New Zealand's classification as a source country for international trafficking has come as a surprise to the head of a child exploitation awareness group.
The latest US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report (TIPS) describes New Zealand as "a source country for underage girls subjected to sex trafficking within the country".
The National Director of ECPAT Alan Bell told TV ONE's Breakfast the classification is a concern.
"We've been ranked as source country and that means according to the TIPS report, people are being sourced in New Zealand to be trafficked," he said.
The report also claims New Zealand is "reportedly a destination country for women from Asian countries, such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, and China, and Eastern Europe trafficked into forced prostitution".
It states while no definite evidence of prostitutes being brought into the country has emerged in the past year, there have been press reports which claim women are brought to the country by labour agents, but have their passports confiscated on arrival and are forced to work in brothels.
Bell said there has not been a prosecution for trafficking in New Zealand in the past year, but reports like this are a reminder that it needs to be taken seriously.
"There's lots of anecdotal evidence, so just because there's been no prosecutions doesn't mean to say there's not some bad things happening somewhere.
"What this report does do is highlight there's no room for complacency and it's something we need to keep on top of and prevent coming to New Zealand."The report also mentions media reports of fishermen from Southeast Asia who are allegedly victims of forced labour in New Zealand waters.
"These men may have experienced conditions including passport confiscation, significant debts, physical violence and abuse, and are often forced to work a seven-day work week," it says.
It adds that no independent research has been carried out into the claims.
New Zealand is ranked as a Tier 1 country in the report, which is the highest category and means the Government fully complies with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act's (TVPA) minimum standards.
Watch VideoSource: tvnz.co.nz
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