Diplomacy and Intelligence

Sex Trafficking Issue in European Union Countries

1. Introduction

Sexual trafficking is one of the old unseen crimes which have been existed lots longer than the present day. It was one of the largest international crimes which very difficult to overcome. In 2016–2018, according to UNODC, the number of sexual trafficking keep increasing each year from 196 cases of human trafficking per year on average for a country, until becoming 254 cases (UNODC, 2018). What makes it even worse is that human trafficking particularly in sexual exploitation, most of them encompasses women and girls. According to the Global Report on Trafficking Person from UNODC, it was found that in 2018, human trafficking in European countries encompasses 68% who are women and 12% of them who were girls. Moreover, it was also found that 62% of the victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. As the number of sexual trafficking keep increasing each year indicates that there is a high demand for it. This industry harms millions of women and children around the world (UNODC, 2018).

The shocking fact actually lies in European Union countries which this region is included into countries with the high number of sex trafficking issue in it, despite its well-known image by its active and strong commitment and declaration towards Human and Women’s Rights issue in the International Relations. It was found that European countries are the number one destination of sexual trafficking around the world (UNODC, 2018). Moreover, the high number of news that emerged reporting on the high rate of sex trafficking in European Union countries has proved a backlash as the first actor whose actively engaged in any human and women’s rights movement but turns out having a high number of sex trafficking within (European Union, 2018).

Of course, analyzing every country in Europe would be very tiring and overwhelming to analyze in this paper. Therefore, the writer will discuss this issue by only analyzing two countries within the European region, which are Sweden and France. The writer sees that these countries are very interesting to discuss since the actors who emerge to combat this result in the very first place are Sweden, which known as one of the countries that have the best gender equality system (Government of Sweden, 2018) and France, also one of the countries within Europe which actively involved in many Gender and Women’s rights movements (France Diplomatie, 2018). In addition, this topic deserves to be discussed by seeing the fact that these two countries have always become the most “hard-working” countries in fighting against sex trafficking since 2007 and even actively participated in the international communities to tackle the problem including using the means of international law and public diplomacy to produce a more effective solution in addressing the issue (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, 2019). Thus, it would be very interesting to analyze this topic to understand how significant is the role of public diplomacy to tackle the issue of human rights within a region. It is interesting since the issue of human rights has become a complex problem for the government to be tackled because human rights have direct involvement in society. Thus, the objective of this paper is to analyze how public diplomacy can play a role in tackling the issue of sex trafficking in Sweden and France.

Having said that, the writer will have several analyses in this paper. First, the writer will analyze how the sex trafficking issue in European countries has become a huge deal for the social problem and human rights issue. Second, the writer will analyze the factors which caused the incident of sex trafficking in European Union countries. Thirdly, the writer will explain the framework that the writer uses to analyze: namely the theory of Public Diplomacy and the Theory of Constructivism. These theories will be useful in understanding how the phenomenon of sex trafficking can be effectively tackled by using public diplomacy. Last but not least, the writer will elaborate on the relations between the theories and the analysis in the later discussion.

2. Case Study

2.1. Description of the case

As one of the largest international crimes, unlike any other crimes, sex trafficking is pretty hard to be detected. Based on the data of UNODC, it was estimated that there were at least 1,744 cases of people sexually trafficked in the European Unio. in 2017 and 559 of the cases were involving children as the victim. In France itself, it was reported that the majority of the 30,000 people have been dealing with the commercial sex trade and about 90 percent of whom are foreign, are likely trafficking victims. (UNODC, 2018)

According to the United Nations, the perpetrators firstly recruited the victims and will transfer them to the location where the victims will be sexually exploited and becoming sex workers. Mostly, the perpetrators abusing their power towards people that need their help to achieve what they are trying to achieve. Overview from most of the international organization, they recognize the difficulties in overcoming this issue since there are a lot of them considering the big profits of this industry. (UNODC, 2018)

The writers do recognize that such a big industry has actors in it with their roles which need to be discussed too. Those actors are the sex worker, supplier of the sex worker, government, and also the society. The existence of the sex trafficking problem must be triggered by an opportunity that can be found. That thing is the existence of supply and demand which supported by the regulation that occurs in the particular state.

The majority of sex workers involved in sex trafficking come from developing countries. It is not limited to the countries that far away from Europe yet the neighboring state also takes a role. For instance, outside of European Union countries, they were coming from Brazil, the People Republic of China, Niger, and others. While inside the EU countries themselves, those are from Balkan and central Europe. In this case, there is one major push and pull factor that becomes the reason for the immigrants to come to the EU. The reasons are due to their economic condition, environment, and personal hardship. By moving outside to EU which considered as developed countries, they hope it could improve their living standard and financial sources (Stahl, 2015)

One real case about sexual trafficking case is the story from and about Seya, one of the sex trafficking victims in Albania. In this present day, Seya was just 14 years old. Short story, she escapes from her messed-up family to find a better living but turns out being sold into a trafficking ring by a man she thought was her boyfriend. She was forced to sleep with several men a day for months and there were also “international clients” who paid more for a night. After the collapse of communism in 1990, Albania was known as a nation with lots number of cases of people being kidnapped, smuggled, and then sold. The traffickers are well organized and have a reputation for brutality. (Stahl, 2015)

2.2. The Actors

Sweden and France

The main actors whose going to overcome this issue in the very first place are Sweden and France. On the 2019 International Women’s Day, Sweden and France presented a joint diplomatic initiative in order to against the sex trafficking issue. Based on the survey conducted by the France government, there were at least 264 cases in 2017 (259 in 2016), which involved 771 suspects (816 in 2016). Year by year, either Sweden and France found out that the number of trafficking incidents was increasing. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, 2019)

Both Sweden and France have agreed and decided to develop a strategy in order to against trafficking and prostitution — not only within Europe but also globally. Either Sweden and France are going to solve the issue based on the feminist perspective. Another thing is that Sweden and France plan to conduct cooperation and collaboration with civil society with the expectation to make the policy become more effective.

Sex worker (Sex trafficking victims)

As have been stated in the description of the case that mostly the sex workers came as refugees from problematic countries or people from rural areas. Most of the common nationalities are from Albania, Middle East countries, Africa, and Vietnam. Economic and financial issues are mostly the driving force behind the reasons the victims work as sex workers. Another thing is, as it was told to the BBC news by one of the girls that she was planning to become a model in order to improve her family living condition, but it was never expected that a person who said is going to help her turn into selling her into the sex worker. (BBC NEWS, 2018)

Buyer

The high demand for sex workers in several European Union countries somehow triggered by the legalization of the sex industry. Due to this policy, people will have a normal perception of the sex worker. There is no more taboo perception. People will think that it is normal to order a sex worker. Therefore, it will lead to an increase in sex worker demand. Looking into the data served by Katee Stahl, among the European Union countries, the highest sex trafficking rate is occupied by the countries that legalize the sex industry. Those countries are Italy with 2.381 people, Spain with 1.605 people, the Netherlands with 993 people (Stahl, 2015). If it compares to Sweden, a country that criminalizes the sex industry, it is far away above it. Seeing the comparison between the countries gives a clear reason behind it. The decision of policymakers that decides to legalize the sex worker affecting the demand for sex workers.

Supplier of the sex worker

The legalization of the sex industry gives an opportunity for sex traffickers. Due to this policy, the demand for sex workers will increase. This kind of opportunity will take by the supplier to maximize their profit. The high demand for sex workers will give the supplier chance to compete with another supplier. Whoever could provide the cheapest sex worker will give more profit from the demand. Then it comes to the attraction trafficked the individual from another country. The prospective countries to get competitive labor are from developing countries. It is basically because developing countries have many problems, particularly in the economic sector. By trafficked the individuals from the developing countries, the chance to get a maximum profit is higher than if they sell the local sex worker. The sex worker from the developing only paid the lowest price and treated very badly. Therefore, it will cost very cheap (Stahl, 2015).

The legalization of the sex industry also facilitates the way sex trafficker does their job. The tolerance that addressed to the sex industry opens a chance for the sex trafficker. The sex trafficker could mask what they have done to camouflage their operation. Therefore, it is very hard to detect sex trafficking in European Union countries.

2.3 The process of Public Diplomacy

Now, it is the section on how we see France and Sweden utilize public diplomacy in an effort against sexual traffic. As we understand from the beginning, both of these countries are deemed to be one of the few countries in the European Union that are very serious in dealing with sex trafficking. Not only these countries strengthen their policy national but also pursuing to end sex trafficking through an international framework. In fact, several of their actions are involving diplomacy and effort in promoting awareness toward sexual trafficking namely in the utilization of public diplomacy as well as international law.

In terms of France, the government implementing at least two public diplomacies in regard to sexual trafficking namely “a regional cooperation strategy in South-East Europe.” This regional cooperation stressing the cooperation between 11 countries by creating synergies with the foreign societies and other foreign relevant partners through the means of capacity building, increasing awareness about the protection of victims, and socialization about how dangerous sexual trafficking to an individual. Secondly, in 2013, France set up a “Priority Solidarity Fund”: Support for the fight against trafficking in human beings in the Gulf of Guinea States. This policy also the same as the former one which increasing the capacity of the Gulf of Guinea’s society in combatting and preventing sex trafficking as their center of the strategy. (France Diplomatie, 2018)

In terms of Sweden, this government also conduct several public diplomacy activities in dealing with sex trafficking. In 2015, the Swedish government conducted Foreign Service Action Plan for Feminist Foreign Policy. This foreign policy aims to strengthening the human rights of women and girls who are refugees or migrants, combatting violence against women and girls in EU and Nordic Countries particularly the society, last but not least is promoting women’s and girl’s participation in talking about the sexual reproduction. These aims are conducted by the ambassador of Sweden to all the countries in the EU and Nordic through socialization and promotion in social media and seminars. Based on the report of the Swedish document on Foreign Service Action Plan for Feminist Foreign Policy, it is stated that:

“The Foreign Service will use its Sweden promotion activities to advance gender equality and the rights of women and girls, both as a separate agenda and when promoting the image of Sweden abroad.”(Ministry of Foreign Affairs Swedia, 2015)

From the statement above, we can clearly see how the agenda of the foreign policy of Sweden is really concerning the sex trafficking that has become a huge issue in Europe. In fact, the Swedish government even will promote their country in foreign countries by engaging with gender equality and rights for women and children. Put in other words, the government of Sweden in many of their activities will always use the agenda in promoting gender equality and issues about sex trafficking.

Now, based on these two countries along with their agendas in public diplomacy, We can see how both of these countries take their stance against sex trafficking. Both of these governments use public diplomacy to promote the idea and norms about gender equality and safety measurement to stay away from sexual trafficking. Both of these governments also use public diplomacy in increasing the awareness of the society in the foreign countries about how serious sexual trafficking is and engaging as many stakeholders as they can to join their promotion against human trafficking.

In the next section, we will be analyzing how these public diplomacy activities might work by using the theory of constructive and literature about public diplomacy itself.

3. Analysis

3.1 Theory of Public Diplomacy

When it comes to diplomacy, we as a student of International Relations might well aware of how it operates, which is the conduct of negotiation and management of international relations between states. However, there is a new growing kind of diplomacy in the 21st century, in which the US government at the first coined its a public diplomacy. Different from Traditional Diplomacy, which is focusing on the relationship between the representatives of states or other international actors, the Public Diplomacy are targetting the general public in foreign societies as pointed out by scholars such as Ronald Warker “More specific of non-official groups, organizations, and individuals.” Put it in other words, it is focusing on the foreign public instead of the government (Melissen, 2005).

Perhaps some of us might be wondering how Public Diplomacy emerged. Jen Melissen in his book “The New Public Diplomacy” by Palgrave stated that the Public Diplomacy has become an issue in foreign ministers from all countries, ranging from Canada to New Zealand and Argentina to Mongolia. In fact, many of them are developing this Public Diplomacy on their own and have been seen as the rise of soft power in international relations and the effect of “broader processes of change in diplomatic practice, calling for transparency and transnational collaboration.” Thus, this idea was started when the internet, the mass media, and many effects of globalization on the globe have faced many countries. In consequence, the society with each country is more connected and it has become a huge deal for the foreign ministry to take a more serious approach to the foreign public as globalization emerges (Melissen, 2005).

In terms of definition, Hans Tuch defined the Public Diplomacy as “a government’s process of communicating with foreign publics in an attempt to bring about understanding for its nation’s ideas and ideals, its institutions and culture, as well as its national goals and policies” (Tuch, 1990). Put it in other words, diplomacy is not only about Government to Government but also to the Government to People, as the interest of the government can be well achieved if the people in the foreign government also supported it. Therefore, institution and culture, and national goals and policies are integral to be embedded with the foreign society.

This idea perhaps is not far from the concept of the Soft Power by Joseph Nye who argued that countries should no longer merely rely on the Hard Power such as military and economy, but also should master the art of attraction and legitimacy, which he called it as the soft power. Hence, as Public diplomacy has become one of the soft power’s key instruments, then it is integral also for the state to purse soft power through public diplomacy.

Moreover, Jen Mellisen further argued that Public Diplomacy is part of the post-modern tool of statecraft, the idea where the foreign policy and diplomacy to the government is not enough, and hence, to further legitimate the goal and policy, it needs support from the foreign public. It is understood since in the globalized world, as Jen argued, the state has lost its monopoly “on the processing and diffusion of information” (Melissen, 2005). Thus, it is important for the ambassadors to compete with the technology of information and communication that might disadvantage the goal of a nation when this information is misperceived and misunderstood. Public Diplomacy is therefore present in recognizing the new communication technologies to interact with a wider public through network approach. (Melissen, 2005)

Now, how this public diplomacy concept can relate to the success of a Swedish and French foreign policy in tackling sexual trafficking across Europe? It would be analyzed later in the analysis.

3.2 Constructivism theory

When discussing such a new issue such as human trafficking, women’s rights, poverty, etc, it seems that the constructivist approach with a social ontology element within seems fits very well into this research, considering our topic is sex trafficking, such a new issue. According to Alexander Wendt, constructivism has two claims, first is that ‘social’ is the fundamental structure within global politics and the social relationship was the structure, the second is that the interest and identities of the actors were shaped by the structures. This theory also has three components, such as shared knowledge, material resources, and practices. The component of shared knowledge, it explains that due to the existence of a dispute, state will trust each other and it leads to social relationships. Second, the utilization of material resources explains the material capabilities. Then the practice is about a belief that social structure exists in a process and Wendt stated in practice any structure could stop acting. The issue of sex trafficking will be interpreted by constructivism because this theory sees that most of human rights issue involves social relationship and norms.

3.3 Dialectic Relations between the theory of Public Diplomacy, Constructivism and Sweden & France effort in tackling the sexual trafficking

Now, last but not least in this section, the writer will analyze how should the theory be related to the concept of sexual trafficking analysis. At first, the writer will elaborate on the case of sexual trafficking in Constructivism. Second, the writer will elaborate on how is the role of public diplomacy of both governments can suit the theory.

First, in terms of constructivism. Constructivism believes that the national interests of a country could change (Theys, 2018). That is what happens to Sweden and France lately. The two countries announced their willingness and plan to overcome the sex trafficking issue, not only within Europe but also globally. The emergence of the sex trafficking issue adding new national interests for both countries. Both countries not only stated their long-term plan but also have joint an agreement and promoted in the official website of Joint Agreement between Sweden and France.

According to the constructivist scholar, Edward Newman, the human becomes a rational agent. Human-made the rules in society. (Newman, 2001) In this case, Sweden and France, represented by their each Prime Minister becoming the rational agent about the things Europe have to do in order to combat the sex trafficking issue. The rules and agreement that they made determine how human maintain a social life and produces rules which will impactful for social culture. Not only, Sweden and France whose becoming rational agents but also the sellers of sex workers. Why is that so? The reason is simple, due to high demand. The commercial sex industry has existed for a very long time, however, the demand for it keeps increasing. Considering how much profit that someone can get from the sex industry, no wonder if the seller of sex workers keeps continuing this industry and also increasing the number of sex workers. The more sex workers that they sell, the more profit they will get.

Likewise, the sellers so do the sex workers themselves. With the idea, expectation, hope and promise to have a better life, becoming a model, have a scholarship or other reasons which motivates the victims to come to Europe, no wonder they came and move with people they don’t know are going to sell them. The feel of desperation due to conditions inside their countries which full of war, poverty, political instability motivated them to move and seek the solution. Rationally thinking, moving into the developed countries which have no war, good financial and economic condition and politically stable must be very nice and secure for them. The peace and welfare condition is something they are looking for all this time. Hence, they are moving when they think they have a chance to which makes them become less careful. Or, another case is due to desperate condition, sex working seems to be one of the solution for them who comes from rural areas without any skill but looking for a job. Once again, economic will always become the rational reason for how could something happened.

Second, in terms of Public Diplomacy. The writer sees that both of the governments are really doing public diplomacy as it is seen in the theory. As in theory, Public Diplomacy focuses on foreign societies, then in the case of both government of Sweden and France, they focus on society across European countries and nordic countries. It is understandable since the foreign society needs to support its policy on tackling this issue. It comes out from the reason that as the European Union, their countries are integrated into each other, meaning there is a freedom of movement of service and goods. The moment when the foreign societies do not care about the goal of the Swedish and France government in ending sex trafficking, then the foreign societies also will affect the national issues of both governments. Like many of the countries in Europe, their people are using France and Sweden as the destination for human trafficking. Of course, this idea will harm the government. Thus, the goal of Sweden and France are very clear, which are not only to get support from the foreign societies about tackling the issue, but also as the preventive measure in which the people across Europe stop or preventing the case of sexual trafficking.

This public diplomacy initiative is also smart, since promoting the ending and fight against sexual trafficking will also make the countries such as France and Sweden can prevent the people outside the countries to proliferate or doing the sexual trafficking activities since it has been promoted in their respected foreign countries. Moreover, public diplomacy can also be seen as making the interest of Sweden and France become the general idea or universal idea that makes it urgent for the foreign society to support this policy as well.

4. Conclusion

Now we come to the conclusion, the writer has analyzed the case study of sex trafficking and how Sweden and France handle it, which is through public diplomacy. The writer also has explained the process of public diplomacy in both of the government’s policy which focuses on promoting gender equality and increasing the awareness of how dangerous sexual trafficking to the foreign society across Europe through seminars, social media, and also socialization. The writer also has analyzed the theory of public diplomacy and constructivist and analyzes how these theories can relate to the case study.

In conclusion, sex trafficking is a kind of international crime and it is hard to detect. And the case of sex trafficking is still ongoing. Mostly human trafficking happens in developed countries, but the main actor of this paper, Sweden and France which was the world-known country that strongly sought human rights, has already signed a joint to agree to change prostitution as a non-legal job. Both of these countries are using public diplomacy and it was proven to play a big role in promoting the idea of gender equality and sexual trafficking awareness through direct contact to foreign societies.

However, the writer still sees that there are several recommendations in order to make this case solved. First, the writer sees that Public Diplomacy that has been done by both governments should not rely on the capacity of the Government to the People, but the society of French and Swedish should also be involved in order to make it more effective. By engaging with the Public Diplomacy, the actors are not only focusing on the government to people but also can be varied in public diplomacy such as people to people and people to government, in which of course with the supervision of the government of both countries. Several things can be done such as the exchange activities, society dialogue, and education scholarship are several kinds of public diplomacy activities that are worth trying for both governments in their effort in fighting against sex trafficking.