Singapore on US Human Trafficking Watchlist

The United States has put Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam on a human trafficking watch list, accusing them of failing to prevent women from being forced into prostitution. The move opens the way for the United States to cut off some civilian assistance, although it usually functions as a symbolic means to pressure countries to take action.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has made women's and children's rights a signature issue, called human trafficking a 'terrible crime' as she presented the State Department's annual report. 'All of us have a responsibility to bring this practice to an end,' she said. The report estimated that 12.3 million people were the victims of trafficking in 2009-2010, although it said there has been progress in the past decade.

Explaining the downgrade for Singapore, the report said that some women from China, the Philippines and Thailand are tricked into coming to the city-state with promises of legitimate employment and coerced into the sex trade. The report said that while Singapore launched 'some significant new steps' against trafficking, there were no 'quantifiable indicators' that the government was identifying more victims or prosecuting more culprits.