In a communication from the European Commission (1998), trafficking is defined as "transport of women from third countries into the European Union for the purpose of sexual exploitation." Some women enter legally, others illegally. A further distinction can be made between victims who are forced to work as prostitutes and women who initially consented to become employed in the prostitution business. The essence of victimization in trafficking is that in this process women are forced into prostitution by means of coercion, violence, deceit, or psychological pressure, with basic human rights being violated. The fact that someone may have consented to work in prostitution does not mean that she/he may be held under conditions that resemble modern slavery. A combination of rational choice theory, strain theory, and social control theory forms the theoretical framework for this research. Based on information from experts in the field, interviews with victims, questionnaires, a study of dossiers, and a search of the literature, this study developed a typology of victims, which may be helpful for prevention and law enforcement. Findings show that most of the women victims are between 18 and 23 years old, single, and without children. Three out of four had a problematic relationship with either one or both parents, more often with the father; however, at the time of the recruitment, many women were living with their parents, on whom they were financially dependent. A large number of victims had already worked as prostitutes, and more than 50 percent knew that they would have to work in the sex industry. Most victims, at some point in time, made the decision to place their future in the hands of traffickers. Economic motives were decisive for most. The traffickers look for women in their circle of friends in cafes, bars, or prostitution establishments. Exploiters use a wide variety of means to control victims, especially those without experience in prostitution; they are restrained from contacting the police or counseling agencies. More efficient preventive and law enforcement measures depend on recognizing the differences between types of victims. A preventive strategy should focus on the reduction of strain factors and an improvement in social integration for those categories of women most at risk for trafficking. 15 references