Number of domestic trafficking cases rise

The number of persons trafficked within the country increased by 5 between 2005 and 2010. 12% are cases of labor or sexual exploitation. The figures were presented by NGOs at a press club, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Trafficking in humans doesn’t mean only sending them abroad. It only refers to cases of exploitation, which most often occur within the country”, said Tatiana Jardan of the International Organization for Migration. The most likely victims are poor people from villages. The usual forms of exploitation are sexual services, agricultural labor, housework or forced begging. “Obviously, sexual exploitation is the most widespread, but the number of people exploited through labor is increasing”, said lawyer Tatiana Catana. She added that children were often trafficked for land works. Tatiana Catana explained that the Moldovan legislation punished children trafficking, but not their exploitation through labor. “There is a legislative gap, as we have no regulation on day labor. There is the notion of seasonal job in the Labor Code, but that’s different”, she said. The data of “La Strada” Center show that while previously victims were trafficked through deceit, blackmail or violence, traffickers now choose their victims among mentally retarded or very poor people. Instead of payment, the victims get only cheap alcoholic drinks. The average duration of internal exploitation is 1.5 months, a little less than that of transnational trafficking.