Russia’s Place in Global Human Trafficking: Exploitation of Labour in the Migrant Dependent Economy

Human trafficking and the exploitation of labour that are closely connected to migration flows (especially, illegal migration) are among the most serious challenges that modern society faces today. Russia, with its geographic and socio-economic situation, is not a stranger to this problem and has become one of the most active participants in these processes. In the meantime, Russian legislation lacked the term human trafficking, and the state institutions did not pay much attention to this problem. This led to its further aggravation in the 1990s–2000s, coupled with the general social transformation in the country. Common victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation are migrants with no official status in the receiving countries, and this situation is familiar to modern Russia. Clearly, the state cannot manage the huge migration flows, especially these of an illegal nature. Today, with the spread of corruption and in the conditions of the migrant-dependent economy, based on the labour of immigrants – mostly from Centeal Asia – who are deprived of their basic rights, the situation remains negative for the growing number of human trafficking victims. This presents a negative image of Russia abroad and, most importantly, has a destructive influence on the Russian society. The article studies the problems of human trafficking and labour exploitation of immigrants in Russia. The author aims to assess the scope and discover the reasons and forms of human trafficking and labour exploitation in Russia. The author concludes that the current state of development of the Russian legislation on the matter is not without its flaws, which turns labour migrants into human trafficking and encourages labour exploitation from the part of unprincipled employers and criminals. The author also suggests possible ways to solve the problem of human trafficking and labour exploitation in Russia.

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