Victims Of Human Trafficking Research Articles

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.

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.

Human trafficking in nairaland digital community: A corpus-assisted critical discourse study

Human trafficking in Nigeria as a topical issue has enjoyed more sociological interrogation with very scant attention in linguistics and discourse. This paper applies a corpus-assisted critical discourse study to examine representative posts on human trafficking in Nigeria (2019 to 2022) retrieved from the Nairaland digital community. Using the Sketch Engine corpus tool and social actors representation model, this paper investigates how different constructions were deployed by participants to represent human trafficking, human traffickers and traffick victims in Nigeria. Findings suggest four constructions oriented to negativity: prostitution/commodification of sex, abuse of underage for sexual satisfaction, maltreatment of others for huge labour, dismembering of humans for occultism and health-assurance. Participants deployed role allocation, nominalisation, and others to negatively evaluate human traffickers, especially as economic usurpers, exploiters, and fraudsters, while the traffick-victims were represented as naïve, non-violent, armless, defenceless and (in)active recipients of the activities of the human traffickers. The dominant negative constructs manifested implicitly and explicitly through tagging, negative comparison, appeal to sentimentalities, and expression of detest, while the positive constructs of victims manifested through pity and appeal to humanity. Online participants attack the political class, and declare their ideological stances on human traffickers in Nigeria, making efforts to project suppressed stances.

Human trafficking victims in Portugal: Perceptions of service providers

This study aims to explore the perceptions of service providers in Portugal, specifically regarding (i) how victims of human trafficking are aided; (ii) the victims’ needs and their understanding of the “condition of special vulnerability”; and (iii) the opinions of service providers on the obstacles victims face in seeking and receiving assistance. According to our research, most organizations offered assistance, ranging from legal aid to food and lodging, to victims of all ages, genders, and forms of exploitation. Participants recognized that the needs of human trafficking victims differ from those of victims of other crimes, such as domestic abuse survivors, particularly in terms of the unique challenges they face in rebuilding trust. They also identified challenges in delivering assistance, including insufficient financial resources, inadequate interinstitutional cooperation, and the victims’ lack of cooperation. Fear of traffickers along with feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, and fear of reprisal against themselves or their families were cited as major reasons why victims refuse assistance.

Toward effective protection of victims of human trafficking in mixed migration flows: referral mechanisms shaped on individual need. The Italian experience and the European perspective

An overview of emerging trends on trafficking of human beings in Italy shows not only an extremely heterogeneous phenomenon but also a complex overlapping of experiences and need of protection of every single victim. In the context of mixed migration flows, persons reaching Italy through the Central Mediterranean and the Balkan routes have often experienced or are at risk of trafficking, and they also apply for international protection upon arrival. Legal categories such as “victims,” “asylum seekers,” and “refugees” are increasingly interconnected and not exhaustive in describing individual experiences and multifaceted vulnerabilities. Against this background, ensuring early identification and assistance for victims of trafficking among asylum seekers is extremely relevant. In Italy, this has led to the development of good practices aimed at implementing the coordination between the asylum and the anti-trafficking systems. In particular, specific Guidelines for Asylum authorities have been adopted to preliminarily identify potential victims of trafficking within the asylum procedure and enable their effective access to protection measures. To comply with specific provisions of the European Trafficking Directive and its transposition into the Italian legal framework, the Guidelines have created a referral mechanism among the asylum authorities and the anti-trafficking system that is unique in the European context. For this reason, the present contribution aims at describing this good practice, its implementation and effects—also at the juridical level—and its limits. Indeed, after the adoption of the instrument, a higher recognition rate of international protection for victims of trafficking has been registered in Italy, both at the administrative and judicial levels; asylum seekers and refugees have also increased their access to the specific protection program for trafficking survivors. In general, the system has strengthened its capacity to fulfill the legal obligation of identifying victims through a multi-agency approach. On the other hand, the ability to conduct screening and preliminary identification of victims of trafficking among asylum seekers is still limited to the “victim model” in terms of gender (women) and form of exploitation (sexual), and to certain stages of the asylum procedure (the first instance before the asylum authorities). With reference to this latter, a comprehensive protection response at the borders is missing despite the political debate on sea and land arrivals to Italy and the recent introduction of border procedures for the assessment of asylum applications. Given the geographical and political centrality of the south-Mediterranean situation in the current migration agenda, the goal of this paper is to analyze the Italian experience on referral mechanisms among trafficking and asylum as an experience that would help to shape future European prospects. The ongoing evolution of mixed migration flows—with particular reference to secondary movement across European countries—and the revised European Directive on trafficking in persons impose the promotion of a reflection on referral mechanisms with a transnational perspective enabling effective protection and the meeting of specific human rights.

LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT FOR TRAFFICKING WOMEN RETURNED IN THE PERIOD OF 2019-2023 (Case study in Ha Giang province)

Ha Giang is a mountainous border province in the North of Vietnam, with a strategic location in terms of politics, economy, national defense and security of our country, to be home to many ethnic minorities. In recent years, with the attention and investment of the Party and State, along with the drastic efforts of the Border Guard, police, functional forces and local authorities, the illegal human trafficking across the border has been prevented and achieved many results. However, besides that, this buying and selling situation in the border area of ​​the province is still quite complicated. Among the victims of buying and selling, the majority are ethnic minority women. When trafficked back, victims face many difficulties in reintegrating into the community such as: psychological crisis, discrimination, lack of jobs, lack of production capital... Therefore, supporting victims of human trafficking to reintegrate into the community so that they have jobs, income, livelihood support, economic development and stable lives is extremely necessary

Compounding Institutional Exclusion and Harm: A case study of federally funded Alaskan anti-trafficking service providers

Federal funds for human trafficking victim programmes and services in the United States have increased from approximately USD 10 million in 2002 to more than USD 90 million in 2022. This increase in fund availability, however, has not necessarily translated into meaningful or accessible services for trafficking survivors. This paper examines the distribution of Department of Justice anti-trafficking funds through the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), particularly looking at OVC recipients in Alaska. It highlights certain trends in OVC funding in the state, including changes in funding distribution, the emphasis on task force creation and collaboration between service providers and law enforcement, and discussions of equity and inclusion. The paper further explores institutional mechanisms of exclusion and harm of some victims, complexities in collaborating with law enforcement, criminalisation of trafficking survivors, and criteria to qualify for services. As the reality faced by trafficking survivors does not always align with OVC narratives, these mechanisms are illustrated through the experiences of a sex trafficking survivor who has been turned away as not qualifying for services by many of the OVC funded providers in Alaska. The paper concludes by exploring the implications of this research for policymakers and service providers.

Narrating Trauma as Victims of Human Trafficking in China: A Study on Select North Korean Memoirs

The memoirs titled In Order to Live; A North Korean Girl's Journey, to Freedom and; A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea are written by Yeonmi Park and Eunsun Kim two women who managed to escape from North Korea. They went through an experience of being forced into labour in China as victims of trafficking. In their memoirs these authors vividly depict the pain that comes with being exploited. The main aim of this study is to analyse how memoirs can effectively address the issue of trafficking. These remarkable women skilfully use the memoir genre to make a personal plea for action. They strategically make choices appeal to readers emotions openly share their distressing experiences and support their stories with research and evidence that connect their experiences with the broader problem of human trafficking in China. This study clearly shows that both these memoirs emphasize the importance of the memoir genre in advocating for rights. It also highlights how survivor memoirs have the potential to inspire advocacy and involvement, in combating trafficking.

Look Beneath the Surface: The Role of Healthcare Providers in Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, encompassing both labor and sex trafficking, is a pervasive issue that affects people across all demographics globally, nationally, and locally. Family physicians, due to their long-term relationships with patients, are in a unique position to identify victims. Studies show that many trafficking victims access healthcare, particularly in primary care, during their trafficking experience. Recognizing the signs of human trafficking—such as inconsistencies in medical histories, controlling behaviors from companions, and multiple unconnected medical issues—is crucial for early identification. Family physicians can play a pivotal role in offering trauma-informed care and support, helping victims escape exploitation. This article discusses various indicators, including physical, mental, and social signs, and highlights how tools like the PEARR (Privacy, Educate, Ask, Respect, Respond) Tool can assist in victim care. By applying these methods, family physicians not only provide essential healthcare but can also contribute to breaking the cycle of trafficking.

Perspectivas de estudiantes de secundaria del Departamento de Oruro sobre la trata de personas

Human trafficking is the third most lucrative crime worldwide, after drug trafficking and arms trafficking. The groups most vulnerable to this scourge are adolescents, women and children. In this context, the objective of this research was to determine whether students aged 16 to 18 years at the secondary level, belonging to 4 educational units in the department of Oruro, know the psychosocial risk factors that promote human trafficking, as well as the strategies of coping to avoid being victims. Methodologically, the study adopted a field-level, descriptive design, quantitative approach. 358 students participated, selected through a stratified random sampling, to whom 3 measurement instruments were applied: CRTP, CFRP and ACS. The results were segmented by rural and urban areas. The conclusions indicate that students have knowledge about risk factors, but are not prepared to face them effectively. This situation highlights the need to implement prevention and education strategies that empower adolescents to avoid becoming victims of human trafficking.

The Eradication of Human Trafficking: What Can We Learn From East Lombok District?

The lack of information regarding labor migration in the society of West Nusa Tenggara Province means that quite few prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers (IMW) are vulnerable to malpractice recruitment and can result in exploitation so that they have the potential to become human trafficking victims. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Regulation Number 10 of 2008 and the obstacles and also the opportunities for preventing and eradicating human trafficking as an effort to prevent human trafficking in East Lombok Regency. The results of this study that are West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Regulation Number 10 of 2008 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Human Trafficking and its derivative, namely East Lombok Regency Regional Regulation Number 9 of 2013 concerning Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking and Acts of Violence against Women and Children are not running effectively considering that the mandate of these two regional regulations is to form a Cluster Human Trafficking duties at the Regency Level have not been carried out, so that the relevant agencies cannot coordinate optimally. Optimizing the Eradication of Human Trafficking in East Lombok Regency can be done by forming a Human Trafficking Task Force so that inter-agency cooperation can run optimally. The formation of the Human Trafficking Task Force will provide certainty regarding the involvement of human resources, funding and facilities and infrastructure. Apart from the role of the Human Trafficking Task Force, of course there is also a need for public awareness, especially prospective migrant workers, to register themselves legally so that they can prevent them from becoming victims of Human Trafficking.

Human Trafficking Awareness Training and Response Procedure Template for Transit Agencies

As the frontline eyes on communities, transit operators are uniquely positioned to recognize suspicious activities and report them to authorities. Training is necessary to inform and empower transit agencies in the fight against human trafficking. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, which the U.S. Department of Justice defines as a crime that involves the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex. Human trafficking is a worldwide criminal industry that the denies freedom of 25 million people around the world. This heinous crime often targets the most vulnerable populations and preys on their needs, weaknesses, and insecurities as a strategy to control their victims through force, fraud, and coercion. This paper reviews the resources available for transit agencies to train their employees on the signs of human trafficking that they should be on the lookout for. Truckers Against Trafficking’s Busing on the Lookout program has shared success stories related to transit employees recognizing situations and saving human trafficking victims. However, the existence of transit agency policies and associated procedures is a recognized resource gap in the transit industry. The available training materials direct trainees to refer to their agency policy on how to report suspicious activity. However, as noted, many transit agencies do not have a formalized policy or procedures in place to dictate how to report suspected human trafficking activity. This paper provides agencies with valuable human trafficking awareness training resources and a response procedure template as tools to improve the awareness and reporting procedures in their agency.

Kejahatan Perdagangan Orang Dalam Perspektif Kejahatan Lintas Negara

Regulations regarding cases of cross-border human trafficking in Indonesia have long existed and were confirmed with the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979. Based on Law Number 7 of 1984 concerning Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This was then strengthened by the passing of Law no. On the 21st of 2007, legislation was passed to eradicate the crime of human trafficking. Compliance with the Palermo Protocol and the implementation of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of the Crime of Human Trafficking is expected to increase legal protection for victims of transnational human trafficking, especially women.

Factors that influence the criminal justice response to human trafficking: a systematic review of North American and European studies

Human trafficking, the recruitment and transportation of persons by use of force, coercion, or deception for exploitation is one of the largest illicit industries worldwide. In the execution of anti-trafficking policies to combat this phenomenon, nation-states have assigned a decisive role to criminal justice actors as they are not only responsible for the detection, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators but also for the identification and (legal) protection of victims of human trafficking. However, research has shown that criminal justice actors encounter many challenges whilst carrying out their tasks, which is also reflected in the low numbers of successful prosecutions and identified victims. To our knowledge, the reasons behind this observation have never been studied systematically. This systematic review aims to collect and synthesise empirical literature on factors that influence the criminal justice response to human trafficking to better understand and identify gaps in knowledge. In total, 35 empirical studies were included. Findings were discussed in light of theory and previous research and were used to provide recommendations for policy and future research. These studies suggest that factors such as prevailing stereotypes, an absence of legal guidance and a lack of capacity and expertise interact and even amplify each other and that strengthening the criminal justice response to human trafficking requires a multi-layered approach that simultaneously addresses several challenges.

The non-punishment of human trafficking victims in Europe: A comparative perspective

Human trafficking victims can be subjected, not only to sexual and labour exploitation, but also to the exploitation of criminal activities such as theft or drug production. Besides, due to the nature of trafficking, victims may also face sanctions for their irregular migration status or for the offences committed in an attempt to free themselves. In view of this phenomenon, the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, as well as Directive 2011/36/EU, compel member States to take the necessary measures to ensure the non-punishment of trafficked people for their involvement in criminal activities that they have been forced to commit as a consequence of trafficking. Since the approval of these provisions, many countries have adopted diverse policies to fulfil this international duty and prevent human trafficking victims from receiving sanctions. Using a comparative perspective, this paper aims to illustrate and critically evaluate the main challenges regarding the implementation of this clause in Europe. The results underline the persistent need to improve policies focussed on the protection of victims, putting aside punitive logics.

Metaphors for legal terms concerning vulnerable people

Abstract This study takes a cognitive view of metaphor to investigate the terms designating vulnerable people used in two legal languages, namely English as used in the European Union and Mandarin Chinese. We applied a discourse dynamics approach to metaphor to explore the implicit connotations of the terms identifying different groups of vulnerable people (e.g., minors, disabled people, victims of human trafficking). The findings show that even when appearing in legal texts, many of the key terms for these groups are not objective, nor are they unbiased and detached from our subjective and bodily experience of the world. When these terms are connoted, they tend to have negative connotations, raising concerns about their social implications. This study highlights the entailments of embodiment theories for terminology and proposes that the identification of groups of vulnerable people is a social product motivated by unconscious relations of power rather than relations of assistance and reciprocity.

The Effectiveness of a Human Trafficking Protocol in the Emergency Department: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Human trafficking affects nearly 1.1 million persons in the United States. Over 50% of victims will receive care in an emergency department (ED) during their exploitation. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a human trafficking protocol and electronic medical record screening and assessment tool in identifying victims of human trafficking in the ED. A 5-year, retrospective chart audit was conducted. Over 2 million ED visits occurred during the 5-year study period. Less than 1% (n =525) of those patients screened positive as potential victims, while 45 (8.6%) were confirmed trafficking victims. The number of victims identified dropped following the pandemic. Pandemic issues, staffing turnover, and lack of ongoing trafficking education impeded the identification of victims. Recommended changes to the protocol are presented.

My patient is a victim of human trafficking

Learn how to identify victims and steps to take that will ensure your safety as well as the patient’s.

Access To and Use of Information by Human Trafficking Victims for Empowerment in Kubwa Metropolis, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Access To and Use of Information by Human Trafficking Victims for Empowerment in Kubwa Metropolis, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria