64. Malaysia
Population: 30m
| Prostitution: Limited Legality
Prostitution is not a criminal offense, but soliciting prostitution is illegal.
Brothel Ownership: Illegal
Pimping: Illegal
| "From 2008 until Mar 15, police saved 39 foreigners aged between 18 to 25-year-old, who had been forced into prostitution by their agents... They were among the 12,070 prostitutes nabbed throughout the country in 2008. Out of that number, 8,949 were foreigners - China (4,496), Indonesia (1,389), Thailand (1049), Philippines (1,090) and Vietnam (512). And from January to March 15, police arrested 2,878 prostitutes, out of which 2,144 were foreigners - China (1,030), Indonesia (387), Thailand (237), Vietnam (222) and the Philippines (188). In most of the cases, victims were locked in a room after being brought into the country and forced into prostitution... There is a new department to handle human trafficking cases known as the Anti-Trafficking In Person (ATIP) which was set up early last year." Rashitha A. Hamid, "Police Nab 2,878 Prostitutes; Many Are Duped Foreigners," Star, Mar. 20, 2009 |