facts and findings

facts and findings

content: Introduction Laws Reports Analysis Statistics

The current section comprises facts and findings related to the phenomenon of human trafficking around the world and in the Republic of Moldova, results of the studies and researches carried out by the International Center "La Strada" within more than five years of its activity. Many of these data also can be found in thematic or information publications, included in other sections, as well as current facts and findings, that are not included there, but are available in this section for users’ convenience.

Geography and facts of the phenomenon:

• If in the period of 1998-2002 the trafficking routes led more often towards the zones of military conflicts, then in recent years their geography has stretched up to the Middle East and coasts of Northern Africa (Turkey, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Libya and others). In other words, it has extended towards balneal tourist and cultural area with traditions of disregarding women, limiting their rights in proportion to men.
• According to the data of the International Center "La Strada", if in the years of 1998-2001 most of the victims were brought back to Moldova from Balkan region (about 90%), then in years of 2002-2004 the number of trafficked/returned victims from the Near and Middle East, Eastern Europe, and top countries as: Turkey, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, increased significantly. Recently, the traffic routes lead even more often towards Poland, Ukraine, Israel, and less to the Central Europe.
• Since creation (September 1, 2001) and up to the end of the 2006, the Hot Line of the International Center "La Strada" received over 20,000 of phone calls. 80% of them were information and prevention calls, while 20% were SOS calls. Mostly, these are women who contact the Hot Line, their calls totaling on average 60%, while the calls received from the men constitute 40%.
• In most of the cases, the callers ask for information regarding the employment abroad (49% of all calls), being followed by the calls that refer to the informational assistance with regard to the search or retrieval of the missing persons, that have been considered victims of the trafficking (22%). About 12% of the calls refer to the consultations on traveling to study abroad, tourism, information on the marriage with a foreigner, and other 6% refer to the status of the migrant in a foreign country. The rest 11% of all calls constitute proposals for collaboration, requests for carrying out seminars in schools on the counteracting of human trafficking.
• The study of the geography of the SOS calls to the Hot Line shows that the victims of trafficking from Moldova have been discovered in 40 states, among them: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Rumania, Syria, also in such countries as: Angola, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Switzerland, Lebanon, Great Britain, Slovakia, Spain, USA, Tajikistan, Tunis, Turkmenistan, Hungary. Yearly, the database of the International Center "La Strada" numbers from 30 to 50 cases of missing persons whose fates are unknown; however, it can be assumed that they became victims of trafficking.