On the occasion of the International Day against Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women, Girls and Boys, the Head of the Coordination Unit against Violence against Women, Laura Segura, has stressed the importance of understanding the changes that trafficking is currently experiencing and the need to tackle this phenomenon from an abolitionist perspective that puts victims at the centre.
In an interview with Onda Cero, Segura explained that “right now we are at a time when trafficking is changing. It is essential to understand that the focus is on exploitation: women who move from prostitution to pornography, or even to digital platforms such as OnlyFans, in a worrying phenomenon of consumption of the body of women that has become normalized in our society.”
The Head of the Unit recalled that trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is not only a crime, but also a flagrant violation of human rights, which affects women and girls by more than 90%. “Trafficking in women and girls is a new form of slavery, it is the slavery of this century and obviously has a woman’s face,” he insisted, highlighting the close relationship between prostitution and trafficking: “They are different sides of the same coin, because these women are treated because there is prostitution, pimping and men willing to pay to exploit other women.”
He has also warned of the danger of focusing the debate on consent: “Consent has always been used as an excuse in prostitution and also appears in other forms of exploitation such as rental wombs. But the reality is that no woman wants to be in an exploitative situation.”
During the interview, Laura Segura recalled references such as Amelia Tiganus, survivor of sexual exploitation and feminist activist, whose personal experience has helped to make visible the need to move forward with abolitionist legislation.
Finally, he insisted that the fight against trafficking requires a broad approach that combines the prosecution of crime with comprehensive care for victims: “The most terrible thing behind trafficking is not just the crime, but the irreversible damage it does to women’s physical and mental health. We must always put the victims at the center, avoiding exposing them to more risks and working from a victimocentric perspective.
Conferences on trafficking and sexual exploitation
In this context, tomorrow, Wednesday, September 24, the V Conference on Trafficking in Women and Girls for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation will begin, which this year is entitled “Critical Approaches on Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking” and will be held at the Civil Guard Command tomorrow, extending until Thursday, September 25.
The Head of Unit highlighted the relevance of this annual meeting, “More and more people are attending. The reflections that we take note of every time these days are held are very important.” “I believe that we are also doing a job of raising awareness as a city so that we become aware that it is a reality that is everywhere and that it is also in our streets, in the houses that we have nearby and in women who may be nearby,” he said.
Segura has recalled that these days are aimed at all citizens and are open in nature: “Anyone who wants to attend can do so, even if there is prior registration. But it is also true that they have a rather technical profile, because what we are looking for above all is not only to raise awareness in society, but also to continue reflecting with professionals and train those who work in this field.”
Public institutions, specialized entities and NGOs with experience in the accompaniment of victims, such as FIET, Cruz Blanca or Diaconía, as well as representatives of the judicial and health field participate in the sessions.
Structure of the Conference
The sessions will be opened by the Colonel Chief of the Civil Guard Command of Melilla, the Chief Commissioner, Regional Chief of Operations of the Superior Police Headquarters of Melilla and the Delegate of the Government in Melilla, and presented and moderated by the Head of the Coordination Unit against Violence Against Women.
They will begin with the round table, “Health Impacts: Prostitution, Pornography and Sexual Exploitation”, with the participation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Area of Melilla, Laura Santa Pau; the Director of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Melilla, Raquel Carbajo; representatives of Melilla Welcomes and Doctors of the World; and the Psychologist of the 24-hour Crisis Center, Chahida Abdeselam.
Next, a first presentation, entitled “Invisible exploitation: physical and mental wounds of prostitution and trafficking”, will be offered by Elisabeth Arrojo Álvarez, Medical Director of the Medical Institute of Advanced Oncology (INMOA).
And a second presentation entitled “The emotional impact and its effect on the recovery process of the victim of trafficking and/or sexual exploitation”, offered by Fiona May Bellshaw, Founder of Fiet.
On Thursday, the second round table will be held, “Emerging technologies: challenges in prevention and intervention”, with the participation of the Lieutenant Chief of the Trafficking in Human Beings Section of the UCO of the Civil Guard, Félix Durán; the Chief Inspector of Group VI of the UCRIF Central of the General Commissariat of Aliens and Borders, specialized in Cybertrafficking of the National Police, Clemente Fuerte; the Provincial Director of Education and Professional Training in Melilla, Elena Fernández Treviño; the Legal Coordinator and La Denigdrian.
And then there will be the third and last presentation, by Marlen Moreno Baptista, Head of IT and Transformation at the NGO Fiet, entitled “Prostitution in the digital age: Emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence”, with which the conference will end.