Prostitutes deported amid trafficking fears
is the agency was aware temporary migrants who breached their visa conditions by working in the sex industry were ‘‘vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers and clients’’.
The agency had screening processes to stop people entering the country and to decline visas if there were grounds to suggest their real intention for travelling to New Zealand was to work in the sex industry.
In the year to February 2018, 132 suspected illegal sex workers had been prevented from entering New Zealand – either by being denied boarding on a flight, or being refused entry upon arrival.
However, INZ was not aware there was a specific concern people were choosing New Zealand as a destination to work illegally in the sex industry, Devoy said.
Meanwhile, Prostitutes’ Collective national co-ordinator Catherine Healy said exploitation of sex workers who were breaching their visa conditions was widespread.
In two cases, women had come to the Prostitutes’ Collective to report being raped. Others said payment had been withheld.
An international report published by Thailand-based Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women found no hard evidence of human trafficking in New Zealand’s sex industry.
Healy said she was not aware of sex trafficking, but abuse against illegal migrant sex workers did exist.
Healy has said the ideal scenario would be to change the ‘‘discriminatory’’ law to allow those on temporary visas to engage in sex work.