Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Encyclopedia
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is an international non-governmental organization
opposing human trafficking
, prostitution
, and other forms of commercial sex.
point of view. Its definition of 'trafficking' includes all forms of selling or buying bodies of women or children. CATW opposes a distinction between forced and voluntary prostitution
as it sees all forms of prostitution as a violation of the dignity of women and violence against them. In this regard, it is strongly opposed to the perspectives of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women and the sex workers' rights movement. Aside from prostitution, CATW is opposed to "pornography, sex tourism, and mail-order bride selling." On its website, CATW categorizes sexual exploitation as including sexual harassment, rape, incest and battery.
The Coalition’s proposed solution to the problem of human trafficking and sexual exploitation is to decriminalize the selling of sexual services while criminalizing the buying of sexual services, pimping and trafficking. This approach, sometimes referred to as the "Swedish model" or "Nordic model", has been implemented in Sweden
, Norway
and Iceland
, partly as a result of lobbying by CATW-affiliated activists in those countries. CATW views these laws as successful in combating prostitution and human trafficking and lobbies for the replication of such legislation elsewhere.
CATW also claims to “reject state policies and practices that channel women into conditions of sexual exploitation" … and “provide education and employment opportunities that enhance women’s worth and status”.
and WHISPER
. The leaders of CATW, such as founder Dorchen Leidholdt
and co-chair (as of 2007) Norma Ramos were originally leaders of Women Against Pornography.
CATW was the first international non-governmental organization (NGO) working against trafficking and gained consultative status with ECOSOC (UN) in 1989. The CATW has influenced anti-sex industry and anti-trafficking legislation in places all over the world, including the Philippines, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
After the “Conference on Women Empowering Women: A Human Rights Conference on Trafficking in Asian Women” held in Manila, Philippines in April 1993, CATW created an Asia Pacific chapter. The Australian branch of CATW is also part of the Asia Pacific chapter. The Australian branch is for women only. Other branches can been found in Africa, Europe, Norway, Northern Norway, Latin America and the Caribbean islands.
CATW lobbies students and communities all over the globe. It stages "training" sessions for educators, law enforcement and government officials, and community leaders and testifies before national congresses, parliaments, law reform commissions, and regional and United Nations committees.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
opposing human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, and other forms of commercial sex.
Views
CATW is rooted in a radical feministFeminist views on prostitution
As with many issues within the feminist movement, there exists a diversity of opinions regarding prostitution. Many of these positions can be loosely arranged into an overarching standpoint that is generally either critical or supportive of prostitution and sex work...
point of view. Its definition of 'trafficking' includes all forms of selling or buying bodies of women or children. CATW opposes a distinction between forced and voluntary prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
as it sees all forms of prostitution as a violation of the dignity of women and violence against them. In this regard, it is strongly opposed to the perspectives of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women and the sex workers' rights movement. Aside from prostitution, CATW is opposed to "pornography, sex tourism, and mail-order bride selling." On its website, CATW categorizes sexual exploitation as including sexual harassment, rape, incest and battery.
The Coalition’s proposed solution to the problem of human trafficking and sexual exploitation is to decriminalize the selling of sexual services while criminalizing the buying of sexual services, pimping and trafficking. This approach, sometimes referred to as the "Swedish model" or "Nordic model", has been implemented in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, partly as a result of lobbying by CATW-affiliated activists in those countries. CATW views these laws as successful in combating prostitution and human trafficking and lobbies for the replication of such legislation elsewhere.
CATW also claims to “reject state policies and practices that channel women into conditions of sexual exploitation" … and “provide education and employment opportunities that enhance women’s worth and status”.
History
CATW was founded 1988 as the outcome of a conference titled "Trafficking in Women" organized by several American feminist groups including Women Against PornographyWomen Against Pornography
Women Against Pornography was a radical feminist activist group based out of New York City and an influential force in the anti-pornography movement of the late 1970s and the 1980s....
and WHISPER
Whisper
-In fiction:* Whisper , fictitious character in the popular Fantasy RPG Fable* Whisper, a character created by Ian Fleming in the James Bond novel and film Live and Let Die* Whisper , a 2007 horror film...
. The leaders of CATW, such as founder Dorchen Leidholdt
Dorchen Leidholdt
Dorchen A. Leidholdt is an activist and leader in the feminist movement against violence against women. Since the mid-1970s, she has counseled and advocated for rape victims, organized against "the media’s promotion of violence against women", served on the legal team for the plaintiff in a...
and co-chair (as of 2007) Norma Ramos were originally leaders of Women Against Pornography.
CATW was the first international non-governmental organization (NGO) working against trafficking and gained consultative status with ECOSOC (UN) in 1989. The CATW has influenced anti-sex industry and anti-trafficking legislation in places all over the world, including the Philippines, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
Involvement
In 2008, the Coalition supported the campaign to defeat San Francisco's Proposition K, which was a proposition that called for the full decriminalization of prostitution. CATW also encouraged its followers to get television network HBO to stop airing shows like Cathouse, which it claims promote sex trafficking and prostitution . In 2008, CATW held a discussion at the New York City Bar Association on the laws in Sweden and the US governing prostitution and human trafficking entitled, “Abolishing Sex Slavery: From Stockholm to Hunts Point”. The discussion also worked to implement more trafficking laws in Sweden.Structure
The Coalition consists of regional networks and affiliated groups. It is an umbrella organization that is directed by the regional networks. The organization has what it describes as "national coalitions" in countries including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Chile, Canada, Norway, France and Greece.After the “Conference on Women Empowering Women: A Human Rights Conference on Trafficking in Asian Women” held in Manila, Philippines in April 1993, CATW created an Asia Pacific chapter. The Australian branch of CATW is also part of the Asia Pacific chapter. The Australian branch is for women only. Other branches can been found in Africa, Europe, Norway, Northern Norway, Latin America and the Caribbean islands.
Tactics
CATW is an organization subscribing to a "low-risk activism," meaning it claims to use tactics that typically do not disrupt the public or otherwise lead to disobedience. It tends to pursue objectives by fundraising to provide safe houses for victims and to purchase other resources. It schedules and attends meetings with the targets of their lobbying efforts (mainly countries which it regards as having lax or no human trafficking laws) and politicians to submit resolutions and enact legislation against sexual exploitation and other forms of human trafficking. It also publicizes its efforts via its Web site and various human rights and anti-human trafficking organizations.CATW lobbies students and communities all over the globe. It stages "training" sessions for educators, law enforcement and government officials, and community leaders and testifies before national congresses, parliaments, law reform commissions, and regional and United Nations committees.
Campaigns, Programs and Projects
The following is a list and brief description of some of CATW’s global campaigns:- Measures to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings – addresses perceived gaps in current anti-trafficking programs and policies with a focus on gender equality, demand and the links between trafficking and prostitution (some participating countries include Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic)
- The Prevention Project – multi-tiered project to prevent sex trafficking and sexual exploitation by developing standard practices (some participating countries include Italy, Nigeria, Mali, Mexico, the Republic of Georgia)
- Project to Curb Male Demand for Prostitution (some participating countries include the Baltic Countries, India, the Philippines)
- Human Rights Documentation Project – conducts training sessions that instruct women’s organizations in what the organization describes as "feminist research methods."
See also
- Janice RaymondJanice RaymondJanice G. Raymond is a longtime feminist activist against violence, sexual exploitation and the "medical abuse" of cissexual women, as well as for her writings and activism against transsexualism...
- Mongolian Gender Equality CenterMongolian Gender Equality CenterThe Mongolian Gender Equality Center ' is a non-governmental organization based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It was established in 2002 with the aim of defending human rights and promoting gender equality...
- Norma Ramos
- Human TraffickingHuman traffickingHuman trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
- ProstitutionProstitutionProstitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...