Virgin Girl Brides Sought for Virility and Good Fortune
Trafficking of Vietnamese Girls to China and the Far East
In regard to Vietnam, the situation of trafficking of women and children within and from the country relates to three areas.35 First, there is trafficking from the northern part of Vietnam to China for marriage and other reasons. Second, there is trafficking from the southern part to Cambodia and subsequently to Thailand mainly for sexual purposes. Third, there is trafficking to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau mainly for marriages. Tracking cases is faced with many obstacles, including the fact that in the cases of sexual trafficking:
"Victims do not come forward because they suspect that there is considerable prejudice against women and children when they report cases of sexual violence. They may fear threats of violence from traffickers and the humiliation of deportation, especially if their families should find out that they have been working as prostitutes.
For the police and authorities of alien countries, combating trafficking in women and children has not been a priority and therefore they are dealt with only as illegal immigrants. Most of them may simply be deported and their experiences may never be recorded as cases of traffic." 36
Source:The Trafficking in Women and Children in the Mekong Sub-region by
Vitit Muntarbhorn
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VIETNAM
"The development of tourism is one of the main causes of increased child prostitution. Many foreigners who come to Vietnam think that besides the favourable conditions for business and tourism, Vietnam will also provide cheap and safe tours and will present little danger of AIDS and other venereal diseases, particularly in sexual intercourse with children. Many businessmen from Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan believe that buying a girl's virginity will help them succeed in business, increase their longevity and give them strength and youth. As a matter of fact, an organised network or system to supply virgin prostitutes to foreigners has come to light in a number of hotels and tourist venues."(Vietnam News)
Vietnamese women and children are being smuggled out of the country into the sex trade in Cambodia and Thailand. There is also an increasing trade in young wives to China from Vietnam.
Source: ECPAT International