From Canada-
As final preparations take place for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling for greater awareness by organizations and governments of the problems caused by prostitution and human trafficking.
The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, part of the bishops association, says that groups involved in the struggle against human trafficking are worried that the Olympics could provide an opportunity for people who prey on the vulnerable to make money.
"The fact is that at some major sporting events, systems are often put in place to satisfy the demand for paid sex. Unfortunately, this is likely to be the case during the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver," the bishops say in a letter released Wednesday.
"As pastors of the Catholic Church in Canada, we denounce human trafficking in all its forms, whether it is intended for forced labour (domestic, farm or factory work) or for sexual exploitation (whether it be prostitution, pornography, forced marriages, strip clubs, or other). We invite the faithful to become aware of this violation of human rights and the trivialization of concerns about prostitution," the letter said.
However, a study of international sporting events released last June suggests that, contrary to popular belief, there will likely be no surge in sex-trade workers in Vancouver for the Games.
The study, commissioned by the Sex Industry Worker Safety Action Group, was a Vancouver police initiative that involves several community groups active in the city's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. It was paid for with a provincial government grant.
Researchers for the study looked at a host of past sporting events, including Olympic Games and World Cup soccer events, and found that sex trafficking generally did not increase for a number of reasons, including heightened awareness and enforcement by police of trafficking laws.
More here-
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/olympics/82852402.html
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