Seven faces of victimhood

Abstract

Trafficking in human beings is one of the phenomena of our society with serious consequences which, understandably, gives rise to urgent prevention and treatment measures. The main goal of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of the process of victimization. During the analysis of the interview with 36 victims1 we aim to map the vulnerability factors that act as markers for recruiters using different recruitment strategies, emphasis is also placed on the dynamics and environmental characteristics of the relationship between victim and offender. The study has been conducted in Romania, a country which in the last 20 years has been one of the major suppliers to the European sex trafficking (EUROSTAT, 2015). In the analysis, carried out within the theoretical framework of victimology, vulnerability was assessed on the basis of 3 main categories of analysis (the motivated trafficker, the absence of capable guardians and the victim’s attractiveness) and the dynamic interaction between them. The results outline seven clusters of victims: 1. victims in need; 2. nearby victims; 3. runaways from domestic violence; 4. social innovators; 5. abandoned, lost and displaced victims; 6. rebels; 7. the helpers (the risky altruists). The conclusion includes suggestions for intervention and prevention of victimisation.