Trafficking in Women From Ukraine

• NCJ Number: 203275
• Author(s): Donna M. Hughes; Tatyana Denisova
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 88 pages
• Publication Series: NIJ Research Report
• Grant Number(s): 2000-IJ-CX-0007
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This research project conducted as part of the U.S.-Ukraine Research Partnership on trafficking in women and children from Ukraine for the purpose of sexual exploitation attempts to characterize the victims of trafficking, characterize the perpetrators of trafficking and their organizations, determine if trafficking in women and children is a form and if it is linked to international organized crime networks; and determine if there are links between sex industries inside Ukraine and the international trafficking in women and children, along with recommendations for preventing trafficking.

Abstract

Following the independence of Ukraine, the sexual exploitation of women in prostitution has risen dramatically. Women are being recruited and trafficked to different destination countries. The trade is based on supply and demand from sending and receiving countries. This research project was conducted as part of the U.S.-Ukraine Research Partnership, an agreement between the International Center of the U.S. National Institute of Justice and the Ukrainian Academy of Legal Services to research trafficking in women and children from Ukraine for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The report is divided into three sections. The first section of the report is a background paper that was researched and written prior to the initiation of research in Ukraine. The scope of trafficking is discussed and the definition of trafficking reviewed. The purpose was to find the existing knowledge on trafficking of women in Ukraine and put it into social, political, and economic context of the country and region. The second section of the report describes the research methods and findings of 2 years of research. The research findings describe the economic factors compelling women to seek work abroad and the sexual exploitation of women and children and the organization of prostitution inside Ukraine. It also examines in detail the transnational trafficking of women from Ukraine. The third and final section provides eight recommendations for combating the trafficking of women from Ukraine. These recommendations include: (1) demonstrate political will to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation; (2) combat corruption and organized crime; (3) improve awareness and prevention of trafficking and sexual exploitation; (4) provide services to victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation; (5) increase law enforcement efforts to combat and prevent trafficking in women; (6) ratify and implement the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime; (7) develop international cooperation with transit and destination countries; and (8) encourage research on all aspect of trafficking and sexual exploitations. Notes and references