ABSTRACT
Although declining in numbers, human trafficking for sexual exploitation still represents a prominent criminal justice and social issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transitional society. Using data from more than 80 finalized judicial cases tried before Bosnian–Herzegovinian courts involving nearly 300 victims, the present study describes trafficking patterns by focusing on victims’ profiles. Information on family and economic status suggest young, unmarried, native young women with poor finances were the main target of exploiters. During the first 10 years, victim exploitation began in bars and nightclubs; later on, victims were exploited almost exclusively in private locations, such as apartments, hotel rooms, en-suite rooms at restaurants, bars, and the like. These findings suggest a somewhat different profile of victims compared to other countries in Southeastern Europe.
