Austria Unknown victims of child trafficking

July 7, 2009

Comment: The article was published on the apropos of the recent FRA Report on Child trafficking, and covers some of the issues in it – like the definition of trafficking, the issue of identification, disappearance and detention. It also brings Austrian examples and quotes local experts as well – describing the problems in an Austrian context. One of them is Norbert Ceipek, head of the Viennese crisis center that caters to many Romanian and Bulgarian children. He explains how indebted parents are compelled to send their kids “working” in rich EU countries.

Another is a lawyer specializing on children who is criticizing the Austrian state for detaining minors -“even unaccompanied ones” and points out that labeling victims of trafficking as products of “hidden prostitution” does not exactly create the atmosphere of trust that would be needed to protect the victims and prosecute the traffickers. By talking to these Austrian experts about different phenomena, the article also covers the main issues of the FRA report.

The article does not cover the advice of the report about what the European Union (“a par excellence cross-border phenomenon”) should do to fight child trafficking.