NCJ Number: 185270
Title: Promised Land: A Study of Trafficking in Women from Central and Eastern Europe to the Netherlands
Journal: European Journal on Crminal Policy and Research Volume:8 Issue:3 Dated:September 2000 Pages:379-388
Author(s): Judith Vocks; Jan Nijboer
Date Published: September 2000
Page Count: 10
Publisher: http://www.kluweronline.nl
Type: Report (Study/Research)
Format: Article
Language: English
Country: Netherlands
Annotation: This study on trafficking in women from Central and Eastern
Europe to the Netherlands explores the contextual factors, the
characteristics, and the motivation of victims as well as the
methods of traffickers.
Abstract: 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
Main Term(s): Female victims
Index Term(s): Europe; Netherlands; Prostitution; Prostitution across international borders; Prostitution causes
To cite this abstract, use the following link: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=185270
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