Defense of Your Choices. Qualitative Research: Human

¶ … defense of your choices.

Qualitative research: Human trafficking in the voices of its victims

In the recent debate over illegal immigration, a crucial component of the issue is often forgotten, namely the persistence of human trafficking amongst the flow of illegal bodies across the nation's borders. According to the ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, "in its worst manifestation, human trafficking is akin to modern-day slavery. Victims pay to be illegally transported into the United States only to find themselves in the thrall of traffickers. They are forced into prostitution, involuntary labor and other forms of servitude to repay debts -- often entry in the United States. In certain cases, the victims are mere children. They find themselves surrounded by an unfamiliar culture and language without identification documents, fearing for their lives and the lives of their families" (Human trafficking, 2013, ICE). In other scenarios, the situation may be more ambiguous -- the individual may have some freedom of movement to come and go, but may be manipulated by fear by their 'employer' to work for free or to work under degrading conditions. The legally vulnerable position of victims often makes them afraid to seek legal redress, for fear of being sent back to untenable circumstances. Also, their loved ones may be threatened with violence if they speak out (Villa & Collom 2005).

Background of the study

As Hepburn & Simon (2013) note, the victims of human trafficking are disproportionately female, reflecting the fact that "forty-three percent are trafficked for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation" while "32% are trafficked for the purposes of forced labor" (Hepburn & Simon 2013: 2). The sex industry, 'sweatshop' garment industries, and the need for nannies and domestic labor have been implicated as having a significant impact in driving the forces of human trafficking in the past and the need for female labor is characteristic of these underground segments of the shadow economy.

Problem statement

How and why do women become the victims of human trafficking?

Purpose of the study

While there is statistical research that has been compiled on the subject, an unfortunate aspect of existing research is the absence of extended first-person accounts of the victims. Quite often because of a lack of education and the inability to speak English, the women's personal perspectives are lost. The intention of this qualitative approach is to use a case study of women who have been confirmed victims of human trafficking and to determine how this occurred, why they were at first unable to escape, and finally discern how they did extricate themselves from their oppressors.

Research question(s)

What are the predominant factors that predispose a woman to become the victim of human trafficking? (Sub-question) What steps can prevent this?

Theoretical or conceptual framework