Vancouver is becoming a magnet for international prostitution and trafficked women in the lead up to the 2010 Olympics, according to anti-prostitution advocates.

Lee Lakeman, with the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, says there is an undeniable relationship between tourism and prostitution.

"For liberals to go about debating this as though women's lives were not at stake is nonsense," Lakeman said, criticizing ongoing efforts to legalize prostitution in some form.

Lakeman says enforcement efforts against those who pay for sex are inadequate, as are social safety nets that would help women leave prostitution.

"It pretty much tells men around the world, if you want to buy women, you can drop into Vancouver."

Vancouver Rape Relief is hosting a conference this month featuring advocates from around the world. The aim is to highlight the link between local demand for sex and trafficking in women from around the world.

Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Philippines-based Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, expects the world financial crisis to exacerbate global trafficking in her country, with many women going abroad enticed by jobs as caretakers and domestic aides.

Sheila Jeffreys, a political scientist from the University of Melbourne, says legalizing brothels in some Australian states has not made the street sex trade any safer for women.

"The effects have been a massive failure," she concluded.

Irwin Loy reports for Vancouver's 24 hours.