Trafficking in Persons Report
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000: Trafficking in Persons Report
"The fourth annual Trafficking in Persons Report reflects the growing concern of the President, Members of Congress, and the public over the serious human rights, health, and security implications of human trafficking around the world.
One way this concern has been expressed is through the enactment of
the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (TVPRA),
which amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Among
other things, the TVPRA strengthens the tools U.S. law enforcement
authorities use to prosecute traffickers and enhances assistance to
victims of trafficking. It also requires the Department of State to
scrutinize more closely the efforts of governments to prosecute
traffickers as well as evaluate whether our international partners have
achieved appreciable progress over the past year in eliminating
trafficking in persons."
-- Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
Romania (Tier 2)
Romania is a source and transit country primarily for women and girls trafficked from Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia to Serbia and Montenegro (and Kosovo), Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Italy, and Turkey for the purpose of sexual exploitation. New destination countries for 2003 also included Spain, Portugal, Italy, The Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hungary. In 2003, the routes of trafficking changed, due in part to a January 2002 policy that allows Romanian citizens to travel without visas to European Union countries. In 2003, fewer victims were trafficked to former Yugoslav countries and more victims were trafficked to Western Europe.
The Government of Romania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government made progress in its law enforcement efforts and continued to maintain comprehensive records of trafficking in persons data. Corruption among law enforcement authorities remains a serious problem, though the government is working to address it. Support for trafficking victims is not a clear government priority, as reflected in budgetary allocations.
Prosecution
The Romanian Government significantly increased the number of
trafficking convictions and reorganized the police unit for combating
organized crime to provide more personnel for trafficking issues.
Romania’s law on trafficking specifically covers both sexual and
non-sexual exploitation with penalties that are sufficiently severe. In
2003, the police arrested 187 persons under this law and dismantled 283
criminal trafficking networks. Romanian judges sentenced 49 individuals
in 2003, as compared to zero in 2002. Penalties in 27 cases ranged from
one to 10 years in prison and in 22 cases were a year or less. In
August 2003, through a reorganization of Romania’s Unit for Combating
Organized Crime and Anti-Drugs, over 100 officers were assigned to
trafficking in persons. These officers are located at headquarters and
in 15 regions throughout 42 counties. Included in the 100 officers, all
of whom received specialize training in trafficking in persons, are 42
female officers. The Public Administration Ministry has assigned
several prosecutors, one at the national office and up to 50 in the
regions, to pursue trafficking cases. In 2003, Romanian authorities
sent two trafficking-related corruption cases to prosecution and
investigated 15 police officials for trafficking-related corruption
crimes resulting in two dismissals and 13 ongoing investigations. In
addition to psychological testing, ethics briefings, and a best
practices manual, the government took further steps in 2003 to reduce
corruption among border police by issuing standard identification
badges, conducting random integrity tests and checks of personal
belongings and cash, and publicizing a hotline for travelers to report
corruption by border officials.
Protection
The government’s victim protection efforts remained modest. By law,
victims are entitled to shelter, legal, psychological, and social
assistance. Victims may be accommodated, on a temporary basis, in
centers created for assisting and protecting victims controlled under
the jurisdiction of the county councils. The government agreed to
provide modest assistance for three out of nine county shelters, only
two of which were open by March 2004. The Ministry of Labor and Social
Solidarity is establishing a workplace integration program to stimulate
employment opportunities for victims of trafficking. The government
reported that victims were not treated as criminals, and five
trafficking victims received physical protection through a witness
protection program that was strengthened through amendments in July
2003. Efforts by Romanian embassies abroad resulted in the repatriation
of 107 trafficking victims and 25 minors from Italy, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, France, Spain, and Croatia.
Prevention
The Ministry of Education and Research ran a number of educational
programs on trafficking in 2003. School directors, educational
counselors, and teachers received instructions on how to provide
anti-trafficking guidance to students during tutorial classes and to
parents during teacher-parent conferences. Regional education
commissions monitored teachers’ implementation of trafficking
prevention provisions. Romania continued to fight against trafficking
regionally through active participation in the SECI Regional Anti-Crime
Center, within the Task Force on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
The police unit to combat organized crime initiated a database in 2003,
with the support of the United Kingdom, to better track trafficking in
persons. This unit also publishes a bi-annual informative bulletin on
trafficking and anti-trafficking efforts. Romania continued to
implement its National Plan for Combating the Trafficking in Human
Beings.
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