Have you heard of the game "Where is Moldova"? It's actually a real board game and while it has a humorous name, most people don't actually know where the country is. Here are some things that others also may not know about Moldova:
-It is the poorest country in Europe
-It has a whole day dedicated to wine
-Those with the largest income are the ones who are selling people
Moldova, for 45 years, used to be one of the best places to live because of the agricultural production, weather, and opportunities. Beginning in the late 80's early 90's, people who live here have been trying to flee.
When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Moldova experienced a strong pull from Romania and Russia. People lost everything and the entire country was in crisis. Romania and Russia's political, cultural, and economic influences have played a major role in Moldova's development. People lost their identity because while part of the Soviet Union, they were forced to learn Russian but are now forced to learn Moldovan. Doctors, nurses, and very skilled workers began to lose their jobs because they could not speak Romanian. This led to starvation and illegal immigration to flee the country in order to feed their families. Moldova lost over 1.6 million of their people after this wave.
Human trafficking became a profitable enterprise at this time. Children, ages 2-15 years old, were left behind. Hundreds of thousands of Moldavans became unemployed and desperate, making them vulnerable to exploitation. Political transition benefited the development of organized crime networks that were able to take advantage of the instability of the region. Human trafficking was on the rise as crime groups capitalized on poverty, corruption, and the disadvantage position of women on society.
While there were no legal brothels in Moldova, the government did very little to protect its citizens. Officials were paid off to look the other way or even support trafficking activities. Orphanages became the top place for recruitment where girls in their most vulnerable position were handed over to traffickers as they aged out of the system. Just within the last 2 years, girls can now be found on the streets in Moldova selling themselves.
Few opportunities exist within the country and Moldovans are desperate to get out. Desperation and hopelessness leave many young women vulnerable to social manipulation and false promises from recruiters who offer opportunities in Europe and the Middle East. It's estimated that 1 in every 100 has been trafficked. Moldovan victims have been identified in more than 40 countries.
The lack of understanding moral issues lead these women to sex trafficking. Almost all victims from Moldova leave on their own free will, not fully knowing the type of work they will be involved in. 90% of victims of sexual exploitation from Moldova report that they had experienced abuse at home prior to being trafficked. Traffickers can easily manipulate these young women, given their desperation, by bribing them with love and prosperity.
Today moldova is slowly starting to make an effort to suppress human trafficking but progress is sluggish. Many organizations are attempting to educate schools and communities on the risks of trafficking to protect our future generation and give hope and restoration to victims of sex trafficking.
Check out the amazing organization that we are working with this week at www.bol.md.
