Case Study

Romania is a major trafficking source for exploitative sexual labour. With few employment opportunities in the country, many young women are often lured by well-paying jobs such as providing child care in foreign countries. Unfortunately, the falsely advertised positions are often disguises for prostitution. With no legal rights and limited opportunity to escape, these young women are forced to be commercial sex workers.

In 1998, the concept of “human trafficking” did not exist in Romania until Iana Matei discovered three girls who had been “bought and sold” into sexual slavery. Unable to find an organisation that could help them, an American friend gave her US$300 to rent a flat where the girls could be protected from their traffickers. This room would later serve as the headquarters for Reaching Out Romania (ROR).

ROR was founded by Iana Matei to help former victims of human trafficking through counselling and income-generating activities such as tailoring. As a strong advocate for entrepreneurship, she also holds conferences in the community to teach young women how to start their own businesses. “People need jobs to prevent them from leaving the country,” says Iana.

A former political refugee of the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Iana knows what it is like to lack freedom. She left Romania in search of better opportunities in Australia, but returned ten years later to assist vulnerable children. She has succeeded in her mission and is helping young women regain their confidence and find employment. Nearly 200 former victims of human trafficking as young as 12 years old have received assistance through ROR.

Her future goal now is to build a hotel that will not only generate income for the organisation but also provide jobs for young women. The hotel is nearing completion and will open in 2009.

Training Romania’s Aspiring Entrepreneurs

A donation of US$37,000 in 2006 enabled young women at risk for human trafficking to attend a business conference and learn how to start and manage their own businesses. Victims living at the shelter also received skills training through on-site workshops. This modest amount impacted 300 young women between the ages of 18-29 years.

Leadership

Iana found a solution where none existed before. She started Romania’s first organisation addressing victims of human trafficking and has garnered recognition around the world, including the US State Department.