VZCZCXRO8785
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHWN #0121/01 0581540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271540Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6138
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 5914
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0287
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 1979
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BRIDGETOWN 000121 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND WHA/CAR 
STATE PASS TO USAID/LAC/CAR-BOUNCY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG PREF DO XL
SUBJECT: TIP SUBMISSION - DOMINICA 
 
REF: A. STATE 2731 
     ¶B. 07 BRIDGETOWN 1562 
 
¶1.  (U) As requested (ref A), below are Post's responses to 
questions regarding Dominica for the annual Trafficking in 
Persons Report. 
 
------------------ 
Para 27 - Overview 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Is the country a country of origin, transit, and/or 
destination for internationally trafficked men, women, or 
children? 
 
There are no official reports that Dominica is a country of 
origin, transit, or destination for trafficked men, women, or 
children.  However, no investigations, studies, or surveys 
have been done.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that limited 
trafficking might exist around the sex trade and labor 
market.  Trafficking may also exist in the form of forced 
transactional sex of minors.  In the sex trade, potential 
trafficking victims are likely women from the Dominican 
Republic.  In the labor market, potential victims would be 
Chinese migrants.  Any minor children forced into 
transactional sex relationship would be native Dominicans. 
 
¶B.  Please provide a general overview of the trafficking 
situation in the country and any changes since the last TIP 
Report (e.g., changes in direction). 
 
Since last year's report, there seems to be a slowly growing 
awareness that trafficking victims might exist in Dominica 
(ref B).  However, no further actions or studies have been 
taken.  Concern that prostitutes from the Dominican Republic 
and Chinese laborers may be trafficking victims is 
increasing.  The number of Haitians entering Dominica 
legally, but leaving illegally has been on a drastic decline. 
 Authorities generally believe that this is a smuggling or 
migration phenomenon rather than a trafficking problem. 
 
¶C.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the 
lead? 
 
The Women's Bureau, the Welfare Division, the Labor 
Commission, the Police Department, the Immigration 
Department, and the Coast Guard all play a role in monitoring 
sectors potentially involved with human trafficking, but 
there is no coordinated anti-trafficking effort. 
 
¶D.  What are limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice? 
 
The government has limited resources to effectively monitor 
migration and enforce labor or prostitution laws.  Social 
services are also understaffed and under-funded.  There is 
also limited political will to counter trafficking as 
officials generally believe it does not exist in Dominica. 
 
¶E.  To what extent does the government monitor its 
anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The government has no formal anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Para 28 - Investigations and Prosecutions of Traffickers 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting 
trafficking in person--both for sexual and non-sexual 
purposes (e.g., forced labor)?  If so, please specifically 
cite the name of the law and its date of enactment.  Does the 
law(s) cover both internal and external (transnational) forms 
of trafficking?  If not, under what other laws can 
traffickers be prosecuted? 
 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000121  002 OF 005 
 
 
Although the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act of 2003 
(No. 19 of 2003) makes provision for offense of human 
trafficking, the text of the law is actually designed to 
combat human smuggling.  It was enacted November 28, 2003. 
 
¶B.  What are the penalties for trafficking people for sexual 
exploitation? 
 
Persons convicted of trafficking (smuggling) are subject to a 
fine of USD 37,500 and/or up to seven years' imprisonment. 
 
¶C.  Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor 
exploitation, such as forced or bonded labor and involuntary 
servitude?  Do the government's laws provide for criminal 
punishment--i.e., jail time--for labor recruiters in labor 
source countries who engage in recruitment of laborers using 
knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers that result in 
workers being exploited in the destination country?  For 
employers or labor agents in labor destination countries who 
confiscate workers' passports or travel documents, switch 
contracts without the worker's consent as a means to keep the 
worker in a state of service, or withhold payment of salaries 
as means of keeping the worker in a state of service?  If 
law(s) prescribe criminal punishments for these offenses, 
what are the actual punishments imposed on persons convicted 
of these offenses? 
 
Although labor trafficking cases could be prosecuted under 
the law, any cases of confiscated passports or other offenses 
would likely be resolved through the Labour Division. 
 
¶D.  What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault?  How do they compare to the prescribed and 
imposed penalties for crimes of trafficking for commercial 
sexual exploitation? 
 
The penalty for rape is a maximum sentence of 25 years' 
imprisonment.  The penalty for trafficking for commercial 
sexual exploitation is less severe in terms of imprisonment 
(7 years'), but carries a possible fine of up to USD 37,500. 
 
¶E.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced? 
 
Prostitution, as well as pimping, running a brothel, or other 
related activities, is illegal.  The police forces do not 
have the resources to sufficiently enforce these laws. 
 
¶F.  Has the government prosecuted any cases against human 
trafficking offenders? 
 
Not during the reporting period. 
 
¶G.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and 
prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
No. 
 
¶H.  Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, can post provide the number of cooperative 
international investigations on trafficking? 
 
No. 
 
¶I.  Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, can post provide 
the number of traffickers extradited?  Does the government 
extradite its own nationals charged with such offenses? 
 
N/A 
 
¶J.  Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
 
No. 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000121  003 OF 005 
 
 
 
¶K.  If government officials are involved in trafficking, what 
steps has the government taken to end such participation? 
Have any government officials been prosecuted for involvement 
in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption?  Have any 
been convicted?  What sentence(s) was imposed?  Please 
provide specific numbers, if available. 
 
N/A 
 
¶L.  N/A 
 
¶M.  If the country has an identified child sex tourism 
problem (as source or destination), how many foreign 
pedophiles has the government prosecuted or 
depored/extradited to their country of origin? 
 
Thereare no reports of child sex tourism. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Para 29 - Prtection and Assistance to Victims 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  oes the government assist traffickingvictims, for 
example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, or other relief from deportation? 
 
There have been no reports of any victims.  If there were 
victims, the Women's Bureau and the Dominican National 
Council of Women (DNCW), an NGO focused on women's issues, 
would provide counseling.  Currently, there are no provisions 
for temporary to permanent residency status. 
 
¶B.  Does the country have victim care facilities which are 
accessible to trafficking victims? 
 
The DNCW provides shelter for victims of gender-based crimes 
and could use this shelter for trafficking victims. 
 
¶C.  Does the government provide funding or other forms of 
support to foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international 
organizations for services to trafficking victims? 
 
No. 
 
¶D.  Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and 
social services personnel have a formal system of identifying 
victims of trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they 
come in contact? 
 
No. 
 
¶E.  N/A 
 
¶F.  Are the rights of victims respected?  Are victims 
detained or jailed?  If detained or jailed, for how long? 
Are victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of 
other laws, such as those governing immigration or 
prostitution? 
 
An understanding of the importance of protecting the victims 
is increasing in Dominica.  However, it is still likely that 
victims would be prosecuted for immigration violations or 
charges of prostitution. 
 
¶G.  Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking? 
 
N/A 
 
¶H.  What kind of protection is the government able to provide 
for victims and witnesses?  Does it provide these protections 
in practice?  What type of shelter or services does the 
government provide? 
 
The Women's Bureau or DNCW may be able to help a victim find 
shelter. 
 
¶I.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000121  004 OF 005 
 
 
government officials in identifying trafficking victims and 
in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, 
including the special needs of trafficked children? 
 
No. 
 
¶J.  Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its repatriated nationals 
who are victims of trafficking? 
 
N/A 
 
¶K.  Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work 
with trafficking victims?  What type of services do they 
provide?  What sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities?  NOTE:  If post reports that a government is 
incapable of assisting and protecting TIP victims, then post 
should explain thoroughly.  Funding, personnel, and training 
constraints should be noted, if applicable. Conversely, the 
lack of political will to address the problem should be noted 
as well. 
 
The Women's Bureau, as well as other involved government 
agencies, are understaffed and under-funded to research and 
combat trafficking in persons effectively.  As there are no 
documented cases at this time, there is little political will 
to invest in anti-trafficking measures. 
 
-------------------- 
Para 30 - Prevention 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in the country? 
 
No. 
 
¶B.  Are there, or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns conducted 
during the reporting period? 
 
No. 
 
¶C.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
The Women's Bureau has a close working relationship with DNCW 
on various gender issues.  Together, these organizations are 
slowly starting to raise awareness around potential 
trafficking issues in Dominica. 
 
¶D.  Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along 
borders? 
 
No. 
 
¶E.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, internal, international, and 
multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force?  Does the 
government have a trafficking in persons working group or a 
single point of contact?  Does the government have a public 
corruption task force? 
 
No. 
 
¶F.  Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were 
involved in developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the 
process?  What steps has the government taken to disseminate 
the action plan? 
 
No. 
 
¶G.  What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000121  005 OF 005 
 
 
 
None. 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶I. N/A 
OURISMAN