During my first term in college, I asked a question that was disturbingly under-documented.
Within the essential and heroic research done to understand why survivors may join such operations, there remains a troubling gap in social science… ‘What motivates a criminal to execute human trafficking offenses beyond economic reasoning?’.
Concerns are reasonable!
Of course, we have the conclusion that it is economically motivated. Still, it underlies more concerns such as mental health, childhood trauma, biological factors, and the list could go on and on. Human trafficking has been thought of primarily as an economic crime; therefore, the average thought that it was most likely poverty-related.
Reasonable concerns such as, ‘Are there any signs of mental sickness within individuals that run sex trafficking rings?’ challenge the common assumption of economic factors. It can be argued that individuals who commit severe sexually violent crimes are mentally ill, which is a factor in these actions. If other factors and motives could be compelling individuals to do this, it is not to say economic reasoning is not to play as well.
Let’s be honest. Everyone wants money, of course, some more than others. While money is an undeniable motivator for crime, it should not be the sole explanation. Understanding the deeper reasons behind such horrific acts is essential to meaningful prevention.
Despite the urgency, this area remains under-explored. Several possible reasons may explain why…
While there is no definite answer to why these questions are so underdeveloped today, we can speculate with logic and reason why this may be the case.
Human trafficking can be a big pill to swallow for some individuals due to how graphic and violent these crimes can genuinely end up being. That being said, some researchers who may have an interest in researching specifically criminal motives for crimes may not be comfortable with human trafficking specifically. Researching and finding a community for this type of research can be niche and tricky if you do not have the right resources.
Most researchers have preferences for their work—with every choice comes an exclusion! There could be many reasons why invested researchers may not pursue this topic. Some researchers prefer survivor or expert interviews, while others prefer other issues and methods.
One more problem many find present is not having the necessary resources. This can be incredibly tricky; I and many others out there have faced this. Even if you have the greatest idea possible today for research, you have to have the materials. To pursue research, it takes the right tools, an immense amount of effort, and sometimes funding. Sometimes, the hardest part of the journey is getting started because of these factors.
Research will bring us…
When we are provided with research investigating why criminals commit human trafficking crimes, we can use this information to fight future operations.
The beauty behind research and science is the doors that these two fields open. The criminal justice field and the general science community have progressed with fantastic solutions and theories for topics such as human trafficking.
An excellent journal piece by Johnson, Elam, Lebold, and Burroughs, Use of Research Evidence by Criminal Justice Professionals, published in the Justice Policy Journal, is a must-read for anyone curious about how research can benefit the criminal justice field. It details how partnerships, practitioner-focused studies, and accessible research can strengthen real-world decision-making and improve outcomes across the system. One recommendation reads, “Practitioners need to be involved in research as partners, not just as sources of data or sites for research, to ensure that studies are grounded in the realities of practice and more likely to be used.”
This can be applied to researching human trafficking. Proven research provides a reason for why something is a sure way and/or how to prevent a problem.
Final remarks
Undoubtedly, we need more research done to determine why criminals human trafficking innocent survivors. Determining whether there are more factors than economics for such an evil crime brings us one step closer to preventing it.
While it may not end the issue forever, we can use any useful research to minimize the likelihood of it being enacted. Preventing any life from being coerced or forced into these operations is essential, and research is just one of the many ways to do it!
If you’re a researcher, practitioner, or policymaker interested in expanding this discussion—or supporting this type of work—I’d love to connect. Collaboration will be key to tackling what remains in the shadows.
References
Johnson, K. D. (2012). Use of Research Evidence by Criminal Justice Professionals. Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. PDF Link
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