, and there are an estimated 400,000 women in 
        prostitution in Germany, 75 percent of whom are foreigners;
Whereas the 2006 FIFA World Cup will be played in 12 German cities and millions 
        of fans will be in attendance;
Whereas individuals and organized crime groups that traffic women and girls for 
        prostitution are expected to increase their activity before and during 
        the 2006 World Cup;
Whereas in December 2001, Germany legalized ``pimping'', prostitution, and 
        maintaining a brothel, and officially stated that prostitution is no 
        longer to be seen as immoral;
Whereas Germany's legalized prostitution industry has been preparing to increase 
        its capacity in anticipation of the 2006 World Cup;
Whereas prostitution and related activities--including pimping and patronizing 
        or maintaining brothels--provide a facade behind which sex traffickers 
        can operate;
Whereas in March 2006 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on ``forced 
        prostitution in the context of world sports events'', stating that major 
        sporting events at which large numbers of people congregate results in a 
        ``temporary and spectacular increase in the demand for sexual services'' 
        and then listing a number of actions that should be undertaken by 
        Germany and others;
Whereas in April 2006, the European Union Justice and Home Affairs Council 
        adopted a list of best practices that should be undertaken by member 
        states holding major international events, including the development and 
        implementation of measures that discourage the demand for trafficking 
        victims;
Whereas Germany has signed the United Nations Convention against Transnational 
        Organized Crime and the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, 
        and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children;
Whereas in February 2006 the United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in 
        persons, especially women and children reported to the United Nations 
        Commission on Human Rights: ``For the most part, prostitution as 
        actually practised in the world usually does satisfy the elements of 
        trafficking. . . . Thus, State parties [to the United Nations Protocol 
        to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially 
        Women and Children] with legalized prostitution industries have a heavy 
        responsibility to ensure that the conditions which actually pertain to 
        the practice of prostitution within their borders are free from the 
        illicit means delineated in subparagraph (a) of the [UN Protocol] 
        definition, so as to ensure that their legalized prostitution regimes 
        are not simply perpetuating widespread and systematic trafficking. As 
        current conditions throughout the world attest, States parties that 
        maintain legalized prostitution are far from satisfying this 
        obligation.''; and
Whereas article 9, paragraph 5, of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, 
        Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and 
        Children states: ``States Parties shall adopt or strengthen legislative 
        or other measures, such as educational, social or cultural measures, 
        including through bilateral and multilateral cooperation, to discourage 
        the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, especially 
        women and children, that leads to trafficking.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Government of Germany to take immediate 
        action to combat sex trafficking in connection with the 2006 
        FIFA World Cup;
            (2) calls on Germany to take measures to discourage the 
        demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, 
        especially women and children, that leads to trafficking, 
        including by raising awareness among potential users of 
        prostitution and by reconsidering the effect of legalized 
        prostitution in creating the demand for prostitution and 
        trafficking;
            (3) urges countries throughout Europe, including Germany, 
        to support vigorously public awareness campaigns to inform and 
        educate the general public, particularly athletes, sports fans, 
        and financial sponsors of the 2006 World Cup, about the 
        potential for trafficking in human beings in response to the 
        rising demand;
            (4) encourages governments, international organizations, 
        and nongovernmental organizations to engage in campaigns 
        targeting potential victims and informing them of the risks and 
        dangers of becoming caught in human trafficking networks, 
        particularly at the time of the 2006 World Cup;
            (5) commends the ``Final Whistle--Stop Forced Prostitution 
        Campaign'' launched by the National Council of German Women's 
        Organizations and calls on sports associations, including the 
        Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the 
        Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the German 
        Football Association, and others to support this campaign and 
        roundly condemn trafficking in human beings and forced 
        prostitution;
            (6) encourages sponsors of the 2006 World Cup, as well as 
        tour operators and air transportation service providers, to 
        join in the efforts to end the sexual exploitation of women and 
        girls and prevent trafficking in human beings;
            (7) urges athletes and coaches of teams competing in the 
        2006 World Cup to denounce the sexual exploitation of women and 
        girls and to encourage prevention of trafficking in human 
        beings; and
            (8) urges Germany and all countries to ratify or accede to, 
        and to implement, the United Nations Convention Against 
        Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Protocol 
        to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, 
        Especially Women and Children.
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