Men exploited for up to 17 years had escape attempts thwarted by community

Three men who were tortured, starved and forced to live as slaves for up to 17 years have been rescued by police, with the support of Justice and Care in Romania.

The survivors were all lured to work at a stable caring for animals with the promise of money, and then trapped in horrific circumstances.

They were forced to work long hours without breaks or food, beaten with pitchforks and clubs, and denied medical assistance when they fell ill with different diseases amid horrendous living conditions.

Harrowingly, some of the community around them conspired to keep them in modern slavery, with their escape attempts always thwarted by people who reported them to the ‘master’.

One of the men lived in this nightmare for 17 years, while another was captured for 14 years, and the third for 12 years.

The tragic case of exploitation finally came to an end last week when the Anti-Slavery Police Unit in Iași launched a rescue operation after investigating.

One of our Victim Navigators was on the operation to offer immediate care to the survivors and make them feel as safe as possible.

We have since helped the three men with mental health, medical and accommodation support, and will continue to assist them with tailored support plans going forward.

The survivors are being interviewed by the police and the Prosecutor’s Office; Justice and Care stands with them and will support them to liaise with police and prosecutors if they choose to further engage in the criminal justice process.

Madalina Turza, Romania Country Director at Justice and Care, said: ‘Tragically, this terrible case is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to modern slavery in Romania.

‘This crime is everywhere hiding in plain sight, and extreme poverty alongside widespread complicity and indifference in the local community made this exploitation possible.

‘These men were mutilated, starved and faced abuse beyond what most of us can even imagine, with the community around them conspiring to make it impossible for them to escape. 

‘We are proud to partner with police to help these men leave exploitation, and will do everything we can to empower them to feel human again.’

Justice and Care launched the Navigator programme in Romania in 2021, following success in the UK, and our Navigators have supported nearly 60 survivors to start to rebuild their lives in the last year.

A total of 15% of identified human trafficking cases in Romania were labour exploitation in 2023. There has recently been a reported increase in the number of victims forced to work in different jobs in the countryside.