Cablegate: Tip: Follow-Up On Pre-World Cup Raids in State of Hesse

VZCZCXRO5678
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHFT #4232/01 1720651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210651Z JUN 06
FM AMCONSUL FRANKFURT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5090
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FRANKFURT 004232

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, DRL/IL, INL/HSTC, AND PRM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC GM
SUBJECT: TIP: Follow-Up on Pre-World Cup Raids in State of Hesse

REF: A) Frankfurt 3313; B) Frankfurt 0889

Sensitive but unclassified; not for internet distribution.

1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In pre-World Cup raids against forced prostitution
and trafficking in the German state of Hesse on May 10, German law
enforcement officials detained 74 persons. Police and NGOs are now
working with prostitutes to identify trafficking victims and build
cases against pimps/traffickers. Police are convinced their efforts
are successful and say media predictions that large numbers of
foreign prostitutes would come to Germany for the World Cup were
grossly exaggerated. NGOs are satisfied with police cooperation,
but some say "dragnet" raids and routine police actions to check
brothels are not the best tool to combat trafficking in persons
(TIP). END SUMMARY.

By the Numbers
--------------

2. (SBU) According to contacts from the Hesse state Office of
Criminal Investigation (LKA/Landeskriminalamt) and Frankfurt police,
hundreds of police and other state officials checked streets where
prostitutes are permitted to work and raided private apartments
during daytime hours May 10, followed by raids of major brothels
that evening. Law enforcement officials methodically checked
establishments, looking for signs of illegal prostitution and
trafficked persons (ref A). Police told ConGen officials identity
checks are one of the tools they use to identify potential
trafficking victims and minors working as prostitutes.

Detailed figures for the raids by region (Hesse LKA numbers):

Southern Hesse: 484 police involved -- 51 prostitutes placed in
protective custody

Central Hesse: 150 police involved -- 12 prostitutes placed in
protective custody

Northern Hesse: 100 police involved -- 11 prostitutes placed in
protective custody (7 Romanians, four Russians)

Eastern Hesse: 76 police involved -- no persons detained

What Happens To Victims?
------------------------

3. (SBU) For the seventy-four women taken into police custody,
detention by police was the first step in a process designed to
protect them and identify/prosecute traffickers. In a private
meeting with Consulate representatives, Frankfurt Police President
Axel Thiel and investigator Wolfgang Meyer emphasized that police
throughout the process treat detained prostitutes as victims, not
criminals. Meyer pointed out that many women do not initially see
themselves as victims but come to that realization after counseling
and assistance. Although some counseling is provided by police
social workers, most is provided by NGOs, which cooperate closely
with police to ensure victims receive counseling and legal
assistance. Following investigations and court proceedings, women
can, in some cases, return to their home countries. Others obtain
legal resident status in Germany. Police work with NGOs to persuade
victims to testify against their pimps/traffickers. According to
Barbara Dierichs, Chairperson of Franka (an NGO in northern Hesse),
the organization is currently counseling ten of the eleven women who
were detained in northern Hesse.

Frankfurt Police President
--------------------------

4. (SBU) Frankfurt Police President Thiel expressed frustration at
negative media reports on TIP and prostitution in Germany.
Regarding the large-scale raids on May 10, Thiel said police
findings demonstrate there has been no substantial increase in TIP
and that the oft-repeated figure of 40,000 prostitutes converging on
Germany for the FIFA World Cup is a gross exaggeration. Thiel
conceded that in an operation of such magnitude (with hundreds of
locations checked in one day), it was possible that venues checked
later in the day had been tipped off to the raids by venues checked
earlier in the day. However, police found that many brothel owners
and prostitutes seemed surprised even later in the day. Thiel and
Meyer told us police surveillance and raids are effective measures
against TIP and said they would continue to use such methods to
fight TIP during and after the World Cup.

Police: Fans Unlikely to Frequent Private Apartments
--------------------------------------------- -------

5. (SBU) Meyer reported private apartment prostitution will not play
a significant role during the World Cup. He claimed fans looking
for sexual services would likely go to brothels in the city center,

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which remain under close police surveillance. Foreign fans would
find it difficult to access private apartments due to language
constraints and unfamiliarity (advertisements for such apartments /
escort services usually appear in classified ads in local
newspapers). Meyer acknowledged street prostitution remains a major
challenge for police during the World Cup.

NGOs
----

6. (SBU) NGOs such as Frankfurt-based FIM (Frauenrecht ist
Menschenrecht/Women's Rights are Human Rights) and Franka tell us
they are pleased on the whole with police efforts and cooperation,
but that raids tend to focus resources in areas of legal
prostitution (see ref A). Pointing to the relatively low number of
arrests in northern Hesse (11), Franka's Barbara Dierichs said she
suspects some brothels were tipped off before the raid, but noted
police had success in outlying establishments not normally under
surveillance (which were caught off guard).

Controversial NGO Dona Carmen Criticizes Raids
--------------------------------------------- -

7. (SBU) Dona Carmen, a controversial Frankfurt-based NGO that works
closely with prostitutes in Germany and supports their efforts to
organize, was critical of the raids and similar police operations.
Dona Carmen spokesperson Juanita Henning told us "oversized raids"
like the ones in Hesse further stigmatize and isolate prostitutes,
damaging legitimate efforts to assist TIP victims. Citing German
Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (BKA) sources, Henning
stated 99.5% of all prostitutes in Germany work legally and that
large-scale "show" raids mostly just harass legal prostitutes. She
called upon the German government to grant full legal status to
foreign prostitutes working in Germany to enable them to receive
social benefits. (NOTE: While Dona Carmen has extensive contacts
among prostitutes -- particularly long-time sex workers -- it is
somewhat isolated among German NGOs in the sector. END NOTE.)

8. (U) This message was coordinated with Embassy Berlin.

AKER

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