- The four victims are of Chinese origin and were in an irregular situation, which, added to the fact that they do not speak Spanish, amplified their vulnerability to their exploiters
- They had to deliver 50% of their earnings and have sex with clients in the same rooms they slept in
Throughout this month of July, agents of the National Police of San Sebastián have arrested two people as alleged perpetrators of crimes of trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation and against freedom and sexual compensation, by prostituting four women in a house in Irún.
The investigations began in May last year, when researchers from the Operative Group of Foreigners (GOE II) of San Sebastián carried out a preventive control against trafficking in human beings in a flat in Irún where, through websites, sexual services were offered with Oriental women.
In the initial inspection, the agents noticed certain indications that the girls in it could be being sexually exploited, presenting a great deal of resistance to the police presence and a total lack of knowledge of our language, so to confirm these suspicions, they carried out four more inspections, two in August and December 2022 and another two in May this year.
After these five inspections and the necessary investigation procedures, the investigators concluded that two exploiters, a Chinese citizen who acted as a madame controlling the women from the floor and managing the phone that the customers called and a French citizen residing in Hendaye, were prostituting four women of Chinese origin.
The investigations also revealed that the four victims came from impoverished regions of the Asian country and had economically dependent people there. In addition, their socio-cultural level was low and they completely did not know our language, which increased their situation of vulnerability. They also found that they had to give half of their earnings to the two suspects and perform sexual services in the same rooms in which they slept.
In response, the investigators immediately activated the Framework Protocol for the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings to assist these young women, referring them to organizations and entities specializing in comprehensive assistance to sexually exploited women.
Finally, on July 5, they proceeded to detain the madame and on July 20, after establishing a surveillance device at the Irún border crossing, when the other person involved was investigated, who was also charged with crimes against road safety and falsehood, for driving without a driving licence and showing the agents false documentation for it. After being transferred to the Irún Police Station, they were placed at the disposal of the Court of Guard of that same locality.