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Trafficking in Human Beings as an Extreme Problem in Ukraine

NCJ Number
238427
Journal
Internal Security Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: July-December 2010 Pages: 33-43
Author(s)
Olena Vasylenko
Date Published
December 2010
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article examines the problem of human trafficking for the Ukrainian society, government and law enforcement.
Abstract
Problem of trafficking in people is extremely critical for the Ukrainian society, government and law enforcement. Ukraine is considered as one of the major source countries for trafficking of women and children together with the other Eastern European countries - former Eastern Soviet bloc countries such as Albania, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, and Belarus. However, Ukraine is not only a source, but also a transit and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for various forms of exploitation - forced labor, porno business, donors for the transplantation of tissues and organs, etc. Trafficking in human beings in some cases is controlled by large criminal organizations; however, the majority of trafficking is done by networks of smaller groups, each specializing in a certain area, like recruitment, transportation, advertising, or retail. Therefore, the definitions of this phenomenon, its forms and methods of counteracting, in particular legislative and judicial support, international cooperation are analyzed in the article. The counter-trafficking activities of the law enforcement, governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in combating trafficking in people are presented in the paper. It has been also suggested that the critical situation of trafficking in people in Ukraine requires consolidation of efforts by legislative, law enforcement and judicial bodies, central and local bodies of executive power and bodies of local administration as well as international and non-governmental organizations. (Published Abstract)