Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04ANKARA6692, TIP IN TURKEY: SHELTERED VICTIM LEADS POLICE TO

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04ANKARA6692.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04ANKARA6692 2004-12-02 13:46 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ANKARA 006692 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G. INL, INL/CTR, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
DEPARTMENT FOR VALERIE KWOK USAID E&E/ECA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM PGOV SMIG PREF KWMN TU TIP IN TURKEY
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: SHELTERED VICTIM LEADS POLICE TO 
TRAFFICKERS 
 
REF: 04 ANK 6309 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: Characterizing the events that led to the 
arrest of at least one human trafficking network member in 
Corum, Turkey as a "real success story for the shelter," 
Human Resources Development Foundation (HRDF) Executive 
Director Demet Gural told Emboff that an Azeri victim 
resident at the Istanbul shelter led police to her 
traffickers.  The victim did so despite her initial fears 
that she may be subjected to similar traumas at the hands of 
police or returned to the traffickers from whom she had 
escaped. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) "When she came to our shelter she was so frightened" 
that she refused to provide any details about her traffickers 
or the network of forced prostitution into which she was 
sold, Gural said. In three weeks at the shelter, however, the 
woman reportedly developed "a sense of security and 
confidence in HRDF staff and police investigators", 
ultimately volunteering to return to Corum and lead 
investigators to her traffickers.  According to IOM Ankara's 
Countertrafficking Program Coordinator Meltem Ersoy, the 
victim identified at least one of the traffickers and 
provided written testimony to her police escorts. Police 
arrested the trafficker and recovered the victim's passport. 
IOM repatriated the victim on November 30. 
 
3. (U) The case demonstrated a so-far effective system of 
cooperation between law enforcement officials and victims' 
assistance NGOs.  Gural commented, "All through this process, 
the police cooperation was excellent.  Police in both Ankara 
and Istanbul did whatever we asked them to do, including 
safely escorting the victim for her last visit to Corum." 
 
4. (U) Both Ersoy and Gural were quick to caution, however, 
that luck, and not the still-evolving system for managing 
victims (reftel), played a pivotal role in the success of the 
operation.  "It's not normal, but the woman was cooperative. 
We were lucky again because the victim shared a common 
language.  We still need training for our shelter staff, we 
still need funding to pay their salaries, we still need money 
to run the hotline, we still need security for facilities, 
and we still need to find a permanent location." 
EDELMAN