Exploring Human Traffickers’ Means of Control: What Does Citizenship Got to Do with It?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Human trafficking is a worldwide problem, affecting millions across the globe. With deepening globalization and widening economic disparities, migration is rising, and research is needed to understand the relationship between human trafficking and migration, and the ways traffickers exploit migrants. This study examines the following two questions: (1) What is the relationship between citizenship and the various means of control used by traffickers in destination countries? (2) Do non-citizen victims experience more coercive and deceptive tactics from the traffickers than victims with citizenship in the countries of exploitation? This exploratory study uses data from the 2017 Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative, which contains 25,064 human trafficking cases from 52 countries, to explore the relationship between 14 different means of control and citizenship. The results indicate that victims reported that traffickers use more means of control on non-citizen victims. Specifically, non-citizen victims are more likely to report being controlled through 12 of the 14 means of control – debt bondage, taking earnings, threats, psychological abuse, physical abuse, false promises, restricting movements, restricting medical care, excessive working hours, threats of law enforcement, withholding necessities, and withholding documents. Victims with citizenship are more likely to report being controlled through sexual abuse and psychoactive substances.