“Our girls are being trafficked as we speak,” exclaimed a concerned citizen of Armenia working with an international NGO (one of the anti human trafficking organizations in Georgia) in Tbilisi. After 3 days of teaching in Georgia’s capital, I’ve had the privilege to meet participants from Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Each one told me that sex trafficking has become a big problem in their nation and that very few people are doing anything about it.
Poverty and Human Trafficking
The common factor in each of these nations is poverty. Since men are more likely to get a job, women are marginalized and are at higher risk of being trafficked. Women are often abused and treated as lesser than men. These conditions are breeding grounds for human traffickers.
Human Trafficking for Sex
Since both Georgia and Armenia have experienced stable governments in the past 5 years, tourism has increased. This safe environment has not only brought benefits to the nation’s economy, it has made these countries destinations for the sex trade. In the past, Georgia and Armenia were considered resource nations – sending their girls to places like Turkey, Russia and the Middle East. Today, they are open countries with underground brothels starting up regularly year after year.
Human Trafficking in Armenia and Georgia: Just One More Trial For These Great Nations To Endure
Both prostitution and poverty are not new to this part of the world but modern day slavery is. The hunger for Euros and dollars has caused a vicious greed that is dehumanizing the women of these ancient lands. And that’s a shame. Both Georgia and Armenia have so much history and so much to offer the world. Being small nations, they have endured great trials for many generations and have shown the world that they can survive.
Human trafficking in Georgia and Armenia is a growing problem. JFY respects their tenacity to endure and will fight with them against the growing problem of human trafficking today. We are beginning to research how we could start the poster awareness campaign in the two countries and hope that more partners will join us to make this a reality. Will you join us?
