Narratives of human trafficking: Defining policy, practice and positioning in a contested field

Abstract

<p><b>This research uses narrative criminology to investigate the way the problem of human trafficking is narrated in New Zealand and international settings. It draws on accounts from professionals who are responsible for defining and responding to human trafficking, and reports, policy, and other guiding documents. The main issue driving this research is the contested nature of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime type that has been highly politicised resulting in shifts and changes to the way the problem of trafficking has been approached over the past 20 years, with differing trends coming to the fore and dominating trafficking practices at different times. The internationally dominant approaches which emphasise prostitution, harsh criminal responses, and border security have come under criticism for having harmful impacts for migrant workers. This research aims to understand how human trafficking is defined, what discourses are drawn on, and how international narratives may be influencing local responses with the overall aim of identifying new and less problematic ways of conceptualising human trafficking and responding to migrant exploitation.</b></p> <p>This thesis finds that different ways of narrating human trafficking are constitutive of different trafficking realities. Narratives determine the shape the problem takes, who is involved, what the causes and solutions are, who responds, and who are classed as victims and perpetrators. This research concludes that as narratives structure reality and action, in order to change how we deal with certain problems, the way the problem is narrated must also change.</p> <p>The findings of this thesis reflect current challenges in the wider international anti-trafficking field of how to avoid positioning western states and systems as outside of the problem of trafficking, issues with broadening definitions of victimhood, and questions of the role of international versus local bodies in defining problems involving migration and crime. As well as reflecting these current challenges, the findings from this research provide insights for moving forwards by proposing an alternative narrative. This counter narrative is created through drawing together components of narratives identified in this research. It avoids the issues of western exceptionalism, narrow forms of victimhood, and a focus on sex trafficking, and provides a different method for conceptualising migration, exploitation, and harm.</p>

Human Trafficking Discourses in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Discourse Analysis of Narratives from Non-Governmental and News Media Organisations.

“…As I had already identified some commonly recurring discursive themes in the literature review, these did influence how I carried out the initial coding of the material. However, while I was aware of themes that were likely to be present within my material from my literature review, guided by the findings of previous discourse analyses on human trafficking (Cornforth-Camden, 2021;Gleason et al, 2017), I approached the analysis as openly as possible, using a mix of inductive and deductive coding. The steps for the coding were informed by the phases of TA outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006, p. 87), as well as the DA process followed by Gleason et al, (2017), noting common strands of discourses, and where these overlapped to create discursive knots.…”

“…A comparative analysis conducted on human trafficking narratives from police officers and government ministry officials in Aotearoa New Zealand (Cornforth-Camden, 2021) demonstrated the presence of similar discursive knots that have been highlighted in international literature (Gleason et al, 2017). These included a primary focus on sex trafficking and sex work and a lesser focus on forced labour and immigration (Cornforth-Camden, 2021). Thorburn (2017) discusses the victimhood-based discourses associated with sex trafficking in Aotearoa New Zealand.…”

“…Exploring the existing research above has highlighted current key arguments on human trafficking, discourses, and the role of NGOs and NMOs in human trafficking narratives and awareness raising. The existing research conducted on human trafficking discourses within Aotearoa New Zealand is minimal and is focused mainly on narratives from legal, governmental, and health departments (Cornforth-Camden, 2021;Thorburn, 2017).…”

“…However, there were minimal discussions about constructed identities and how these impact other countries' perceptions of human trafficking. I noted that the only literature to suggest ethnicity and identities relating to specific geographical regions as significant influencers in human trafficking narratives was an assessment of discourses in Aotearoa New Zealand (Cornforth-Camden, 2021). However, the ways that varying identities within one country conflicted and shaped human trafficking narratives was not a notable theme in most of the literature and was an unexpected narrative on human trafficking that was present in the material.…”