Human Trafficking Research Articles

Navigating the Skies: The Aviation Industry’s Corporate Social Responsibility Communication for Human Trafficking Awareness

ABSTRACT Corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication has not yet fully explored the issue of human trafficking, especially not specifically in the aviation industry. The present study examines Group III mainline passenger airlines in the United States to understand how those airlines communicate their CSR efforts related to human trafficking as well as how those airlines engaged with stakeholders in this work. Using a six-phase thematic analysis approach, the analysis of airline CSR communication revealed that 7 of 10 airlines used a human rights lens to frame human trafficking, that human trafficking was part of airline community outreach and community connection efforts and important to combating labor trafficking in airline supply chains; and that training and partnership efforts were employed to engage key stakeholders. Findings present theoretical and practical implications for students, researchers, and communication practitioners working in CSR for human trafficking.

Unveiling Shadows: Understanding the Multi-Dimensional Challenges and Perspectives of Reintegrating Women Survivors of Trafficking in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Human trafficking, and more precisely, its very core – the trafficking of women – is an increasingly sophisticated phenomenon in Bangladesh. However, there is a much-neglected area of research that concerns the post-trafficking socio-economic reintegration of women survivors. While there is a growing body of work regarding the experience of the victim, very little is known about the experiences of service providers who provide social and economic assistance for the protection and reintegration of women survivors. Employing an embedded thematic analysis in a qualitative study approach and utilizing interview methods, this study included 30 in-depth interviews with stakeholders. This study makes some key findings that stakeholder perspectives shed light on anti-trafficking policies, addressing complexities for effective interventions and policies. Women survivors of trafficking were vulnerable to socio-economic conditions in their post-trafficking repatriation phases due to prejudice and discrimination, particularly from community members. The social context in Bangladesh shows gender inequality, with high levels of patriarchal dominance denying women survivors access to social facilities and inclusion in society. The discriminatory practices meted out by community members through multiple forms of discrimination, circumnavigating challenges embedded in their post-trafficking lives, and being treated with less valued social roles.

Feminist approaches to promoting researcher well-being through collective and organizational care

Researchers working in the field of violence against women and children are often tasked with listening to highly distressing personal accounts of violence and subsequent trauma. Without proper attention and mitigation strategies, this exposure can lead to vicarious trauma and related symptoms with significant impact on researchers’ well-being. As women are often leading and carrying out violence research, they also experience a disproportionate burden of risk of vicarious trauma symptoms. This case study highlights seven collective care strategies for research implemented by Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT), a feminist organization dedicated to holistic healing among survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence, whose team is entirely composed of women. Further, it explores how creating and integrating collective care into research protocols can help prevent vicarious trauma and enhance researchers’ emotional well-being as well as positively influence research quality. Qualitative data from researchers involved in the study on these strategies and how they affected their well-being are included. The piece concludes by discussing potential recommendations for other research teams and organizations seeking to mitigate the risk of vicarious trauma.

TRÁFICO HUMANO

This work deals with human trafficking, which is an illicit market that has been occurring since ancient times and is considered the third most profitable crime in the world. In this way, the bibliographic methodology and the deductive method are used, the first being consistent in the use of research sources for the present preparation of the article and the second starting from logical premises for the conclusion of the analyses. The main objective is to analyze the purposes of human trafficking and the reasons that contribute to the dimension of the crime, as well as to investigate and point out the ways in which Brazil is facing this problem. Furthermore, it reports on the legislation relevant to combating human trafficking, as well as suggestions for measures to be adopted by the State as a way of preventing this illicit activity, as well as presenting support measures for victims of this crime. Bringing enlightenment to such a dark and multi-layered topic is removing the veil of ignorance from the eyes of humanity, thus turning them towards the gaze of knowledge.

Female Offenders in Human Trafficking: Analyzing Roles in a Spanish Sample

Offenders convicted of trafficking human beings for sexual exploitation involve a high percentage of women compared to other similar offenses. Previous studies have searched for explanations for the dynamics of the illegal sex market and the coercion experienced by victims during the process of exploitation and exit. This article analyses the content of 58 judicial decisions involving a sample of 148 women convicted in Spain of trafficking in human beings between 2017 and 2024. Two main dimensions are explored: the criminal organizations performing the sexual exploitation phase in Spain and the characteristics, positions, and roles of women traffickers within the criminal organizations. Half of the sample occupies leadership roles, while the other half consists of supporters, especially in larger trafficking networks. Regarding the positions and roles of women offenders, supporters and partners in crime are at higher risk of being coerced due to the nature of their roles or partnerships.

Selected issues regarding children’s rights in the war on terror with a particular focus on Syria

Abstract The aim of the article is to analyse the legal situation of the children held in camps in northeast Syria. The situation in the camps is devastating and poses a threat to the children’s right to life as well as physical and mental integrity. The article explores whether the states of citizenship of these children exercise any jurisdiction over them, and if the answer is affirmative, to what extent they exercise this jurisdiction. Next, the research will focus on the question of whether the states of citizenship have the obligation to repatriate those children from Syria. To this aim, the status of these children as victims of human trafficking will be also examined. Lastly, the deliberations will focus on the policy of citizenship revocation that is applied by some states in terrorism combatting and it will be studied whether this policy can be applied to children in conformity with international law. It results from the analysis that states have obligations towards children placed in the Syrian camps being their nationals, especially an obligation to repatriate them and to enable their rehabilitation and reintegration.

O TRÁFICO INTERNACIONAL DE PESSOAS PARA FINS DA EXPLORAÇÃO SEXUAL NO BRASIL

This paper aims to analyze international human trafficking for sexual exploitation in Brazil. This crime represents not only a vulnerability on the part of the victims of this crime, but also, and mainly, a failure of the State towards them. This criminal offense predomitantly affects those who are marginalized from society, who are lured by the promise of a change in their lives, of fulfilling a dream that would be unattainable in their home country due to their reality. Criminals demonstrate that in a given country it is fully achieved. Therefore, this study seeks to understand how this practice has occurred over time and with Brazilian legislative developments regarding protection standards. Justifica-se a análise, pois a sua incidência vem crescendo cada vez mais. Brazil will be analyzed since it is considered a supplier of women, trans people and children for this market, aiming to understand how the practice of this crime is typified in the Brazilian legal system, and what public policies have been developed; and also to analyze the international agreements of greatest relevance to the subject, the main one being the Palermo Convention. To this end, the work developed is the result of qualitative research that used the deductive method, through documentary and bibliographical research, statistical analysis and the verification of some operations carried out by the State. Finally, it can be concluded that the study and understanding of this theme is extremely important for the prevention of human trafficking.

Ratting on wildlife crime: training African giant pouched rats to detect illegally trafficked wildlife

The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is one of the largest global crime economies, directly threatening species and their habitats, and biodiversity, and indirectly the global climate, and countries’ economies. Syndicates operating within the IWT are often involved in trafficking of humans, weapons, and drugs. IWT takes place in large scale through international ports, with wildlife being smuggled inside shipping containers. Current methods to combat IWT and screen these shipping containers, such as X-ray scans, are expensive and time-consuming. Scent-detection animals present an innovative approach to combatting IWT, as animals may be better suited to distinguish between organic materials and less susceptible to visual concealment methods. Previous scent-detection work has largely focused on conservation dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Here, we present a series of proof-of-principle studies training African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) to detect illegally trafficked wildlife. As initial proof-of-principle within a controlled laboratory environment, we trained rats (n=11) to detect the scent of pangolin scales (Manis spp.) and a threatened African hardwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon). In subsequent experiments, we trained these rats (n=10) to detect rhinoceros horn (family Rhinocerotidae), and elephant tusks (Loxodonta spp.). At the conclusion of these studies, rats (n=7) accurately identified all four target species (although ivory samples may have been cross-contaminated, and results should be interpreted with caution) while correctly rejecting non-target items commonly used by traffickers to conceal the presence of illicit material. Rats detected the presence of wildlife targets even when these were concealed in mixtures among non-target items. These results provide the foundation to train rats for scent-detection of illegally trafficked wildlife to combat IWT. The unique attributes of rats could allow them to complement existing screening technologies in the fight against IWT. Rats have low training and maintenance costs, flexibly work with multiple handlers, have a long lifespan, and a sophisticated sense of smell. Their small size also offers unique capabilities for the screening of shipping containers, such as being able to navigate densely packed areas or be lifted to assess contents of sealed containers by screening ventilation systems. Future directions include assessing operational feasibility of deploying rats at ports.

The Sentosa Nurses: Historical Context for Policies to Protect Internationally-Educated Nurses from Human Trafficking.

This article presents a historical analysis of the Sentosa nurses, a group of nurses recruited from the Philippines in 2005 and 2006 to work in a health-care facility on Long Island, New York. The international nurse recruitment company that hired them underpaid them, assigned them to work in unsafe conditions with low nurse-to-patient ratios, and breached other parts of their contracts with the nurses. When the nurses decided to resign and break from their contracts early, the recruitment company retaliated, initiating civil, administrative, and criminal charges against the nurses. The Sentosa nurses' story reflects that by the end of the first decade of the 2000s, the international nurse recruitment industry grew not only in size, but also in power, leaving internationally-educated nurses vulnerable to exploitation. More recent reports from 2019 of the labor trafficking of internationally-educated nurses are not new. Instead, a historical perspective reveals an ongoing pattern of deceptive practices and informs recommendations for stricter policies that ban recruiters from using liquidated damages provisions or breach-of-contract fees to trap nurses in exploitative work environments.

Physical Patrol and Border Security Management at the Namanga One Stop Boarder Post, Kenya

Border administration encompasses all legal and administrative measures a sovereign state implements to secure, protect, and strengthen the sovereignty, security, safety, and integrity of its territory. Consequently, it is essential to any national migration strategy. The border administration policies emphasize the necessity for all participants in border management to be engaged to enhance the effectiveness of border operations. Security measures are normally enhanced along the border posts to improve on the national security of a given country by preventing entrance of terrorists, illegal goods and human trafficking. These security measures ensure safety at the border. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of physical patrol on border security management at the Namanga one stop boarder post, Kenya. A descriptive survey research design was utilized. The population comprised of the employees at the Namanga OSBP, including police officers, customs officials, immigration officers, and National Intelligence Service employees, among others. The research used stratified random sampling. The data was collected via the use of questionnaires. Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS and then presented using tables, percentages, graphs and pie charts. This study found out that border security is complex and it requires various interventions, which entails a combination of technology and human security personnel for effective operations. In regard to objective one, the researcher finds that physical patrol emerges as a fundamental border security management measure, and is considered essential in enhancing security at the border point by minimizing insecurity incidents and eliminating potential of border security breaches. Based on the findings, this study concluded that various security measures, including physical patrols, integrated scanning, and electronic monitoring, are essential in the management of border security and in enhancing services. A major recommendation of the study is to promote greater multi-agency and multi-stakeholder collaboration as a means of detaining individuals attempting to enter a country illegally and effectively seizing any contraband goods. This necessitates more efficient border patrols and surveillance strategies.

Regulation of legal sanctions against perpetrators of non-procedural placement of Indonesian migrant workers: a human trafficking perspective

Regulation of legal sanctions against perpetrators of non-procedural placement of Indonesian migrant workers: a human trafficking perspective

Social Marketing Strategy for Social Care Programs for Victims of Human Trafficking Crimes

This study aimed to determine the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes by identifying the reality, mechanisms, challenges, and proposals for activating social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. The research is descriptive research that aims to describe the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. In line with the type of research, the researcher relied on the social survey method with a sample, which is one of the most appropriate methods for descriptive research. The research community was represented by officials in the department of combating human trafficking crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and in shelter centers in the kingdom's regions. The research sample was determined by a simple random sample of officials in the Department of Combating Human Trafficking Crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and shelter centers in the kingdom's regions, consisting of 121 individuals. The research results confirmed that The challenges of social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes were represented in: interest in superficial advertising aspects of social marketing, lack of marketing skills among those in charge of social marketing programs, lack of good planning for social marketing programs, and poor training of workers in the field of social marketing. The proposals to activate social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes represented: interest in conducting social surveys to determine the needs of victims, building a specialized department in social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes, interest in realistic advertising aspects of social marketing, and measuring victims’ satisfaction with the programs scientifically provided to them.

The Critical Role of the 4th “P”: Addressing the Impact of “Otherness” on Human Trafficking Prevention Efforts

ABSTRACT Prevention is the key to reducing human trafficking prevalence, and awareness-raising campaigns are the most common form of trafficking intervention; however, there is little evidence that these activities translate to actions that prevent human trafficking. The “otherness” issue – the belief that human trafficking is a problem for “other” communities but not a problem within one’s own community – has been identified as a potential barrier to effective human trafficking prevention interventions. In this article, we unpack the “otherness” issue and build on Todres (2009) “otherness-aware” framework to develop a theoretical model for understanding otherness within the context of human trafficking prevention interventions. Drawing on evidence from public health, we discuss the community mobilization intervention framework, which is centered on partnership and community engagement, as a potentially useful strategy for addressing the “otherness” issue and improving the effectiveness of human trafficking prevention interventions. We conclude that meaningful partnership with communities is a key to developing contextually relevant, community-empowering approaches to prevent human trafficking. This article has implications for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which aims to support inclusive communities through targets such as reducing violence, ending human trafficking and amplifying developing countries’ participation in global decision-making.

Emergence of information aggregation to rational expectations equilibria in markets populated by biased heuristic traders

Information aggregation is a key economic function of markets. We report results of a computational experiment with markets populated by simple algorithmic traders who follow two heuristics usually thought of as leading to biased information processing in behavioral economics literature (anchor-and-adjust, and representativeness). Outcomes of these markets either tend to cluster around (or fail to do so) rational expectations equilibria under specific conditions, consistent with markets populated by profit-motivated human traders. Algorithmic trader convergence is slower and noisier than that of human traders. Our results illustrate the emergence of rational expectations equilibria through complex interactions among actions of biased heuristic traders with limited information processing capabilities.

Current State of Serious Games in Human Trafficking: Evaluation, Gaps, and Future Research Directions

Addressing human trafficking is crucial due to its severe impact on human rights, dignity, and well-being. Serious games refer to digital games that are designed to entertain while also accomplishing at least one additional objective, such as learning or health promotion. Serious games play a significant role in raising awareness, training professionals, fostering empathy, and advocating for policy improvements related to human trafficking. In this study, we systematically examine and assess the current landscape of serious games addressing human trafficking to unveil the existing state, pinpoint gaps, and propose future research avenues. Our investigation encompassed academic publications, gray literature, and commercial games related to human trafficking. Furthermore, we conducted a thorough review of evaluation criteria and heuristics for the comprehensive assessment of serious games. Subsequently, incorporating these evaluation metrics and heuristics, the games were subjected to evaluation by both players and experts. Following a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis, the results were deliberated upon, and their implications were expounded. Five serious games related to human trafficking were identified and evaluated using the SGES and EGameFlow scales, along with both game-specific and serious game heuristics. Player and expert evaluations ranked “(Un)TRAFFICKED” and “Missing” as the best-performing games, while “SAFE Travel” received the lowest ratings. Players generally rated the games higher than experts, particularly in usability, feedback, and goal clarity, although the games scored poorly in audiovisual quality and relevance. Experts highlighted deficiencies in motivation, challenge, and learning outcomes. The lack of personalization and the absence of social gaming elements point to the need for more targeted human trafficking games adapted to different demographics, cultures, and player types.

Human Trafficking of Boys and Young Men: A Systematic Literature Review of Impacts on Mental Health and Implications for Services in Post-Trafficking Settings

The share of boys and men among detected victims of human trafficking is increasing globally, yet there is limited evidence on the specific experiences of these populations. The knowledge gap on mental health outcomes and support needs is particularly salient, which is problematic given the importance of psychological and emotional stabilisation in promoting recovery and avoiding re-victimisation. This systematic review reports on mental health outcomes identified in boys and young men who have experienced human trafficking. By describing the implications for services, the review seeks to identify challenges and opportunities in accessing and delivering mental health care and support to this population in post-trafficking settings. The review includes 31 papers published in English after 2000 and identified through database and grey literature searches. Despite significant limitations, such as a lack of gender-disaggregated results and imbalanced sample composition, which limit the possibility of extracting male-specific findings, the review highlights several mental health symptoms commonly described in the literature (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, lack of self-esteem, lack of self-control). Regarding mental health care support, the review further identifies challenges specific to boys and young men (e.g., poor identification as trafficking victims) and challenges that disproportionately impact this population (e.g., confidentiality concerns; reluctance to seek help; trust issues).

Identifying the Challenges in the Detection and Protection of Child Victims of Human Trafficking in Spain: A Case Study of the Southern European Border

Despite the improvements in enhanced child protection, there is an increasing concern about the vulnerability and cases of child trafficking in Spain, the southern gateway to Europe from the African continent. Analyzing 23 interviews with professionals in the field, this article identifies the factors that contribute to high levels of child trafficking in Spain. This study identifies three primary results: (1) The dangers of residential childcare as places of recruitment; (2) The southern European and Spanish border as a place of elevated risk for the recruitment of children; (3) The stereotypes regarding child trafficking make invisible male victims, other types of trafficking for non-sexual purposes, domestic trafficking, and individual trafficking. Therefore, it remains imperative to advance a set of policies that: (i) invest in specific residential childcare resources for child victims either alone or with family members; (ii) invest in smaller residential childcare to prevent abuse; (iii) invest in mentoring programs for children previously under state guardianship; (iv) improve the working conditions and the training of residential childcare staff; (v) increase the visibility and diversity of child trafficking while avoiding stereotypes; (vi) improve the regional coordination; (vii) invest in campaigns to inform children about the dangers involved in running away, exploitation and abuse.

Enhancing Maritime Security: Challenges and Strategies in Indonesia's Natuna Sea

The Natuna Sea, a strategic region within Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, faces multifaceted maritime security challenges that threaten national sovereignty, economic interests, and regional stability. This abstract explores the key issues and strategic responses to enhance maritime security in this vital area. Indonesia's maritime security challenges in the Natuna Sea are driven by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, territorial disputes, and transnational crimes such as smuggling and human trafficking. The encroachment of foreign fishing vessels, particularly from neighboring countries, exacerbates the IUU fishing problem, undermining local economies and depleting fish stocks. Additionally, overlapping territorial claims, particularly with China, complicate Indonesia's efforts to assert its sovereignty and maintain peace in the region. To address these challenges, Indonesia has developed a comprehensive maritime security strategy that includes diplomatic, legal, and operational measures. Diplomatic efforts focus on strengthening regional cooperation through ASEAN and other multilateral forums to foster dialogue and build consensus on maritime security issues. Legal measures involve the enforcement of national and international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to uphold Indonesia's territorial rights and combat IUU fishing. Operationally, Indonesia has enhanced its maritime patrols, surveillance capabilities, and naval presence in the Natuna Sea. The establishment of the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) and the deployment of advanced technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellite monitoring, have improved the detection and interdiction of illegal activities. Despite these efforts, challenges persist due to resource constraints, coordination issues among agencies, and the complex geopolitical landscape. This abstract underscores the importance of a holistic and adaptive approach to maritime security, integrating diplomatic, legal, and operational strategies.

“Throw Dat Hat!”: Educational Experiences, Attainment, and Aspirations of Adolescent Female Trafficking Survivors in a Residential Facility

This study addresses the gap in research on the educational experiences of adolescent human trafficking survivors, with a focus on their past, present, and future educational experiences and goals. Its objective is to inform the best practices for educational programming within female adolescent residential care centers in the United States. Drawing on a subset of data from a broader mixed-methods case study conducted at the Allasso House residential facility, this research involved 11 current residents. The data sources included case files detailing their past educational experiences, assessments of their current educational achievements, and interviews exploring their future aspirations. The findings reveal key themes related to the residents past risk factors, current educational successes and barriers, and tensions in setting future goals. Most of the residents expressed a desire to attain high school equivalency, identifying financial stability as a primary motivation. They also aspired to form healthy families, while placing significant value on material success. Unlike studies that define success primarily through survival, sobriety, and the avoidance of re-trafficking, this research highlights the broader aspirations of these adolescents, emphasizing the critical role of education in general wellbeing, risk mitigation, and future success. This study underscores the importance of prioritizing educational attainment and long-term aspirations in future research and in the design of residential programs for adolescent survivors of trafficking.

Kerjasama Kelembagaan Antara BP2MI dan Ditjen Imigrasi dalam Pencegahan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Non Prosedural di Bandara Soekarno Hatta

The non-procedural departure of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) is a serious problem in Indonesia, especially due to the high risk of exploitation and human trafficking faced by migrant workers. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as the main departure point is a strategic location in an effort to prevent non-procedural migrant workers. Cooperation between the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) and the Directorate General of Immigration is crucial in ensuring that only migrant workers who meet official procedures can depart, in order to provide more effective protection. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive case study method. Data are collected through the review of policy documents. The cooperation between BP2MI and Immigration has made a significant contribution in preventing thousands of non-procedural migrant workers from going abroad. However, this study also reveals the need for increased cooperation in several aspects. Policy reforms are needed, especially in immigration policies related to the supervision and control system at the point of departure, as well as policies that regulate the protection of migrant workers, both before departure and after return. With this policy reform, it is hoped that the collaboration between BP2MI and Immigration can be more effective and sustainable in protecting migrant workers from potential exploitation and human trafficking.