Can (S)he Be Protected? Experimental Evidence on Vulnerabilities to Exploitative Labour Migration Offers in Tanzania

• In Event: Exploitation, Gender, and Social Policies

Abstract

The need to prevent human trafficking is great, but it is often unclear where to start. Which groups are more vulnerable than others, and can the community reduce vulnerability? Using a rational choice perspective, we argue that vulnerability to an exploitative job offer can be rational depending on gender and situation and shows what this entails for social influence. We conducted a 2023 lab-in-the-field experimental design in a medium-sized city in Tanzania. Our analyses show that young people are more vulnerable, and that there is no clear evidence of differential vulnerability by gender. However, the influence of an additional person from the community is gendered and appears to reproduce gendered social norms of men-pushing rather than gendered protection for women. The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of gendered vulnerability and how bystanders play an important role that should be included in prevention efforts against exploitative labour migration.

Authors

• Sandra Morgenstern, University of Mannheim

• Julia Kleinewiese