How human trafficking is affecting Romania
A sensational piece of news was making headlines around Europe in 2010; the largest network of human traffickers in Europe operated from Tandarei, in southern Romania, had been dismantled. 25 people were sent to court for having smuggled 160 Roma children with the purpose of using them as beggars or in other so-called 'street operations'. The incident was forgotten in a couple of weeks and it soon became water under the bridge in Romania and abroad. Nine years later, however, on December 10th 2019, a court in Targu Mures acquitted all the 25 people involved in the Tandarei file. In 2019, the abduction, forcible confinement and eventual murder of two girls in Caracal, southern Romania shocked the entire country and its legal authorities. The question was whether those two girls had been victims of human traffickers but no answer has been provided to this day. Who are the victims of human traffickers and what is the portrait of the victim like? And do traffickers prefer some regions to others?
Iana Matei is one of the most involved activists against human trafficking and founder of an NGO entitled "Reaching out Romania". Psychologist Iana Matei has also drawn up the portrait of the most vulnerable people to human traffickers.
Iana Matei: "The most vulnerable people to human trafficking are mainly children coming out of dysfunctional families or from foster homes. Their degree of education may vary from average to below average but there are even people with higher education. However, education is unimportant, what is important is the traffickers' recruitment methods and expertise."
Oana Bîzgan, an independent MP with the 2016-2020 legislature has concrete data on this phenomenon:
Oana Bîzgan: 698 victims were identified in 2019 alone. Out of these 83% are women; 74% of these are being trafficked for sexual purposes and 40% are minors. Of course the number represents only the victims that have been identified and registered, but we know pretty well that this is only the tip of the iceberg. These are official numbers, but the real figures, the real dimensions of this scourge remain unknown. Statistics are only informative and according to OSCE estimates, only one out of 9 victims has been identified. Let that sink in and you may get a clear picture of the real phenomenon in Romania."
Referring to the most affected areas, Oana Bîzgan says there is a difference between the regions where many victims have been identified and other regions heavily affected by the phenomenon but without many victims reported. So, figures could not be trusted entirely in such cases.
Oana Bîzgan: "It is extremely difficult to say which are Romania's most affected areas in terms of human trafficking, because we must tell the difference between the areas with most victims identified and areas, which are heavily impacted by the phenomenon, but where the number of identified victims is not that big. Even the process of identifying these victims is faulty. Statistically, we have the counties of Bacau and Dolj, in southern Romania with 67 victims reported in 2019, double than in the previous year, but other affected areas are also Galati, Iasi, Calarasi, Vrancea, Prahova, Constanta, Mures, Sibiu and Brasov. The impact is extremely higher and we see this scourge is developing without problems all over the country."
According to Iana Matei, the promise of a well-paid job or a luring love story may have a devastating effect on those who do not have the ability to see the traps laid before them by the cunning human traffickers.
Iana Matei: "If the recruitment method involves a dream job, its authenticity can be verified. If there is no such possibility, those involved can inform a relative about the contract, destination etc. They can also set up a deadline: 'if I don't call you until this time, something has gone wrong'. It would be better not to accept a dream job offer unless verified beforehand."
Traffickers have often capitalized on the lack of love and affection the victim has experienced in early childhood. So their words of affection may work like charm in this case, but this charm turns out to be only black magic as Iana Matei explains.
Iana Matei: "The recruitment method most employed at present is known as <lover boy>, both in the case of major girls, and in the case of children. Traffickers prefer girls between 10 and 12 years old because they can be easily seduced. And since they come from dysfunctional families, they are automatically delusional and buy into the promise of being loved and that somebody may care for them."
As we have seen in the Tandarei case, human traffickers often get away with crime as legal procedures have been dragging on for years. And even when they get to jail, sentences have been ridiculously shortened. Here is Iana Matei again.
Iana Matei: Under law 678, this crime of human trafficking used to be severely sanctioned and culprits could get up to 12 years in prison. Unfortunately, the law has been amended and these traffickers are indicted as mere pimps nowadays getting ridiculously minor sentences of 3 to 6 years, which most of the time are suspended. We are trying to revert to the old law and get decent sentences for these criminals, who are running their business even while in jail. We must also seize all their incomes, because they make big money out of this scourge."
Independent MP Oana Bîzgan already has good legislative news so to say.
Oana Bîzgan: "For the first time in the past 12 years, traffickers can no longer benefit from suspended sentences. I am glad we were able to amend the Penal Code and tackled this issue seriously. We are still far from being able to punish these criminals as they deserve and for the trauma they created, but at least no traffickers can avoid prison now. We managed to make a clear statement here and criminals must become aware that this crime is punishable now and they will go to jail. The law is in effect and hopefully will contribute to preventing and fighting this scourge."
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