'Vulnerability of Roma' in Policy Discourse on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings in Serbia: Perspectives of the National Policy Actors

This paper presents the results of research on national anti-trafficking policy actors’ discourses on ‘vulnerability of Roma’ to trafficking in human beings in Serbia. According to most of the interviewed policy actors, Roma are one of the “vulnerable groups”, constituting at least half of all human trafficking victims. However, many of the interviewees argue there are no specific vulnerability factors that can be associated with Roma. Yet the analysis of their discourses suggests that institutional discrimination based on ‘ethnicity’ and racism can be considered the specific factors. It further suggests that these two factors do not only increase vulnerability of Roma, but also prevent local anti-trafficking policy actors from providing assistance and protection to Romani victims of trafficking. In addition, the analysis also indicates that reconstruction of the concept ‘Romani culture’ is another factor that prevents local anti-trafficking policy actors from helping Romani victims of trafficking. The research presented here was concerned with the different meanings embedded in the concept ‘vulnerability of Roma’. The juxtaposition of policy actors’ discourses alongside discourses represented through the national strategic policy documents reveals several problematic category making processes and conceptualizations. For instance, as we will soon see, the subtle conceptualization of ‘trafficking in Roma’ as a Romani problem and then, further to this, as a Romani women’s problem.