Meta-Analysis of the Literature on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling: The Changing Image of Victims and Offenders

• In Event: Human Trafficking and Sex Work

Abstract

For at least two decades issues related to human trafficking and migrant smuggling have been the subjects of numerous policymaking, scholarly and advocacy initiatives. However, the picture of what many analysts have characterized as modern day slavery remains unclear. Who are the victims and offenders involved in these activities? How has the media described them in comparison to scholarly research as well as governmental and non-governmental reports? Critics commonly conclude that estimates are exaggerated and images of victims and offenders are influenced by sensationalist media reporting. The situation becomes even more complicated if one considers the overlap between trafficking and smuggling. This article looks at the role of media, government reports and scholarly research in constructing and deconstructing images of human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Because reports have shown that typologies of trafficking victims and offenders are undergoing a shift due to change in global distribution and preferences, this article takes a chronological approach in its analysis. It is based on meta-analysis of scholarly and non-scholarly English-language literature on the topic (period: 1995-2015) as well as on interviews with victims and offenders.

Authors

• Jana Arsovska, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Itena Dhrami, John Jay College of Criminal Justice