Data and Research on Human Trafficking: A Global Survey
- Document number
- 1282
- Date
- 2005
- Title
- Data and Research on Human Trafficking: A Global Survey
- Author/publisher
- Frank Laczko & Elzbieta Gozdziak (eds.), International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Research/Study/Analysis,
- Keywords
- Offprint of the Special Issue of International Migration Vol. 43 (1/2) 2005
- Summary
- Most of the papers in this volume present a broad overview of current research and data on trafficking in particular regions of the world. Nine of the articles focus on specific regions and three of the articles explore issues relating to research methods. The nine regional papers do not provide a detailed summary of the results of studies on trafficking, but rather try to assess the type and quality of research that has been conducted and discuss priorities for further research. The availability and quality of data on trafficking are also discussed in each of these papers. The papers by Tydlum and Brunovskis, Andrees and van der Linden, and Brennan examine in more detail questions related to research methodologies and data collection techniques. As pointed out by Tydlum and Brunovskis, one of the most challenging problems facing researchers is the fact that most of the populations relevant to the study of human trafficking, such as victims/survivors of trafficking for sexual exploitation, traffickers, or illegal migrants are part of a “hidden population”, i.e. it is almost impossible to establish a sampling frame and draw a representative sample of the population. The papers dealing with research methods highlight some of the key problems encountered when conducting trafficking research. They have been placed at the beginning of this volume as trafficking research has been criticized in the past for saying little about the methods used to collect and analyse data (see, in particular, the chapter by Kelly). One of the aims of this publication is to suggest ways in which the research methods used to study trafficking could be made more robust. The volume also includes a human trafficking bibliography organized by region and the Notes and Commentary Section includes a meeting summary on “Identifying and serving child victims of trafficking”.
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