Chinese women forced into prostitution in Vienna

Apparently, between 2011 and 2016, a human trafficker gang has forced over 70 young Chinese women into prostitution in Vienna. A lawsuit has been started against the nine defendants who are charged with human trafficking.

The Chinese girls were lured in using shady tactics

According to our sources, the Chinese women who were forced into prostitution were promised legitimate jobs in Vienna, such as housekeeping and babysitting. This is the most common way human traffickers lure girls into prostitution and unfortunately it proved to be quite a successful tactic.

Apparently, once the Chinese ladies landed in Vienna, the human traffickers took their passports and mobile phones and forced them to become prostitutes. The girls were relocated to a studio where they needed to work without their consent. The sex studios told the women that they have to work through the costs that was paid by the agency. Evidently, the money they earned was taken away from them.

The man behind the human trafficking gang

It appears that the boss behind all of this is a 40 year old Chinese native who was in custody for the last 22 months. He was officially registered in Vienna as a chef, but he has secretly operated several sex studios where the kidnapped girls worked.

According to his lawyer, the man did direct the studios, but nothing illegal happened in them. He also stated that the women that worked in the studio knew what they were getting into and that they were not forced. Apparently, the girls have kept half of the money they made (around 8,000 euros per month) and did everything out of their free will.

Currently, the leader of the human trafficker’s gang and eight additional defendants are waiting for their trial which is scheduled for the end of March.

Source:

• Die Presse (German article)