Human Trafficking in Ukraine
Human trafficking in Ukraine is not a new trend. This issue has continued to skyrocket since the end of the Soviet Union. Human trafficking was not researched until the early 90s when Ukraine and other surrounding countries realized the growth and need for a strategy to combat this phenomenon. Since 1991, over 160,000 Ukrainians have been victims. Knowing this number is extremely high the government has since discovered this country as one of the main suppliers of all types of trafficking, especially labor and sex, for all of Europe. Trafficking is a supply demand business model. Ukraine being a poorer country in Europe is a supplier for this business. Citizens of Ukraine being members of the European Union, can easily move within the European countries without any immigration issues, making the supply of humans easily delivered to meet the demand.
Human trafficking is a catastrophe in Ukraine. Forced labor and sex, are the two main types of trafficking, similar to other surrounding countries and involves everyone: children, men, women, young and old, are all victims of this crime. Several of the most recent victims who have been rescued have told their story and have discussed how they were first exposed to trafficking. Victims have said they were either promised a large lump sum of money, an opportunity for work, a higher wage position or promised money and resources to help their families. This never gets fulfilled. Instead, each victim was forced to endure awful situations, frequently raped and in many cases starved, beaten and tortured. A recovery center in the Ukraine, called Milinchuk has treated over 2,000 people since opening, nearly 95 percent reported and helped have been victims of labor trafficking.
It’s difficult to understand the logistics as to why human trafficking still exists in this century, but for Ukraine the base of this issue could be traced back to the country’s history. The first reason is because Ukraine had been conquered by Russia’s military, nearly destroying the land. This had caused an estimated 2.7 million people to flee their homes in order to avoid violence and conflict. Traffickers are preying on vulnerable people who are looking for a way to simply survive. A survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) discovered 41 percent of Ukrainians are working abroad illegally, as opposed to only 28 percent just four years prior. The economic crisis Ukraine is enduring is a huge factor why human trafficking has continued to be such a large problem. Also, there is absolutely no funding the government can provide to help fight this crime so they have to rely solely on non-government organizations. These NGOs are providing 92 percent of the funds, which is the equivalent of $1.47 million dollars by the year 2020 and unfortunately is not nearly enough. The reason for the lack of funds and the motivation to get more funds is because the country is fighting a war against Russia and are unable to also focus on the war brewing in their homeland. Due to the war and because of the terrible economic state many will take any chance, no matter how risky to be able to get out of the country and work abroad.
The millions of Ukraine citizens have made supplying victims extremely easy for traffickers. The supply of orphans alone is anywhere between 82,000 and 200,000 children combined with the economic issues, the war and distress Ukraine traffickers have been able to take advantage of these struggles and combine them to create an intertwining butterfly effect. Now Ukraine is also a “destination spot” for sex. The country is full of child soldiers and child workers in dangerous industries such as agriculture, domestic household work and are in the lumber industry. While unfortunate, this is common in Ukraine because there are so many remote areas making it is easier for many injustices to go unseen and stay hidden from the government.
With so many issues within Ukraine’s own infrastructure, the country isn’t able to solely focus on human trafficking. However the government has made some efforts to create awareness of the injustice. The government often broadcasts public service announcements on television, one being “Do not look at employment abroad through rose-colored glasses” to encourage citizens to be aware and extremely cautious of information on the internet, social media and other platforms. The government also has spent over $56,ooo dollars on a billboard campaign to prevent trafficking by educating the youth first and working up the chain because younger children are at an immediate risk in Ukraine. Leaders of NGOs and other organizations in Ukraine have also been trying to encourage leaders of the government to force harsher punishment toward traffickers and create more laws to criminalize their actions. Today Ukraine mainly relies on NGO’s and the media to raise awareness, assist victims of trafficking and encourage reform within the government to meet international standards. In 2011, the Ukrainian government adopted a variety of laws for the prosecution of traffickers, aiding victims of any type of trafficking and providing future resources for victims. However in 2012 the number of trafficking investigations, prosecutions and convictions significantly decreased after the government did not allocate funds to anti-trafficking efforts and dismantled the anti-trafficking police force. International donors were the only ones contributing to the majority of the budget used in combating sex trafficking within Ukraine. As of today the government still still doesn't contribute much in the reduction of demand for commercial sex acts and forced labor and has not reported any action to reduce the participation in international child sex tourism by Ukrainian nationals.
With so many people in Ukraine exposed to trafficking, many people consider it a “normal” part of their everyday lives. Compared to other countries across the world, human trafficking in Ukraine is very apparent. Not all traffickers hide their victims or keep quiet about their lifestyle. In fact many Ukrainians still view sex trafficked victims as ‘willing prostitutes’ yet still acknowledge how vulgar and disgusting sex trafficking is. Prostitution remains illegal in Ukraine despite how extremely widespread it is and often even ignored by the government. In a country where human trafficking has the highest rate in all of Europe, victims are still often denied police and prosecutor confidentiality, witness protection programs are scarce and don’t guarantee safety, victims aren’t necessarily sheltered from the media and are sometimes discouraged from testifying in court. The media however is one proponent of active change in Ukraine by trying to change the way Ukrainians view sex trafficking and encourage the creation of more NGO’s in the country. The media including television and print platforms, specifically Ukraine Today, which is the first Ukraine-based international TV news network, believe in order to end sex trafficking in Ukraine and reform standards, the perception of this injustice must change so others can understand the severity of human trafficking and join the fight to end it.
All over Eastern Europe the fight to end human trafficking is just as difficult. Other countries including Poland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria and dozens more are also trying to curb the expanding market of human trafficking and prosecute the buyers. The “Eastern Route” through Poland and into Germany is a key overland corridor for smuggling women into the European Union from Russia, Ukraine, Romania and the Baltic’s. Poland is one country in Eastern Europe that is very proactive in prosecuting traffickers and buyers with punishments reaching up to a maximum of 15 years. Due to the heavy volume of victims in Russia, the government signed the “Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children” along with other documents in the UN. Russia has also been cooperating with other countries, including the United States to better their understanding and services of human trafficking victims. But how does Ukraine compare to the other countries and their own attempts to end human injustices? They enact the three P’s: Prosecution, protection, and prevention.
For prosecution Ukraine has made only minimal progress. Under Article 149, Ukraine prohibited all forms of human trafficking but in recent years has only prosecuted less than 100 cases and imprisonment was almost unheard of for any buyer or trafficker. Recently passed laws may have significant impact for change in the future. For protection Ukraine mostly refers victims to NGOs and has so with nearly 500 victims. Due to the perception of victims as ‘willing prostitutes’ they are often denied of many needed resources and guidance. Ukraine does the best work through prevention of human trafficking in the country. The public service announcements frequently broadcasted for awareness previously stated is the one way they believe will inform the most listeners.
Countries all over the world are struggling with human trafficking. The question remains, why is trafficking still an issue in today’s modern century? But due to the expanding base and need for sex slaves and forced labor workers by traffickers and buyers all across the globe, human trafficking will still be an issue millions of people continue to fight. Ukraine has one of the most alarming, highest rates of trafficked men, women and children and yet still don’t have the proper resources and laws enacted to fight this problem. Together countries and people must unite to end human trafficking. Governments must prosecute buyers and traffickers and communities must stand up and protect each victim. Together an end can be put to all human trafficking in Ukraine.
