What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking means illegal trade of people. Violence, Control, Profit, they are all at the core of human trafficking.

”The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, including exchange or transfer of control over that person, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.” – Human trafficking definition in EU Directive 2011/36/EU

Romania is a source, transit and destination country when it comes to human trafficking. Women and children from Romania are victim to forced prostitution in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, Greece, Germany, Austria, and France and within Romania itself.

According to Tip Report in 2015 in Romania 510 victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation were formally identified. This concerns victims as officially stated by the Romanian courts. In reality the number of victims is likely to be much higher, because many victims either do not view themselves as victimised, or they are too afraid to press charges (Tip Report 2016). 

Women who are involved in street prostitution can be fined in Romania. Brothels are illegal and prostitution is suspected to take place in sex clubs and hotels.