TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND GIRLS, SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HIV TRANSMISSION ISSUE

Sexual exploitation and HIV/AIDS epidemic are emerging problems of border provinces between Vietnam and China, where are places of trading, cultural exchange, tourism, hot spots of smuggling and trafficking in people. Girls and young women are often the targets of sexual exploitation, in particular, ethnic minority women and girls. Estimated 70% trafficked victims are sent directly to foreign men, brothels; bars and karaokes…for sexual exploitation as prostitution. They are suffered numerous sexual intercourse and served 15 - 20 clients/ day in brothels. Their owners force them to not use condom in sexual activities with their clients. Therefore, almost prostitutes are infected STDs, and some are HIV/AIDS. The linkage between sexual trafficking and HIV/AIDS transmission is not only violation of fundamental human rights but also increased risk of STIs, HIV/AIDS infection and damages women/girls’lives who are stigmatized and ostracized by their families and communities.
So far, fighting against trafficking in women and girls for sexual exploitation and HIV prevention has not effectively done because of the complexity phenomenon, global sex demand, increasing labor force and a great profit that sexual commerce brings about. Therefore, trafficking women and girls for sexual exploitation has been existing and unbated.