Women 'trafficked for sex' in Queensland's booming mining towns

news.com.au July 10, 2012 8:38AM

VULNERABLE young women from southeast Asia are increasingly being trafficked for sex in Queensland's booming mining towns, police say.
Mount Isa police district Inspector Paul Biggin has told The Australian that officers in the inland Queensland city and other mining towns are increasingly being confronted with the problem.
He spoke of "women and girls who cannot speak English, or who have a very low level of English, and a very low level of education, who are basically being trafficked for sex, from one mining town to the next".
"They are working on a fly-in, fly-out basis, two weeks here, two weeks in the next town and so on; they are being advertised as available in the local newspapers, and they are coerced or threatened into doing it," Insp Biggin said.
"They are being told they cannot go to the police because in the countries they come from, the police might even be part of the problem."
He said threats were also made against their families.
"And whenever we have an operation to target them, they come into the station and you can see that they are being controlled mentally and physically and it's very difficult to get them to open up to authority and enable us to help them."
Insp Biggin was speaking after being selected for the Donald Mackay Churchill Fellowship, aimed at halting the trafficking of women for sexual servitude.
He will soon travel overseas to see what police forces elsewhere are doing to combat the problem.

Australian Mining 7 November, 2011 Andrew Duffy

Fly-in-fly-out prostitutes working in cashed up mining towns in Queensland and Western Australia are making more money in a day than miners do in a week.

The Sunday Mail reported that mining towns full of cashed-up men deprived of female company are the new hotspot for prostitutes.
According to the The Sunday Mail sex workers can earn up to $2000 a day in mining towns.
The earnings are attracting scores of women who stay in motels or caravan parks for a few days or weeks before moving on.
But the unregulated industry is also raising concerns from health experts about rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases.
One anonymous sex worker said she charged $250 an hour working out of a cabin in a caravan park.
“Yesterday I made $1000. Last time I was here I made $1750 one Friday,” she said.
“I went home with $16,000 and I was here for three weeks.
Researchers say the boom posed risks to women from possible violence, as well as risks to both parties from the spread of STDs.
Earlier in the year doctors reported a spike in the number of FIFO workers contracting HIV and other infections.
Australian Medical Association WA chief Dave Mountain said a ‘boom town mentality’ was one factor driving the spike.
He said he suspected that while FIFO was “not much of a holiday” it induced a disconnection from normal restraints and behaviour patterns.

He said the high pay of some miners also meant FIFO workers were looking to find ways to spend their money.

Australian Mining 7 March, 2012 Andrew Duffy

Sex workers are targeting fly-in fly-out mining workers at Perth Airport immediately after they return from the mines.

According to The West Australian sex workers are attempting to take miners to hotels or brothels immediately after they step off the plane.

The West Australian reports that the sex industry has made two official attempts to open office space at Perth's FIFO terminals to attract the business of mining workers.

The requests have so far been declined but have lead to sex workers waiting inside the airport.

According to The West Australian a Perth Airport spokesperson said there was no evidence of sex work activity on the terminals it controlled.

There are five other terminals at Perth Airport mostly owned by airlines.

One brothel owner said FIFO workers accounted for 80 per cent of their business and they had approached one airline about the prospect of handing out pamphlets to travelers.

"It's a smart way to do business and if they allowed me I would do it tomorrow," they said.

According to The West Australian large numbers of sex workers were also flying to Western Australia from the eastern states to take advantage of the business.

Last year some FIFO sex workers said they were making almost $2,000 a day in Queensland mining regions.

But in an in-depth look at sex work and the mining industry earlier this year one expert told Australian Mining much of the coverage around the topic had been exaggerated and sensational.

University of New England associate professor John Scott said there was also no evidence to suggest a massive rise in sex work in mining towns.

“There have been no measurements on it, but my hunch is that it would not be epidemic,” he said.

As one commented, "Nice [sideline] for the woman [could be your wife] who sits at home lookin after the home and children [while you're rostered in the mine]".

is this true?

is this true?

Makes sense. Why are you asking this, anyway? What's in your mind, mate?  
Not a bad business to venture into, don't you agree? 
_____

Woman, without her man, is a savage.
Woman! Without her, man is a savage.

abc.net.au David Lewis reported this story on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 12:30:00

The full story ...

ASHLEY HALL: It's feared the mining boom is leading to an increase in the exploitation of women in the sex industry.

Increasingly, sex workers are travelling to Australia's remote mining communities, hoping to cash in on the lonely, mostly male workforce.

But a senior Queensland police inspector says there's a growing problem with women from overseas arriving under-prepared and being exploited by criminals.

David Lewis reports.

DAVID LEWIS: Mount Isa Mines in the remote north-west corner of Queensland has been operating for almost 90 years. The surrounding city has grown steadily over time as more and more people chase the huge salaries on offer in the resources sector.

Sex workers have also been a major beneficiary of the boom, but there are now concerns about the health and safety of women being brought in from overseas.

PAUL BIGGIN: A lot of these young women, they are vulnerable, they have very poor education, they're putting a lot of pressure on legalised brothels in Queensland.

DAVID LEWIS: Paul Biggin is the local police inspector.

PAUL BIGGIN: A lot of the time women are arriving legally, they are arriving here on visas that enable them to be in the country.
It's then when they're working illegally, or being controlled through, you know, organised crime.

DAVID LEWIS: Now do you have any idea where the majority of women who are being exploited are coming from?

PAUL BIGGIN: A lot of the times, because of the close proximity to Australia with Asia, a lot of females do come from Asian countries and they're the types of ladies that certainly do get exploited because of their poor education or the fact that they're easily tricked.

They do have an issue with authority so far as trusting law enforcement because of their experiences overseas.

DAVID LEWIS: Do you have any idea as to the extent of the problem in terms of numbers? Do you know how many are operating in these circumstances?

PAUL BIGGIN: Yeah that's a difficult question because of the clandestine nature of prostitution, in particular illegal prostitution, it's always very difficult to get a handle on numbers and percentages. We certainly know it's going on. That's evidenced through research and obviously operationally.

DAVID LEWIS: Inspector Biggin has been awarded the Donald Mackay Churchill Fellowship, allowing him to travel overseas and meet with international sex trafficking experts. He's hoping to learn more about strategies to empower women who are being exploited in mining communities.

Have any of the women you've spoken to explained to you that they've been mistreated?

PAUL BIGGIN: A lot of times they don't because there is a fear factor involved. And once again, you know, a number of girls do have exposure to the sex industry overseas. Also the fact that because they're poorly educated, some of them, and they don't speak very good English, they are more vulnerable and more exposed to being targeted by organised crime.

DAVID LEWIS: But the union representing sex workers disagrees with that assessment.

JULES KIM: I think it's very dangerous to use those as indicators of exploitation.

DAVID LEWIS: Jules Kim is the migration project manager at Scarlet Alliance.

JULES KIM: Using 'doesn't speak English' as an indicator would not be applied to any other profession and it seems like it's being used as an indicator in the sex industry only.

And we have found in our experience and through our research project of sex workers around Australia that English skills are not tied in to education levels at all so someone could be highly educated and yet have poor English skills.

DAVID LEWIS: Ms Kim says the extent of the problem in mining communities has been exaggerated.

JULES KIM: So we have had situations where, for example, if somebody has been underpaid, and we would follow the same avenues as would any other employee if they have been underpaid to seek redress in that situation.

DAVID LEWIS: Have you seen cases like that increasing in mining communities?

JULES KIM: Certainly - no, there hasn't been an increase of cases. I think there has been a lot of hype-up about that at the moment.

ASHLEY HALL: Jules Kim from the Scarlet Alliance ending that report by David Lewis.

Makes sense. Why are you asking this, anyway? What's in your mind, mate?  
Not a bad business to venture into, don't you agree? 
_____

it can lead to something else

it can lead to something else

The question is, what is that "something else"? Hehehe.

it's not easy to apply these days, they need a 1 million guarantee deposit

Believe this is a scam. Australia badly needs workers. This kind of amount will only be a disincentive. Once again, beware of unscrupulous recruitment agencies!!!!!

June 16, 2008 | Filed under: Employment,Global Fil.,Immigration | Posted by: Philippine Consulate General Sydney

AN APPARENT SKILLS SHORTAGE is driving Australian companies to hire skilled workers from other countries, and the Philippines is seen as a source country for needed workers. Filipinos seeking overseas work will find Australia a good prospect, but they are warned to beware of illegal recruiters.

The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney received reports of individuals posing as recruiters victimizing Filipinos who wish to work in Australia, following news reports in the Philippines in January 2008 that Australia has 120,000 job openings available to foreigners, especially Filipinos.

Filipinos being recruited for Australia must be aware of the type of visa that their recruiter is applying for them. The type of visa commonly issued to Filipinos hired for work in Australia is the “457 Visa”.

Australian companies who wish to recruit skilled workers must be permitted to do so by the Australian Government. The Government issues to these companies a “Temporary Business Long Stay Visa”, which is also known as the “Standard Business Sponsorship Subclass 457 Visa” or the “457 Visa”, which is then provided to the foreigner workers they employ.

These authorized companies can either directly hire Filipino workers or employ a POEA-accredited manpower agency.

A Filipino who is recruited for Australian employment is matched to an Australian company that has been issued a 457 Visa. The Filipino worker receives the 457 Visa through the Australian Embassy in Manila.

The 457 Visa allows a foreigner temporary long stay for work purposes for a period of six months to four years. This visa does not give permanent residency or migration status.

The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney cautions potential workers for Australia against unlicensed manpower agencies or unauthorized Australian companies who illegally recruit Filipino workers. Illegally-hired foreign workers in Australia are exposed to abuses, hazards, and risks. If they are caught, they are deported and blacklisted from future re-entry into Australia.

The following are signs that a job applicant is being recruited illegally:

* If a recruiter offers long-term work but does not apply the candidate for a 457 Visa, then it may be an indication that the work is not legitimate or that the employment arrangements are not in order.

* If a recruiter offers long-term work but applies the applicant for a Short-Stay Business Visa (also called the “456 Visa”), then it may be an indication that the work is not legitimate or that the employment arrangements are not in order. A 456 visa allows entry for business meetings, or conference- or training-related visits and allows a stay of up to three months. Short-term work of up to six weeks is only permitted in strictly limited circumstances.

* If a recruiter offers long-term work but applies the job applicant only for tourist visa, then it is a definite indication that the work arrangement is not legitimate. Illegal recruiters often apply a victim for a tourist or short stay business visa, and instruct the latter to change his visa status to a long stay or even a permanent residency in Australia. However, such status changes are not usually allowed.

* If a recruiter makes the applicant pay for Australian administrative fees and/or air travel to Australia, then the recruiter is violating Australian laws require a company to shoulder all costs of fees and the worker’s air travel to Australia. The worker must not pay for his air travel to Australia.

Any Filipino, who was recruited to work in Australia under a 457 Business Visa program and was compelled to pay processing fees or air travel to Australia by their recruiter or employer, may lodge a complaint with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) through email address [email protected].

Finally, Philippine Consul General Maria Theresa P. Lazaro emphasized that Australia does not allow the recruitment of domestic maids and farm workers from overseas. Any manpower agency that claims to be recruiting maids and farm workers for Australia is deceiving applicants.