Sex trafficking of women across Europe: causes and criminal networks

Sex Trafficking of Women Across Europe

Sex trafficking is the transportation of women using deception, force, and coercion into slavery and exploitative conditions. Sex trafficking is associated with organized crime. In the global economy, selling of women for sexual bondage is the fastest growing criminal enterprise. The European Union has stated that the problem of sex trafficking is growing worse with each passing year. It is estimated that women account for 96% of sex trafficked victims. The victims are mostly from European countries like Bulgaria, Romania, or Moldova. Outside Europe Nigeria and China accounted for most victims.

There are many factors that compel women to fall into the arms of sex traffickers outside their home country. The traffickers deceive women seeking better employment in foreign countries, and once they arrive, they are kept in bondage in the foreign country. The factors that contribute to sex trafficking of women are economic, demand for sexual services from women, search for a better life, organized crime, and domestic violence.

Economic factors

Women are discriminated in the workplace, which leads to them having unfavorable working conditions. The unequal economic situation leads to their desire to search for employment abroad. This makes them vulnerable to the trafficker who will lure them with enticing and better opportunities abroad. Economic disparities have contributed to the trafficking of women for sex. Sex trafficking takes place from low-income to high-income countries. The traffickers will mainly target women who are economically disadvantaged and will offer them lucrative jobs. Once the women arrive in the foreign country, the traffickers will confiscate their documents and force them into prostitution.

Trafficking is a lucrative business for the traffickers, and this led to organized criminal enterprises. The traffickers will exploit the women financially before they transport them to the foreign country. The traffickers charge inflated prices for securing the women the alleged jobs, transportation, meals, lodging, travel documentation, and incidentals. The traffickers also profit from selling the women once they arrive in the foreign country. For the traffickers to maximize on their profits, they keep the women in poor, crowded conditions. There are instances where the traffickers charge the victims to get back their passports.

The victims are forced into sex slavery where they are kept in unmarked brothels in unsuspecting neighborhoods Goodey, 2004.

The sex traffickers will also operate from public and private locations like spas, strip clubs and massage parlors. The traffickers often rape the women before they can start servicing any clients. This initiates them to the cycle of degradation and abuse. The victims can service approximately 30 men in a day.

Search for a better life

Poverty in the home country is the driving factor for women to look abroad for better opportunities. Many women will use employment agencies without confirming the legitimacy of the agencies. The traffickers have setup employment and educational agencies, which advertise employment and education opportunities. The agencies mostly target women, and this would be a good way to tell they are illegitimate. The prospect of having a better life abroad is enough to lure most women into the trap of the sex traffickers. The sex traffickers will not abuse the women in their home country. They will wait until they arrive in the foreign country for them to start the abuse. This restricts the women from reporting the abuse, as most times they cannot understand the language and the traffickers' lie to them that they are in the country illegally.

There are many opportunities abroad for women, but they need to follow the correct channels if they do not want to fall for the sex traffickers. Using short cuts and other means leads women in the hands of sex traffickers, as they have an opportunity to threaten the victim. The lack of education has led many women to become victims of sex trafficking. The traffickers coerce and deceive the women into signing documents they do not understand, and the women become indebted to them once they arrive in the foreign country. Women should be careful and read guidelines about foreign travel and employment. This will ensure they do not get trapped by the sex traffickers.