With national statistics confirming that more than 80 per cent of
victims of trafficking are female, IOM and Costa Rica's National
Institute of Women (INAMU by its Spanish acronym) are launching a
new mass information campaign aimed at stopping the trafficking of
women for sexual and labour exploitation.

"No More Trafficking of Women" is the slogan of the new
television and radio campaign that will kick off next week on
national radio and television.  The campaign's Public Service
Announcements (PSAs) will begin airing on national radio and
television on Monday 22 October.

According to studies carried out by IOM and other organizations
working to combat human trafficking, local and regional human
trafficking networks transport their victims inside the country, as
well as across international borders to final destinations that
include Mexico and Japan, amongst others.

"This new campaign will reach all Costa Ricans, but it was
specifically designed to reach out to the female population that is
most vulnerable to human trafficking in this country.  We need
to raise awareness amongst potential victims, and the free 911
hotline number is the best way to provide information to this
population," explains Agueda Marin, IOM's Regional Counter
Trafficking Coordinator.

The TV and radio spots tell the stories of real victims of
trafficking who have experienced, including physical and sexual
abuse, confinement and isolation, and confiscation of their
identity documents.

"We believe that the trafficking of women is the worst
manifestation of gender violence. All women in this country need to
know that this practice exists so they can protect themselves from
traffickers who prey on their lack of information," adds Jeannette
Carrillo, President of the National Institute of Women.

This campaign is part of the programme "Capacity Building to
Prevent the Trafficking of Women in Costa Rica", implemented by
IOM, INAMU, and the Feminist Network Against Violence; it is
financed by the Swiss Embassy.

IOM is implementing similar counter trafficking programs in
other Central American countries.

The PSAs are available on the IOM Costa Rica website at
class="paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"http://www.oim.or.cr">www.oim.or.cr

For more information, please contact:

Ana Beatriz Fernández

IOM San José

Tel: +506 221 53 48

E-mail:  "mailto:afernandez@iom.int">afernandez@iom.int