The Ukrainian Crisis Flourished the Prostitution Business in Israeli Society

A short period after Russia launched war against Ukraine, Israeli media revealed an increase in the number of Ukrainian women refugees working as prostitutes in “Israel” after taking advantage of their difficult situation and poor conditions.

A recent Hebrew channel investigation has exposed new witnesses about hundreds of Israeli sex traffickers targeting Ukrainian asylum seekers fleeing the war in their country.

Lured with good jobs and high salaries, Ukrainian women have found themselves subjected to sexual slavery after being detained in apartments for prostitution in Tel Aviv.

Kan channel investigation indicated that the past few months witnessed an increase in the number of advertisements in the Hebrew language in “Israel” that announce the facilitation of prostitution by offering Ukrainian women, indicating that these advertisements are behind hundreds of Israeli sex dealers who are trying to bring Ukrainian women seeking refuge.

 

From Refugees to Prostitutes

A television investigation broadcast by the Hebrew Kan channel revealed that hundreds of Israeli sex traffickers are targeting Ukrainian asylum seekers fleeing the war in their country. The victims have found themselves subjected to sexual slavery after being detained in apartments designated for prostitution business.

The Hebrew channel recruited a Ukrainian investigative journalist, who is also a refugee; she told her story about being lured by many Israeli Ads to work in prostitution. In one of the conversations related to this kind of offer, an Israeli sex trafficker suggested: “You can start working as soon as you arrive at the airport, 2-3 working shifts will be enough to pay the monthly rent for the apartment where you will stay.”

Kan’s investigation confirmed that the process of transferring the victims to “Israel” is not complicated at all. It is not based on smuggling women at night, but rather they come to work in prostitution openly through Lod Airport, indicating that the social worker, Naama from the Lo Omdot Me’negged association, receives at least two calls per week to come to the airport because of suspicions about some women arriving from abroad, after being interrogated at the border checkpoint at the airport.

“Usually the women are young, between 22 and 21 years old, but there are also older women with children. They know they come to work as prostitutes. They are promised a lot of money, a good job, excellent conditions,” Naama tells Kan. “Practically, from the moment the woman arrives, she will be detained in an apartment in the center of the country under full control of those who exploit her by engaging her in prostitution.”

Anas Abu Arqoub, a journalist specializing in Israeli affairs, referred to a study conducted by the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University and published early last year, which showed that the Israeli law enforcement authorities do not make sufficient efforts to combat human trafficking and their employment in conditions of slavery.

The study revealed that only one female policewoman was assigned in the Israeli police to monitor the victims of human trafficking, while the Israeli judiciary, from 2006 until the date of the study’s publication, had only convicted one person of employing workers in slavery conditions.

 

Ukrainian Jewish Discrimination

At a time when the Israeli government has intensified its local and international efforts to play a prominent role in the Ukrainian war, whether in terms of mediation or support in various fields, Israeli reports revealed a “discrimination policy” between Jewish and non-Jewish Ukrainians, and the prostitution business exploitation of the humanity crisis Ukrainian women, who come to “Israel” seeking protection and asylum, are experiencing.

Their arrival has led to the flourishing of the prostitution business among a large number of Ukrainian women.

What is remarkable about this is that Ukrainian women who have been living in “Israel” for years have provided support and assistance to traffickers to lure newly arrived Ukrainian refugees and to take advantage of their urgent need for money to push them into prostitution.

Perhaps the issue did not surprise many in “Israel,” as prostitution dealers, especially in Tel Aviv and Haifa, always rely on “hunting victims” from countries witnessing wars or political crises to live.

What the Israeli Ministry of Welfare, the Immigration Authority, and the police are looking for these days to uncover prostitution networks brings to mind this business that flourished in the past and even reached its peak with the arrival of large waves of Russian immigrants.

Hundreds of brothels used to attract women from Russia, and Ukraine too, were revealed.

The irony is that the Ukrainian women who were victims when they came to “Israel” years ago are today an effective element in reviving the prostitution business. Their mission begins with luring girls and women into a life of luxury and prosperity in “Israel.” As for the Israeli traffickers, they, in turn, offer financial and living incentives to transfer the Ukrainian women to “Israel.”

 

Israeli Human Trafficking

When leaving Ukraine for “Israel,” women are told they are coming to work in houses and take care of the elderly. After accepting, they are required to pay a commission to facilitate their entry into “Israel,” and as a means to encourage them, it is agreed to pay the commission after starting work. At the moment the plane carrying the women lands at Ben Gurion International Airport, and after being taken to the hotel that the Israeli government has designated for Ukrainian refugees, a representative of the prostitution dealers informs the Ukrainian newcomers that they need to pay a lot of money (the commission) they cannot afford, so they must agree to work in prostitution to pay off their debts.

According to a report published by Channel 12 on Israeli television in March, the issue was revealed by an estimated 100 women who were asked at Ben Gurion Airport to pay after working as prostitutes. Their arrival on private flights raised the suspicions of the security forces.

During the inquiry, they gave similar descriptions of the person who offered them money to help them flee from the war zones in Ukraine, cross the border and take a plane bound for “Israel.”

A few weeks after the Russian invasion, Israeli men started posting jokes on social media about Ukrainian women. A young Israeli man posted a picture with two women on his Facebook account and commented: “Beautiful, I am now receiving two Ukrainians. In Israel, there are more people looking for a warm home; who will donate?”

Another posted to invite refugee women from Ukraine to host them in his home.

“We are very concerned about the situation of refugees and the fact that there will be those who take advantage of their vulnerability. As long as there is a sex industry, women in distress will be exploited,” said Yahav Erez, spokesperson for the Women’s Trafficking and Prostitution Headquarters.

He stressed that “there are already reports of the kidnapping of Ukrainian women by smugglers across the border, the increase in the phenomenon of buying brides from Ukraine, and the recruitment of Ukrainian women to work in brothels in European countries such as Germany,” calling on the general public in “Israel” to be “vigilant.”

In a move to protect Ukrainian women from falling into this network, special leaflets were distributed to Ukrainian refugee women upon their arrival at the airport, including emergency phone numbers.