1. 07/12/2018
We are not migrants!
An ethnographic account of ”invisible” experiences of labour exploitation in Copenhagen
Camilla Ida Ravnbøl
PhD fellow

2. 07/12/2018
PhD project
Focus: legalities and moralities among Romanian Roma who live in the streets of Copenhagen
Anthropological fieldwork + ongoing contact (April August 2016)
Informants:
120 Romanian EU citizens on the streets of Copenhagen
40 Romanian Roma men and women, followed closely (every day and at home in Romania)
Others: Danish national authorities, civil society organisations; police officers; EU council officials

3. ”We are not migrants – we are citizens!”
07/12/2018
”We are not migrants – we are citizens!”
Ethnography:
Knowledge of EU rights
Previous work experiences in Romania
Work experiences other EU member states
Expectations to the Danish labour market
Diversity according to gender and age

4. Labour exploitation in the eyes of the ”exploited”
07/12/2018
Labour exploitation in the eyes of the ”exploited”
Construction industry and restaurant industry:
Case of Marian: working in private houses
Case of Daniel and Dimitru: Working at construction sites
Case of Matei and Anton: hired and exploited in the chain of employment: contractor, sub-contractor, unofficial sub-sub-contractor, my informants….

5. Combined experiences of exploitation and abuse
07/12/2018
Combined experiences of exploitation and abuse
Case of Darius
Begging in Finland
Return to Romania
Witness in case concerning human trafficking
Now in Denmark collecting bottles
+”sign-holder” and cleaning at restaurant in CPH during the winter. Salary: 27 euro a day (10 hours)
Darius’ son works as mechanic and receives tax demands for unpaid salary

6. Using identities for tax fraud
07/12/2018
Using identities for tax fraud
Using persons who are ”vulnerable” for tax frauds – false contracts and money laundry
Case of Marius:
Older man
Alcohol problem and mental illness
Illiterate
Poor
Unaware of rights and access to services
Not in a state of mind where he can contact authorities and not able to understand the consequences of his ID being used

7. Spirals of vulnerability
Living in a ”tough” street environment increases the risks of exploitation and abuse and potentially of ending up in a trafficking situation for the purposes of exploitation
Failing to fulfil criteria as trafficked persons or the individual decision not to accept the help available results in a life in the streets that can potentially lead to more exploitation
Distrust in police and national authorities and disbelief in support programmes leads to further marginalization and increased vulnerability
Communication difficulties limits help from authorities
Debt pushes people to move and continues to keep them in these spirals of vulnerability