White House staff acknowledged later that the quote attributed to Castro came from a research paper posted on a University of Texas website that indicated the Cuban leader made the comment in the early s. Aides could not provide independent verification that Castro had said it.
However, Castro apparently has said that although prostitution is outlawed in Cuba, its prostitutes are healthy, educated and do it without coercion. Those who do so do it on their own, voluntarily and without any need for it.
We can say that they are highly educated hookers and quite healthy, because we are the country with the lowest number of AIDS cases. We have put a strategy in place to hasten the day when no Cuban child is exploited to finance a failed revolution and every Cuban citizen will live in freedom.
Experts say the U. A new body of law and practice aims to shift the focus to prosecuting the traffickers and rescuing their victims, who are now eligible for refugee status if they cooperate with prosecutors. The Tampa conference was the first of a series designed to train local law enforcement officials to recognize the difference between illegal immigration and human trafficking, and the difference between prostitution and sexual enslavement.
The State Department estimates that as many as 17, adults and children are trafficked across U. About Us. Brand Publishing. Times News Platforms. Real Estate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options.
