picture credit: www.oneworld.ca

Liliya Dudnik, (23) first came to Israel from her home in Belarus on Sar-El, a three-week program that gives participants an intensive taste of life in the Israeli army, including drills, running, and pushups.  Looking back Liliya comments with a grin, “It wasn’t fun for any of us, but I’m really happy I did it.” Wanting a deeper experience of the country, Liliya decided to come back to Israel on Career Israel, an attractive option for the post-graduate due to the level of independence granted to the participants.

 “In addition, the independent framework of the program will allow you to experience real life in Israel. This is a wonderful opportunity for college/ university graduates looking to prepare for graduate school and/or for entering the job market in their profession."

Having studied English and German, and wanting to pursue a second degree in Linguistics, Liliya sought an internship where her primary work would focus on translation.  Career Israel matched her with The Task Force on Human Trafficking (TFHT), an organization that works to eliminate human trafficking in Israel.

Before coming to the organization Liliya exclaimed that she never knew the sex-trade existed in Israel.  During her interview with TFHT she was warned, “the work was not going to be easy.”  However, she decided to go through with it and now works not only with translating general information for the TFHT's website but also directly translating victim testimonials.  “It’s very hard.  They tell you everything.”

It is estimated that between 600,000 and 800,000 women and children are trafficked across international boarders every year.  Number estimates concerning the amount of trafficked women in Israel are difficult to calculate, but the Israeli government estimates over 3,000 individuals are trafficked into Israel every year, while NGOs place the number significantly higher. 

However, do to the work of such organizations as TFHT, facts concerning the nature of human trafficking in Israel are known.  Women primarily from Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Russia are lured by traffickers promising work the West in such pursuits as waitresses, dancers, or nannies.  The women are flown to Egypt where their passports are confiscated and they are immediately smuggled through the Sinai desert to Israel on routes originally used for the drug and arms trade.  This exchange is carried out between Eastern European traffickers and Bedouin Tribesmen who use their traditional connections on both sides of the boarder to smuggle women along with light arms and drugs.  Along the way the men transporting these women often initiate them into the industry through rape and physical abuse.  Upon arriving in Israel the women are sold, often through auctions “reminiscent of the 19th century slave trade” (TFHT website) where they are stripped naked, inspected, and then labeled with a price tag ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 USD.  The average age of these women is 23 years old. 

After being purchased, the women are imprisoned in brothels or “discreet apartments” where they are forced to work 14-18 hours a day ‘servicing’ an average of 10 to 15 clients “regardless of [their] physical condition.” (TFHT website) The women see none or very little of their “profits.”  According to the TFHT website, “It is estimated that men in Israel pay 1 million visits a month to brothels around the country.”

Israel received harsh criticism and threats of sanctions from the United States due to its failure to “fully comply with the minimum standards” to eliminate trafficking.  As a result of such international pressure, according to a November 7, 2007 BBC article, Israel has began to make improvements to crack down on the previously rampant industry within her boarders. 

Liliya explains to me that TFHT functions to target human trafficking in Israel in three ways: first, by encouraging “stronger government measures to stop traffickers,” second, by securing “better rights and services for victims” and third, by promoting public awareness about trafficking in Israel.”  The day before our interview, Liliya attended a conference on the issue in Tel Aviv which was attended by prominent individuals including Knesset members and the American Ambassador to Israel.  The response the conference received was encouraging, Liliya commented, and since the initiatives of the Israeli government and such NGO’s as TFHT she continues, the “numbers (of trafficked women) have decreased dramatically.”

• For more information of the Task Force on Human Trafficking see www.tfht.org
• See BBC article (mentioned in this article) "Israel's fight against sex trafficking." 
• See recent Jerusalem Post article "State still falters on Human Trafficking."
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  Liliya Dudnick is 23 years old from Belarus and currently a participant on Career Israel interning for the Task Force on Human Trafficking.  Liliya is planning on making Aliyah.