The Effects of COVID-19 on the Trafficking in Human Beings in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a new challenge that has not yet been sufficiently explored. There are thus limitations in controlling the effects this crisis has caused worldwide. The pandemic constitutes a public health emergency, so there is a need for it to be considered in the context of people trafficking. Although it is not possible to fully predict the pandemic’s effects on trafficking in human beings, previous experiences in other crisis situations could provide valuable insights into changes related to the forms of exploitation and the specifics of victims of this crime. The aim of this paper is to establish what effects the COVID-19 crisis has had on trafficking in human beings in the Republic of Serbia by analysing data collected by the Centre for the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings. This paper will present relevant data from years before the pandemic and the year in which the pandemic occurred (2020). The primary aim is to determine what changes took place in the forms of exploitation, as well as in the gender and age of victims, to create adequate conditions for the trends in this area to be followed.