To Better Know A Country: Human Trafficking in Panama

by Amanda Kloer

categories: Human Trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, To Better Know A Country

Published October 07, 2009 @ 07:00AM PT

Every year, the U.S. State Department releases a Trafficking in Persons report which rates countries on their efforts to combat human trafficking.  Each week, I'll be providing a brief glance at human trafficking in one of those countries, based off the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report, with my own (often snarky) analysis added.  This is just a snapshot of what's going on in the country.  For more information, you can check out the full text of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report here.

This Week's Country..... Panama

Basic Stats

• Ranking: Tier 2
• Status: Source, transit and destination country for trafficking victims
• Political Stability: You know that scene in Superbad where the cops are drunkenly doing donuts in the car to Van Halen's "Panama"? That's about what it's like.
• Cash Flow: Van Halen has yet to pay royalties.
• Do I Think They Care?: As long as the U.S. funds them to care, why not?

Who Are the Victims and What Are They Doing?

• Women:commercial sex
• Girls: commercial sex, domestic servitude
• Note: Forced labor is not illegal in Panama, and thus not included here. But it happens.

Where Are They Coming From and Where Are They Going?

• Victims are trafficked from Panama to Jamaica, Europe, and Israel.
• Victims are trafficked from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Central America to Panama.
• Panamanian victims are trafficked internally.

What's Gotta Happen?

• Amend laws to prohibit labor trafficking, including domestic servitude.
• Investigate and prosecute traffickers.
• Dedicate more resources to victims' services.
• Develop a system of identifying trafficking victims in prostitution.

What Can I Do

• You can support Sustainable Harvest International, an organization which helps farmers in Panama and other parts of Central America get out of poverty and support their families.

In summary, Panama is a natural transit point for human trafficking victims. It contains the Panama Canal which can allow ships to carry humans from South America to the U.S. and Europe and connects South and North America. Unfortunately, Panama's border security it woefully inadequate. Things are getting better in Panama for victims trafficked internally, but border security remains a huge issue. My reccomended solution? I think Panama should adopt the Van Halen song of the same name as their national anthem. Sure it's actually about a car, not the country, but it's energetic and catchy. And who could possibly violate the borders of a country that David Lee Roth seems to love so much?