Iana Matei warns Danish men about human trafficking of Romanian sex workers in Denmark

Iana Matei, a social worker running a safe house in Romania for children exploited in prostitution, has a stark message for Danish men purchasing sex from Romanian sex workers in Denmark: they contribute financially to human trafficking. Matei has dedicated the last 25 years to helping girls and women victimized by traffickers.

Research reveals that Romanian sex workers are present in brothels across Denmark. Matei believes it’s nearly impossible for a Romanian woman to work as a sex worker in Denmark without a trafficker controlling her situation. Many women are lured into selling their bodies by a trafficker who falsely expresses love, but in reality, their sole motive is profit. This deceptive tactic, employed by some Romanian traffickers, is known as the “loverboy” method.

Victims of human trafficking are often forced to work in Danish brothels, shuffled across borders as traffickers profit immensely, second only to arms and drug trafficking. Currently, a Danish crime program is investigating the stark realities of this underground world, including visits to a Romanian safe house, testimonies from survivors, and law enforcement operations.

The “loverboy” method involves psychological manipulation, where traffickers gain women’s trust through affection and gifts while simultaneously threatening them with violence. A Romanian man was recently sentenced to prison for trafficking four women using this method.

Matei describes the situation as psychological torture, with traffickers targeting vulnerable girls, often from dysfunctional families. Once involved, these young victims are misled into prostitution under false pretenses, with their traffickers gaining complete control over them. The challenge for law enforcement is heightened, as many victims do not recognize themselves as trafficking victims, complicating rescue efforts.