Human Trafficking in Iceland: An Economy Steep as a Fjord

Every year, the U.S. State Department releases a Trafficking in Persons report which rates countries on their efforts to combat human trafficking.  Each week, I'll be providing a brief glance at human trafficking in one of those countries, based off the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report, with my own (often snarky) analysis added.  This is just a snapshot of what's going on in the country.  For more information, you can check out the full text of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report here.

This Week's Country..... Iceland

Basic Info

The U.S. State Department ranks Iceland on Tier 2, meaning that they're working to meet the minimum standards for combating trafficking, but aren't quite there yet. Of course, that rating was given before the economy collapsed like a gingerbread house in a seltzer storm. Despite the government's best efforts, Iceland remains primarily a destination country for trafficking victims, with people also trafficked through the country. So does Iceland have the political and economic stability to truly tackle trafficking? Their GDP has plunged as steeply as their fjords recently, so cash might be hard to come by. On the other hand, their progressive, feminist, lesbian leadership might be just what's needed to make ending trafficking an Icelandic priority.

Who Are the Victims and What Are They Doing?

The vast majority of victims brought to and through Iceland are women. They are sold into commercial sex and forced labor in construction and restaurant industries. Few men and boys are trafficked into Iceland, perhaps because the industries that usually exploit men and boys are lacking in Iceland. However, anyone with a XX chromosome needs to watch out.

Where Are They Coming From and Where Are They Going?

You might not think of Iceland as a transit country, since its closest neighbor, Greenland, is a pretty desolate wasteland of winter. But women are often trafficked through Iceland from Equatorial Guinea and Brazil to Western Europe. Traffickers will also make a pit stop in Iceland on their way to Western Europe from the Baltic States, Poland, Bulgaria, and China. Sure it may be a bit out of the way, but the lutefisk there is to die for.

What's Gotta Happen?

Iceland has to start prosecuting sex trafficking like it's a serious crime -- no more slaps on the wrist. They also need to develop an immigration system which prevents the automatic deportation of victims to countries where they will face hardships or re-trafficking. And they need to stop penalizing victims for things the traffickers made them do, especially entering the country illegally.

Photo credit: helgabj