Factors of Human Trafficking in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine

Human trafficking is the third largest criminal industry in the world, exceeded only by the drug trade and the illegal arms industry (Obuah, 2006). According to the Trafficking in Persons Report, 27 million adults and children are in labour and sex trafficking around the world at any given time (U.S. Department of State, 2012).

GfK Ukraine conducted 4 waves of nationally representative surveys in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015 on labour migration and trafficking. Belarus shows stable indicators within 9 years. In Moldova in 2006-2011 the trend of increasing of illegal labour migration and trafficking rates was observed while in 2015 it changed into a positive trend of decreasing of the number of illegal labour migrants after the introduction of visa-free regime in 2014. In Ukraine the trend of increasing of illegal labour migration and trafficking rates is identified as of beginning 2015, after military conflicts start in spring 2014.

The paper suggests the model of factors influencing human trafficking rates in three aforementioned countries (labour migration rates, illegal labour migration rates, welfare and employment rates, awareness of the risks of human trafficking in particular situations, readiness to take risks etc).