A man is accused of the sexual exploitation of a girl aged 15. The victim’s stepfather is also investigated in this case as he facilitated the sexual exploitation of the girl who is the oldest child of the five children of the family. It happened in a village in northern Moldova in 2021, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases, the girl’s parents agreed to allow the girl to periodically go to the home of a 44-year-old man related to them. At his home, the girl had been sexually exploited in August-November. In exchange, the parents received financial rewards from the man and the right to use his car.

The agreement was reached in the presence of the victim’s younger brother who was 11 then. The stepfather aged 34 is accused of acts of a sexual character towards the girl as he had discussions about sex with her and touched her intimate parts of the body.

The teen notified the authorities of what happened after she ran away from home. She was admitted to the placement center for victims and potential victims of trafficking in human beings where she was offered psychological and mental assistance.

The 33-year-old mother of the girl and a relative of the stepfather who tried to persuade the victim to give false testimony are also investigated.

In accordance with the law, trafficking in children is punished with 15 to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment.