Prostitution and Trafficking of Women and Girls in Iraq

In spite of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) background on women'srights, we did not expect nor comprehend the extent of the problem when we received reports ofthe kidnapping of women and girls in Baghdad in May 2003. When we started to gather reportsfrom Baghdad neighborhoods the following summer, the numbers were shocking. We expressedour dismay to the media and fearing that a new and vicious era has attacked the women of Iraq.OWFI learned that trafficking of women is the hidden face of war, insecurity and chaos.

In those days, we sympathized with women who were forced or maybe sold into prostitution.We did not have the same consideration for women who were already prostituted in brothels. Wethought of them as the unfortunate margins of the society. It was only in 2006, that we noticed anepidemic rise in the number of women who prostituted for a living, whether in formal brothels, inregular working places, or in a hidden neighborhood hideaway. The numbers were obviously nolonger something we could consider an unfortunate marginal minority. It was only then that we, inOWFI, decided to investigate the extent prostitution in Iraq, in order to better understand theunderground industry of trafficking which thrives on the exploitation of women's flesh.

We also needed to gather some background information about the history of prostitution andtrafficking in Iraq. Our efforts started with documenting kidnappings in the first years, butgradually expanded into searching for places where girls and women are sold. We found ourselvesdocumenting prostitution houses where the actual buying and selling take place. Eventually, it wasimpossible to separate one issue from the other.

After confronting officials throughout 2008 and 2009 about the issue of trafficking, OWFIdeveloped a reputation of a fierce defendant of women's integrity against the war-time disasters.As a result, eye-witnesses and the victims of trafficking began contacting OWFI with their stories.Some reports were of incidents too big for OWFI to handle. For example, distressed witnessesreported the kidnapping and trafficking 128 women from the city of Diyala in 2007.

Following an interview with OWFI activist on MBC TV, the government campaigned againstOWFI starting in May 2009 with active attacks over the public Al Iraqia television, and intervenedto stop the airing of televised broadcasts were OWFI sought to tell the trafficking story. Frankly,we were intimidated and scared. Moreover, OWFI was advised by allies that publishing these factsmay jeopardize our lives as we are touching onto one of the biggest industries in the world, and anew and thriving one in Iraq. We decided to be silent, stay safe, and keep our information toourselves. OWFI could not maintain that position for long.

A visit to the female juvenile prison in Baghdad in January 2010 reminded us that OWFIserved an important mission that required courage, but facing our fears. It was the faces of 12 yearold Mena and her sister that reminded us or our responsibilities. They were imprisoned after beingsent back from the Arab Emirates as "prostitutes." Meeting those two children and hearing theirstories was a heavy experience for the activists of OWFI. Some rushed out crying; some promisedto help; while others hardened their resolve to document and reveal these crimes against thewomen or Iraq, including innocent young girls. Innocent girls who should still be enjoyingchildhood under the protection of their mothers were being incarcerated for the crime ofprostitution, an ordeal in which they were modern-day slaves.

At this point, we do not know if the numbers of Iraqi teenaged trafficking victims of therecent years are in the thousands, or tens of thousands. We do know that the Iraqi governmentdoes not want to hear the facts nor acknowledge the sufferings. Lawmakers do not feel an urgencyto eradicate the crime of trafficking.

One recent letter from an informed OWFI supporter gave us the ultimate push to publicizethe facts. He had previously forwarded us a report which was too big to handle. That letter said,"You need to do something. The women and their families need to know that someone stands withthem. The fact that 128 young women from Diyala were exported into sexual slavery within a fewmonths cannot pass unnoticed. The traffickers and their official partners are set free while thetrafficked women and their families suffer in silence, from shame and slavery… The case justcannot be closed".