Human Trafficking: An Ethnographic Study
Opening Statement
Human trafficking is not a problem that only affects developing nations. Every nation and region of the globe is plighted by the problem of human trafficking, including the world's wealthiest countries. In fact, it is often the wealthy nations that provide the lucrative market that drives human trafficking to begin with. "Human trafficking represents perhaps the worst form of labor exploitation and can be regarded as one of the dark sides of globalization," (Loring, Engstrom, Hilliard, & Diaz 2007:1). This may be true, but human trafficking is a practice much older than the modern incarnation of a globalized economy.
The focus of this study is on adult human trafficking, a much-overlooked dimension of the problem. Human trafficking also affects both men and women, and this study takes into account gender roles and norms, and the different market needs for trafficked human beings. Treating human trafficking as a business, which it is, allows for a richer understanding of the problem. This research uses a qualitative method known as ethnography, to study the cultural contexts in which human trafficking takes place both at the source or supply, and at the end or demand-side of the equation. The importance of this research cannot be underestimated, as it is a revolutionary and radical approach to a problem that impacts all persons on the planet.
Background
Although the extent of human trafficking is fairly well-known, actual information on the reality of human trafficking from its victims is sparse due to the secrecy of the illegal activity. There is an "estimated 2.5 million people at any given time" being exploited through human trafficking (5). Many of the victims of human trafficking are children. It is important to note that the definition of a child differs from culture to culture. There are many different cultures that establish the different age limits for adulthood. According to the United Nations and the United States, an adult is considered to be anyone eighteen years of age or older, and for the purpose of this study we will follow this guideline (7). Interestingly, United Nations estimates that the majority of all human trafficking victims are adults (2,-page 10).
The most pronounced stereotype of human trafficking victims is "innocent young girls from foreign countries" who are coerced into sexual exploitation (9,-page 1). Although many victims of human trafficking are young girls, this stereotype detracts from the reality that human trafficking impacts a diverse population. There are many other victims of human trafficking, although young girls have been classical pray for trafficking rings. Human trafficking includes, but is not limited to, a multitude of aspects such as forced labor camps, sexual exploitation, all of which comprise modern-day slavery (1).
The United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 defines sex trafficking as "sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained eighteen years of age; or & #8230; the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt, bondage, or slavery" (9,-page 1). There has been a lot of research on the different aspects of human trafficking (1; 2; 4; 5). The empirical data does not seem to support the major stereotype previously stated.
The United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crime has conducted a study in 2012 showing that most victims of the human trafficking business are adults compared to children (2,-page 10). This study correlates with the empirical data provided by The National Center for Victims of Crime (4) and the Polaris Project (1). Human trafficking has been studied by multiple organizations including the United Nations and the United States (2, 4). It has been linked to everything from poverty and addiction to monetary profits for criminal organizations (1, 2). The United Nations has used graphical representations to show the percent differences of human trafficking usage, for example sexual exploitation or forced labor, in multiple countries around the world (2, 5). These graphical representations show previous data that has been collected by individual countries and then compiled into one larger study.
The United States estimates that most victims of human trafficking are hard pressed to come forward with information regarding...
Spotlighting Samplings 4 Qualitative Research Research Choices 6 the Phenomenology Method The Ethnography Method DEPTH Four Qualitative Approach Comparison Strengths and Critiques of Case Studies "A research design indicates the full research process from conceptualization of the research problem, generation of data, analysis and interpretation of findings, and dissemination of results" (Magilvy & Thomas, 2009, What and Why… Section, ¶ 4). The Question of Interest What type of research design should the researcher use? To answer the study's critical research
The knowledge of the evolution and starting point of the field of Victimology is of utmost worth. Three different ancient epochs describing the Victims' position inside methods of justice were reviewed by some foremost Researchers including Moriarty and Jerin. The Epochs are the Golden Age, the Reemergence of the Victim and the Dark Age. There is a proposition that the Golden Age has been before the time when laws were
During this penultimate period of violence under Rojas, the violence that wracked Colombia assumed a number of different characteristics that included an economic quality as well as a political one with numerous assassinations taking place. These were literally contract killings there were sponsored by opposition forms. There were also horrendous genocidal acts that were carried out by gangs combined with authentic revolutionary fighting in some regions of the country. The fourth
From this came our insistence on the drama of the doorstep" (cited by Hardy 14-15). Grierson also notes that the early documentary filmmakers were concerned about the way the world was going and wanted to use all the tools at hand to push the public towards greater civic participation. With the success of Drifters, Grierson was able to further his ideas, but rather than directing other films, he devoted his time
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now