Contemporary overview on the traffic in women for sexual purposes from Romania and Moldova to Europe

Abstract

Human trafficking takes on many forms, including sexual exploitation. The trafficking in women for sexual exploitation is a serious crime whose victims, treated as "commodities", are sold and re-sold with a view to gaining profits. Women and girls from East Europe have been trafficked for sexual purposes to work in the European Union. Since the fall of Berlin wall this phenomenon of trafficking never stopped. The aim of this thesis is to provide a contemporary overview of the issue of trafficking in women for sexual purposes from East Europe to West Europe, especially from Romania and Moldova, including its extent, relation to other criminal activities, victims and perpetrators. My purpose is to present an overview of the actual state of trafficking activities taking place in Romania, Moldova and Malta from the legal point of view, with an attempt to explain the reasons behind such a proliferation of the phenomenon and to raise the awareness in Malta, highlighting the legal framework. It was interesting to try to describe the phenomenon of trafficking for sexual purposes in both countries, Romania and Moldova, from the legal point of view, in comparing with the situation in Malta especially after the accession of Romania to European Union in 2007 and outlining the provisions of the Directive 2004/81/EC for granting in Malta residence permits of limited duration to third country nationals of Moldova. Chapter I presents the most common definitions on trafficking and differentiations between trafficking, smuggling, pimping and prostitution, whilst highlighting the definition provided in 2000 by the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, which supplements the United Nations Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime. Chapter II wants to be an overview on the trafficking in women for sexual 3 purposes from East Europe, particularly from Romania and Moldova. Therefore, the chapter starts with contemporary historical references together with a synchronic approach on trafficking phenomenon from East Europe to West Europe. Further on, Chapter II focuses on the main findings on the recent cases of trafficking in women for sexual purpose from Romania, Moldova and Malta. Then the victim profiling sub-chapter completes the analysis. Chapter III presents the legal framework in the targeted countries on trafficking with elements of comparative law. Chapter IV highlights the European and International instruments on trafficking in women adopted by the targeted countries. The mechanisms of prevention, protection and prosecution on trafficking are detailed in Chapter V. The final conclusions with solutions and recommendations aim to future directions in the fight against trafficking for sexual purposes and to raise the awareness in Malta.