La Strada Documentation Center

Trafficking Exchanges and Economic Responses: Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia

Document number
2139
Date
2008
Title
Trafficking Exchanges and Economic Responses: Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia
Author/publisher
Lynellyn D. Long, John Hopkins University
Availability
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Document type(s)
Research/Study/Analysis,
Keywords
Trafficking process, Recruitment, Transportation, Transit, Transfer, Consent, Palermo protocol; Definition of (trafficking), Root Causes, Risk Groups, Vulnerability, Pull factors, Push factors, Sending/Receiving countries,
Summary
As this chapter will discuss, the contemporary political economy of trafficking in women, in particular, for sexual services reflects both historical and contemporary cultural practices. Strong economic incentives and rewards further reinforce the current forms of trafficking. In contrast, counter-trafficking programs represent moral regimes that often conflict directly with the economic incentives and deep-rooted cultural practices. They also employ forms of regulation and control that may deny the woman's agency without assuring her own security and well being. Because contemporary countertrafficking regimes do not address the underlying reasons for sexual trafficking in women, they have at best a short term, palliative impact for a few individuals but may have little impact or even cause harm to many others.
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