“Samara” was 19 when an online conversation led her into the nightmare of human trafficking. Her story is a common one for many Romanian nationals, who are among the most trafficked EU citizens, primarily for sexual exploitation. In 2024, Romania passed several new laws aimed at cracking down on traffickers and protecting victims, marking a critical step forward. Samara’s trafficker is now behind bars — but the fight to end trafficking is still far from over.
