SOC 224 Human Trafficking

Human trafficking

The recruitment, transportation, and exercising control of a person to exploit them

• typically through sexual exploitation or forced labour

• Done for organ removal, sexual exploitation + labour exploitation

• Fastest growing crime in the world

• 2nd largest source of illegal income after drug trafficking

Hidden nature of human trafficking

Traffickers aren’t strangers; victims usually have an existing relationship with them

• 36% female victims = harmed by an intimate partner

• 46% men = boys = harmed by someone they had a business connection with

• Leads to being unaware of being trafficked + reluctant to admit to victimization

Severely under-reported + undetected

Common myths

Sensationalized in the media

Traffickers are strangers; rather it’s manipulation + grooming by known people

All sex work = sex trafficking (willing engagement vs forced coercion + deceit)

Only happens in shady businesses; can actually happen in registered + regulated businesses

International problem

Human smuggling: illegal entry into a country + involves consent

Happening within one country + ongoing exploitation

What’s known

Stats Canada median of 373 days to prosecute (2x longer than other violent offences)

Victim fear of traffickers: ex. manipulated to make them believe they in a loving relationship then threaten the physical safety of victims + their families

Victim fear of police (negative experiences)

Victims misidentified as offenders; especially if they have a history of sex work or undocumented immigrant

Stigma of sex work

Victim blaming: deemed partially responsible

Multi-collaborative challenges

Social care role (NGO) vs crime control (police) roles

• lack of in order to combat human trafficking

• Viewed as a barrier towards establishing trust with victims

Frame analysis

A cognitive schema that people use in unfamiliar situations based on past experience

Research methods

Confidential police service agency

Observation of officers

Interviewed with police officers

Awareness events

Observation at “John school”: program for sex buyers

Interviews with NGOs

Preliminary Findings

Victims = scarred for life

Pimps + johns = will move on with their lives

Collaboration: nothing’s going to be done with 1 team; leads to more success + more time efficient

Pathways to exploitation

Girls as young as 9-12

Trauma + inter-generational trauma

Poverty: homelessness, gang involvement (can exacerbate women’s vulnerability)

Substance use disorder

Lack of economic + social support

Lack of education + supportive family bonds

Isolation + loneliness

Recruitment

Luring: approaching online or in person

Grooming: poses as a bf “Romeo pimp”

Dependence: emotional + financial(only source of support)

Debt bondage: feeling of “owing” (pressured to pay back

Isolation: full control + complete dependency

• can also be pulled into other illicit activities like drug trafficking

Control Tactics

Substance abuse: can develop issues after exploitation

Technology: recruitment + location services

Manipulation: luring, grooming, dependence, death, bondage + isolation

Pets: source of comfort + torture

“Bottom Girls”

Full control by a trafficker

Control over others for self preservation

To prevent from future exploitation

“Middle man”

Recruits women for sex work

Control over others

Solo + Gang led traffickers

Challenges for police

• delays in investigations

• Cross jurisdictional collaboration

Views it as a business operation + treated as commodities

Investigations = bound by an officer’s jurisdiction

Discussion/Conclusion

Multi agency collaboration

Cycle of trafficking: pathways, control, and exploitation

Public awareness on sex trafficking + exploitation