A Westerner’s View of Kazakhstan

Kazakhnomad’s Blog: A Westerner’s View of Kazakhstan:

'via Blog this'There are not the only four centers for victims of human trafficking in our country. In my hometown Aktobe there is a crisis center for women who suffer domestic violence. These same centers help victims in the southern and northern parts of the country. Mostly these NGOs seek for grants from international organizations or, if the head is on good terms with the statesmen, get support from the government. Also, The National Red Crescent Society provides any kind of support to migrants and repatriates, single mothers and all those who are “unfortunates” in Kazakhstan.

I had a great opportunity to work with one of the shelters and visited another two, I learned about their work and, what is more valuable I learned the reasons that enslave people. As far as I know, the victims could be divided into the following groups: 1) migrants from neighboring countries (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, and China), 2) ethnic Kazakhs who return from Turkmenistan, China, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, etc. as they do not speak neither Kazakh nor Russian, 3) people from low-income rural areas, 4) children from orphanages, 5) troubled children and the saddest fact, children with mental and physical disabilities.

Once an American friend asked me, what if victims tell their story to interested people as it attracts society to the problem of trafficking. Actually, one of the rescued girls from Temirtau (small industrial town dozen kilometers away from Astana) became a volunteer. She talks to women at the shelter, helps them during the rehabilitation. However, it is the only case I witnessed. Due to Kazakh mentality, people prefer not to speak about being enslaved or being forced into prostitution.