As the number of traffickers apprehended, and the number of victims offered
protection have both increased, an opportunity has been afforded to the research
community to make an empirical assessment of the trafficking phenomenon in
North America, including collection of baseline data on the prevalence of human
trafficking in the region, trafficking trajectories, the characteristics of both victims
and traffickers, and the services needed to protect and support victims.
As the number of traffickers apprehended, and the number of victims offered
protection have both increased, an opportunity has been afforded to the research
community to make an empirical assessment of the trafficking phenomenon in
North America, including collection of baseline data on the prevalence of human
trafficking in the region, trafficking trajectories, the characteristics of both victims
and traffickers, and the services needed to protect and support victims.
However, despite these opportunities there has been little systematic, empirical,
and methodologically rigorous research on trafficking in human beings in Canada,
the United States, and Mexico. This paper is a modest attempt to survey existing
literature on trafficking in human beings in the region. It includes a discussion
of a broad spectrum of publications, not all of which relate to human trafficking
as defined in the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, Especially Women and Children. We include them nevertheless
because their authors argue that they indeed inform the human trafficking
discourse. The examination of existing literature is carried out against a backdrop
of the discussion of the antecedents of the contemporary trafficking phenomena
as well as existing definitions of trafficking. This paper aims to map out
the research that currently exists and make note of the research gaps that need to
be filled in order to establish appropriate and effective policies and programmes
for trafficked victims.
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