Different Alphabets, Same Story? – Media Framing of Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation in Serbian, British and Dutch media

• In Event: Migration and Human Trafficking: A Cultural Criminology Approach to Crime Construction and Representation

Abstract

The issue of trafficking in human beings is complex and there are numerous debates in the field that continue to divide professional public. Giving voice to advocates of different perspectives, the media has been seen as a facilitator of these debates. This essential function, however, gives the media great power to influence the debate and set the agenda by what they choose to report on, and how. For the
reasons stated above, this paper explores media reporting on human trafficking for sexual exploitation in British, Dutch and Serbian media. Drawing upon data for my PhD research, the presentation explores content of online media articles problematizing sexual exploitation as a form of human trafficking. The investigation into the process of media framing is complemented by semi-structured interviews with journalist who report on and anti-trafficking experts who provide information about the phenomenon to the press. By identifying elements that dominate stories on trafficking, and shedding light on the conditions in which these reports are written,
this paper offers critical insight into media framing process and discusses wider social and political implications of such representation.

Author

• Elena Krsmanovic, University of Hamburg