Almeria is at risk of immigrant uprising

WOMEN’S LINK WORLDWIDE has warned of the existence of white slave trade in Almeria, which they fear could involve minors. In a study entitled ‘Migrant Women: Almeria, the story nobody tells’, the organization reports the existence of networks bringing women and minors from Romania to work as prostitutes.

In February 2009, Women’s Link Worldwide published the results of the first investigation into the situation of Sub-Saharan women migrants in Spain, revealing that 67 per cent had been victims of violence during their journey and 17 per cent had been the victims of sexual violence.

This encouraged them to carry out another study, this time in Almeria, although the situation in the province applies to the rest of Spain. It reveals that the situation in which many immigrants are living in the province could lead to “conflictive outbreaks of racism such as those seen in El Ejido in 2000”.

Many immigrants live in abandoned properties with no light or water, and have nothing at all to do with local residents. Many do not have access to basic social services, either because they are unaware of how to do so, or because they are deliberately kept away from them by others.