Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeThe UNAdministeredProvince ofKosovo1.1. Migration, prostitution and traffickingKosovo has been identified predominantly as a destination and to someextend a transit point for trafficking of women and girls. The main routes intoKosovo appear to be through FYR Macedonia and Central Serbia. If women aretrafficked on from Kosovo, it is mainly through Montenegro into Albania, andthen to Italy and Western Europe.During the period February 2000 to August 2001, IOM in Priãtina collecteddata from 200 foreign women and girls that they assisted to return home,which provides some glimpse into the patterns and methods of trafficking.According to this data, women and girls were mainly trafficked from theRepublic of Moldova (60 percent), Romania (19.5 percent), Ukraine (10 percent)and Bulgaria (7 percent), followed by singular cases from Albania andRussia. Ten percent of victims were under 18 years of age. Sixty eight percentof women had been in Kosovo less than three months. 105The patterns of recruitment are the same as described elsewhere in thereport. 106 The majority of women and girls had been told that they were goingto work in Italy (57 percent). Seventy-two percent were recruited by false jobpromises, and nine percent were kidnapped. 107 Only 30 percent were awareof the possibility of being involved in entertainment-related activities. Fiftypercent of recruiters were women, 51 percent of recruiters were unknown tothe victim prior to recruitment.The living and working conditions in the Kosovo sex industry are abhorrent,exploitative and akin to slavery. Only 13.5 percent of women received regularpayments for the services they provide. Fifty-five percent were beaten by traffickers,and 55 percent were sexually abused. The majority of women and girlswere forced to have unprotected sex, 40 percent of women used condomsonly occasionally. Thirty-six percent were denied medical care, and only 10percent had regular medical care.According to the CIVPOL Trafficking and Prostitution Investigation Unit (TPIU)estimates, there are approximately 1.000 women and girls in Kosovo whomight be victims of trafficking and approximately 85 recognised brothels,including five in Priãtina. These figures seem rather low, especially as theNGOs estimate the number of brothels in Priãtina to be much higher.According to the police, the majority of customers are local men, althoughmembers of the international community constitute a sizeable 40 percent ofthe clientele, mostly KFOR soldiers. There is a suspicion that UNMIK internationalpolice officers might be involved in trafficking - some members of theinternational police were repatriated for suspected involvement in trafficking.108 According to local NGOs, prior to the war in 1999 and the consequentinternational presence in Kosovo, not only trafficking but also prostitution wasvery uncommon. As in other countries in the region, even if the internationalclients are a minority of customers, they bring the bigger profit, by spendingmuch more money in brothels.There is also growing evidence of internal trafficking of women and girls fromSerbia into Kosovo and within Kosovo of both Kosovo Serb and Kosovo Alba-96105.Return and Reintegration Project, Situation Report – February 2000 to August 2001, IOM,Priãtina, 2001.106. Ibid. p. 8.107. Ibid. p. 9.108.In a recent case in Mitrovica North, three higher level police officers, including a stationcommander, were repatriated for suspected involvement. See: “Minutes from October 18Trafficking Round Table Meeting”, OSCE, Pristina, 22 October 2001.