Report: Scale of child trafficking cases in Romania underreported, sexual exploitation most common

A new report from the Romanian branch of NGO Justice and Care shows that the scale of the child trafficking phenomenon is underestimated by the authorities and that sexual exploitation, particularly of girls, remains the primary form of trafficking.

The study, based on field research and interviews with specialists from three counties, namely Dolj, Bacău, and Iași, reveals a persistent and insufficiently documented phenomenon. Official data from the National Agency Against Human Trafficking reflects only a small portion of actual child trafficking cases, the authors say.

The same report shows that most victims, around 85%, are girls, aged 14 to 17, but that there is a significant increase in cases of boys being exploited, especially through online platforms. As awareness remains low, children communities do not recognize the dangers of trafficking, and a lack of trust in state institutions affects the reporting of cases.

According to the report, 62% of child trafficking cases in Romania originate from rural areas. Bacău and Dolj are the counties with the highest number of identified victims in the last five years, namely 114 and 117 cases, respectively.

The report highlights that vulnerability factors are multiple and interconnected. Poverty, uncontrolled access to social media, the normalization of sexual violence/exploitation in communities, and the lack of adequate education are the main risks exposing children to trafficking and exploitation.

Villages and small towns are the epicenter of vulnerability in child trafficking. In these communities, poverty, lack of opportunities, and geographic isolation create fertile ground for victim recruitment. Romania has one of the highest school dropout rates in the EU - around 15.6% in 2022 - and children who leave school become easy targets for traffickers.

"Often, trafficking does not begin with abduction but with a promise of work, education, or a romantic relationship. Families are either uninformed or complicit, and the absence of local protection mechanisms makes victims almost invisible,” stated Mădălina Turza, Country Director of Justice and Care Romania.

On the other hand, local authorities are not supported and do not have access to information, resources, or prevention mechanisms. Rural schools have, on average, one school counselor for over 900 students, and access to protection services is limited.

Although Romania has recently adopted essential legislative changes, the lack of specialized judges, long trial durations, limited resources, and the absence of identification, intervention, and referral tools at the community level hinder efforts to combat the phenomenon, according to Justice and Care Romania.