The sex trade is, of course, defined as being illegal in Russia due to the kidnapping and subjugation of women into this field of the criminal underworld. Buckley (2009) defines human trafficking as a new form of slavery, which relies on the taboo of illegal market activity and dehumanizes women on a massive scale. This form of coercive and hostile attacks on women are a major issue in terms of human trafficking as a major part of law enforcement on a global scale.
Various theoretical approaches have been adopted in its study. Human trafficking can be viewed as a contemporary variant of slavery, an old form of labour exploitation in post-modern patterns. According to Kevin Bales, it amounts to a ‘new slavery’ of disposable people without legal ownership. Illegal control is maintained through violence and responsibilities are lacking (Buckley, 2009, …show more content…
However, data collected through international monitoring agencies presents a more complex and disturbing view of the rise of human trafficking through the context of prostitution. The Protection Project organization defines the high rates of prostitution in relation to the low rates of arrest and conviction of criminal gangs involved in these transactions:
Trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the second most common form of trafficking in Russia. Over 80 percent of all trafficking victims are women and children, with 70 percent sold abroad to the sex trade. The exploitation takes several forms, such as coercion into prostitution, coercion into production of pornography, sexual slavery, and child prostitution (Protection Project, 2010,