NCJ Number
187006
Journal
Crime & Justice International Volume: 16 Issue: 46 Dated: November 2000 Pages: 5-7
Date Published
2000
Length
3 pages
Annotation
According to Amnesty International, over the past few years, thousands of women and young girls from republics of the former Soviet Union have been trafficked to Israel, often on false pretenses to work as prostitutes.
Abstract
The report issued by Amnesty International includes the testimony of four women who were interviewed by Amnesty International representatives in 1999 to research the prostitution situation in Israel. Although prostitution is not illegal in Israel, an entire article of the penal code concerns prostitution and obscenity. According to Israeli law, a person who is living off the earnings of a prostitute or knowingly receives something that has been given in return for a woman's act of prostitution is liable to 5 years imprisonment. Trafficking in women out of Israel for the purpose of practicing prostitution in another country is illegal and carries a penalty of 7 years imprisonment. The police response to the increase in prostitution has been one of general disinterest unless the police receive complaints from residents or business owners. On the other hand, the police are quite proactive when confronted with organized prostitution rings that use threats and violence. In 1999, the Chief of Police announced a new strategy to combat the problem of trafficking in women. Each police precinct is now responsible for at least one police-initiated investigation a year based on intelligence and undercover investigations. The author concludes that prostitution is well-entrenched in Israel, with more than 200 brothels, 200 sex clubs, and an undetermined number of escort services, and that an interagency strategy is needed to ensure a coordinated and effective response. 20 endnotes and 1 photograph