Human trafficking in Romania: what allowed the Andrew Tate case? Part 1 w/ Dr. Harriet Fraad

“On the Barricades” s06e21

Dr. Harriet Fraad comes back “On the Barricades” for a two-part discussion of the economic dimensions of human trafficking. The Andrew Tate scandal made Romania famous for its infamous sexual exploitation of women and children. The horrific details of Tate’s violent behavior toward the women he was exploiting for video chat services were in stark contrast with the glamorous portrayal of sexual exploitation as a choice to empower women.

Dr. Harriet Fraad discusses in her numerous books and articles as well as in her two podcasts It’s Not Just in Your Head and Capitalism Hits Home the close connection between capitalism and the social and psychological dimensions of our lives. Maria Cernat invited her to discuss the close connection between a profit-driven economic system and human trafficking. In Romania trials cases show traffickers younger than 18 years old, meaning that they become part of the human trafficking networks very early in their lives. Romania is also the place where sex offenders could get charged with sexual acts with a minor, not rape, even if the victim was 12 years old. The law changed recently, but it is this type of attitude that has made Romania number one in Europe in terms of the number of women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation. Dr. Haariet Fraad insists on the class dimension of this phenomenon and on the fact that no matter how well designed a law is, the economic dimension is the true game changer for women wanting to exit the system of sexual exploitation.