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[[Chile]] ratified the [[Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children | 2000 UN TIP Protocol]] in November 2004.<ref>[https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII-12-a&chapter=18&clang=_en United Nations Treaty Collection website, Chapter XVIII Penal Matters section, ''Section 12a'', retrieved August 19, 2024]</ref>

'''Chilean law does specifically prohibit trafficking in persons''', and there were isolated reports that persons were [[Human trafficking|trafficked]] to, from, and within the country for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude.<ref name=report>[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78884.htm Report on Human Rights Practices 2006: Chile]. [[United States]] [[Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor]] (March 6, 2007). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the [[public domain]].''</ref> The law criminalizes promoting the entry into or exit from the country of persons for the purpose of facilitating prostitution, with penalties of up to three years in prison and a fine of $827.<ref name="report" /> Sanctions are increased in a number of circumstances, including cases in which the victim is a minor, violence or intimidation is used, deception or abuse of authority is involved, the victim is related or under the tutelage of the perpetrator, or advantage is taken of a victim's circumstances or handicap.<ref name="report" /> The law criminalizes the prostitution of children and corruption of minors, and the age of consent for sexual relations is 14.<ref name="report" /> The law criminalizes obtaining sexual services from a minor in exchange for money or other considerations.<ref name="report" />

The [[United States Department of State|U.S. State Department]]'s [[Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons]] placed the country in [[Trafficking in Persons Report#Ranking System|"Tier 1"]] in 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2017/271117.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628043920/https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2017/271117.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-06-28|title=Trafficking in Persons Report 2017: Tier Placements|website=www.state.gov|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-01}}</ref> and in 2023.<ref name=US2023>[https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Trafficking-in-Persons-Report-2023_Introduction-Additional-Pagesv4_FINAL.pdf US Government website, ''Trafficking in Persons Report 2023'']</ref>

In 2023, the Organised Crime Index gave the country a score of 6 out of 10 for human trafficking, noting that numbers of victims had increased, while numbers of prosecutions had gone down.<ref>[https://ocindex.net/assets/downloads/2023/english/ocindex_profile_Chile_2023.pdf Organised Crime Index website, ''Chile: 2023'']</ref>

== Prosecution and Prevention ==
Most trafficking victims were minors trafficked internally for sexual exploitation.<ref name="report" /> Within the country, victims reportedly were trafficked from rural areas to urban areas such as [[Santiago]], [[Iquique]], and [[Valparaíso|Valparaiso]].<ref name="report" /> Law enforcement authorities stated that small numbers of victims were trafficked to the neighboring countries of [[Argentina]], [[Peru]], and [[Bolivia]], as well as to the [[United States]], [[Europe]], and [[Asia]].<ref name="report" /> Victims were reportedly coming to the country in 2011-2017 from [[Dominican Republic]], [[Peru]], [[Argentines|Argentinian]], [[Ecuador]], [[Venezuela]], [[Korea]], [[Russia]], [[South Africa]], [[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[China]], [[Paraguay]], [[Colombia]], and [[Bolivia]], although it was difficult to distinguish trafficking victims from [[Economic migrant|economic migrants]].<ref name="report" /><ref name=CR>{{Cite web|last=Rudnick|first=Carolina|date=2018-07-30|title=Human trafficking in Chile (and elsewhere): it's all about Justice.|url=https://medium.com/@crudnick/human-trafficking-in-chile-and-elsewhere-its-all-about-justice-361c4264a402|access-date=2021-01-27|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref>

Anecdotal reports suggested that young women were the primary targets for trafficking to other countries.<ref name=report/> Traffickers reportedly used newspaper advertisements for models and product promoters to lure girls, ages 11 to 17, into prostitution.<ref name=report/> Law enforcement agencies indicated that traffickers looking for children also targeted economically disadvantaged families, convincing the parents that they were giving the child the opportunity for a better life.<ref name=report/>

An antitrafficking coordinator in the Interior Ministry worked with the Public Ministry to gather information on new cases investigated and prosecuted.<ref name=report/> From May 1995 through March, 83 new cases were opened, with 5 pending active investigations and 1 prosecutions initiated by the year's end.<ref name=report/> Most trafficking-related cases dealt with commercial sexual exploitation of minors.<ref name=report/> The Public Ministry investigated 11 cases of cross-border trafficking in persons from January to November, compared with seven cases in all of 1995.<ref name=report/> Additionally, the PICH sex crimes and cybercrime units worked with the Ministries of Justice and Interior to address trafficking.<ref name=report/> The government cooperated with Interpol on law enforcement activities.<ref name=report/>

The Ministry of Labor performed regular worksite inspections, responded to specific complaints, and maintained offices in each region and throughout the Santiago Metropolitan Region to identify potentially abusive situations and inform workers of their legal rights.<ref name=report/> The Public Ministry trained hundreds of law enforcement agents to recognize and investigate potential trafficking and trained prosecutors to prosecute cases more effectively.<ref name=report/> SERNAM raised trafficking awareness and provided information on victim's rights and the prosecution of traffickers to 100 officials and 160 civic activists in the border cities of Iquique and Arica.<ref name=report/>

The government made substantial efforts to assist trafficking victims during the year.<ref name=report/> Child victims trafficked into sexual exploitation received counseling, psychological and health care, and educational courses in [[NGO]]-operated centers for abused and exploited children.<ref name=report/> The government gave two million dollars to 16 NGOs that implement victim-assistance programs in 12 different districts.<ref name=report/> Police officials who identified child trafficking victims referred them to family courts for placement in protective custody with foster families, relatives, or shelters and put victims in contact with NGOs.<ref name=report/>

SENAME worked with 75 local offices, with international organizations, including the International Organization for Migration, and with NGOs to ensure that minors involved in possible trafficking situations were not returned to abusive or high-risk situations.<ref name=report/> The government also worked with Bolivian and Argentine authorities to coordinate the safe repatriation of foreign victims.<ref name=report/> Trafficking victims may remain in the country during legal proceedings against their traffickers.<ref name=report/> Victims may also bring legal action against traffickers and seek restitution. The government had no residence visa program for foreign trafficking victims; however, at least one victim was granted temporary residence to avoid returning her to potential [[re-victimization]] in her home country.<ref name=report/>

In 2008, the [[Politics of Chile|Chilean government]] set up the national [[Multi-party system|multi-party]] [[task force]] "Intersectorial Committee against Trafficking in Person" for the first time. However, it was not until 2013-2014 that a first national action plan was drafted, which strategically pursued awareness-raising and training, as well as detection, prosecution and victim assistance in international cooperation.<ref name=CR />

According to the Chilean [[Human trafficking|Human Trafficking]] [[Investigations Police of Chile|Investigation Unit]] (Brigada Investigadora de Trata de Personas Metropolitana - Bitrap), 47 new cases of human trafficking were identified in 2018. Compared to the previous year, there were only nine cases in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chaparro|first=Maria Paula|date=2019-11-18|title=Human Trafficking Complaints Rise by 500 Percent in Chile|url=https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/human-trafficking-complaints-rise-in-chile/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-29|website=www.insightcrime.org}}</ref>

In 2019, the government concluded various cooperation agreements to ensure the elimination of [[Child labour|child labor]] and developed a plan until 2022 to combat human trafficking and include social programs to fight child labor. In the same year, a law was passed to protect children and young people from being re-[[Psychological trauma|traumatized]] in criminal testimonies against human trafficking.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports|url=https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/chile|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-29|website=U.S. Department of Labor}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Human rights in Chile}}

[[Category:Human trafficking by country|Chile]]
[[Category:Human trafficking in South America|Chile]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in Chile]]
[[Category:Women's rights in Chile]]

Human trafficking in Chile - Revision history

imported>RockviewLove: Adding information and external references