Ukraine is a source country for trafficked women, and is currently one of the largest exporters of women to the international sex industry The 'exotic beauty' of Ukrainian and Russian women has made them the most valuable commodities in the current international sex trade. Over 420,000 Ukrainian women between the ages of 15 and 27 have been trafficked in the past decade. Our recent study reveals that one in every 10 Ukrainian persons knows someone in their community who has been trafficked.

The majority of Ukrainian women are trafficked to Turkey, Russia, Poland and other western European nations including Uk. Widespread poverty, lack of employment opportunities (75% of unemployed are women) and discrimination against women has caused a large trend for young women to search for jobs in the EU Working abroad is most Ukrainian women's dream, and most young Ukrainian girls grow up with no awareness of human trafficking, or the high demand for Ukrainian women in the international sex industry. Thus, the rate of trafficking from the Ukraine continues to rise and the majority of convicted traffickers continue to receive no time in jail in the Ukraine. The conclusion is following - Ukraine does not have the political and economic stability to truly tackle trafficking. The full scale of trafficking through, from and within Eastern Europe is difficult to determine since most victims are unwilling, scared or unable to contact authorities.

Thats why the association of journalists «Independence House» is initiating an astablishing a number of Anti-trafficking Social Advice Centres acrooss the western part of Ukraine where the poor, uneducated, and unskilled Ukrainians from small towns and villages are at the greatest risk of falling prey to traffickers. Trafficking groups have liaisons in these locations that know people around town and pick out women and others who can be easily lured into a "promising job proposition" overseas that will help them out of their material problems. These liaisons win over the women's trust and seem like savior figures to them, sometimes lending them money for a visa or the trip overseas if the woman pays them when she gets back. These liaisons get a certain sum of money for each person they lure.

The service which are going to be implemented in each of Anti-trafficking Social Advice Centres provides information and support for anyone who plans to go abroad for work, marriage or other reasons. It also assists in identifying potential victims. By doing this we want to bring a clear message to the ukrainian Authorities. Ukraine needs to be tougher on traffickers all around, including giving them appropriately long sentences and showing prosecutors how to prosecute these cases. The goverment also need to increase funding for victims' services. This is especially true for child victims, who need specialized services but aren't getting them here in Ukraine. Finally, Ukraine needs to work on reducing demand for both labor and sex trafficking.