Romania: Emerging market for trafficking? Clients and trafficked women in Romania

Abstract

Trafficking in human beings has lately become a subject of great concern in discussions related to global criminal policies. The 90s brought with them not only the fall of communist regimes from Central and Eastern Europe, but also a lot of problems caused by the transitions these countries went through. A phenomenon of migration burst out after all border restrictions were lifted. Consequently, Romania very soon turned into an origin and transit country for trafficking in human beings due to its geographical position between two countries (Yugoslavia and the ex-Soviet Union) which were dealing with serious issues during their change into democracies. THB is inextricably linked with prostitution, which is why we considered it extremely relevant to present the provisions referring to prostitution and pimping together with the legislation and policies in the field related to trafficking in persons. It is well known that there are self-managed sex workers, but also prostitutes run by pimps. This second category is sometimes very close to the one of victims of trafficking with the purpose of sexual exploitation and that is because the relationship between the pimp and the prostitute can be a contractual or a coercive one. If the first situation can be encountered in massage parlours or escort agencies, street prostitution has mostly a violent side and many women that are working on the streets become victims of this violence. The line between pimping and trafficking of human beings, between voluntary and involuntary prostitution becomes very narrow, which is why we believe that a complex approach looking at all three aspects is needed. Again, as an introductory remark, we have to say that we used several interchangeable notions, that is, sex worker, prostitute and girls involved in prostitution.1 © 2009 Springer New York.