Prostitution and Trafficking

Here in Panama prostitution is legal. Usually the women who are prostitutes are from Colombia or Nicoragua. We have met a Lady who works with prostitutes. every Wednesday she goes to a medical clinic and talks to these women who are waiting for an appointment. There are rules here where prostitutes have to register and go for checkups for their health. My team got to go and talk with these women on last Wednesday. One gal I talked with was going home soon to see her kids and her mom.Women can come in on work visa's and then they have to leave for awile when that is up and go back home. They do return to work again. I had a translator and it was nice to have help talking to her. We also got to give out booklets that talked about Jesus. The true reason for talking to them is to let them know they are loved by Jesus and what he did for all of us, but it was also nice to hear a little of her story.
A lot of these women work in gentlemens club's, spa's, strip clubs and so on, this gives them more protection from physical abuse. Women aren't treated so well, as a prostitute your life can be in danger. It is illegal to own a prostitute and take her passport and documents that is part of Human trafficking. There is a line that does get crossed here in Panama but the government is trying to crackdown on human trafficking. Children are trafficked within Panama. They can be trafficked for sex and labor and indiginous women are trafficked as prostitutes in their own country as well.
Our team has been speaking on these issues and trying to have opportuniuties to talk with these women and hear their stories. We are glad we get to go back again to the medical clinic, to talk with them and pray with them.