NCJ Number
212012
Date Published
2005
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study described trafficking in women in the Czech Republic.
Abstract
Trafficking of women in the Czech Republic is mainly carried out by transnational organized criminal groups for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The current analysis focused on describing the trafficking of women in the Czech Republic based on field research, official reports and statistics, press and foreign publication analysis, and comparisons of criminal codes. The findings indicate that trafficking in women is a form of organized crime in the Czech Republic. The methods of procuring Czech women victims are informal, with contact between the victim and the recruiter typically established through friends or common acquaintances. Official records indicate that many Czech women are lured abroad under the false pretext of well-paid and attractive employment. Trafficking routes from the Czech Republic take women victims predominantly to Germany and Austria followed by France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States. The Czech Republic is increasingly becoming a destination country, particularly for women trafficked out of the former Soviet Union. In terms of the detection and investigation of trafficking in women, the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts depends on the willingness of victims to come forward and to testify as witnesses during criminal proceedings. The response to organized crime is complicated by the increasing cooperation between individual organized groups, allowing for the rapid reorganization of criminal activities.