How (re) integration success and (re) integration failure is conceptualised in different contexts for women trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation
| Author | Biljana Meshkovska,Arjan ER Bos,Melissa Siegel |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/02697580231151247 |
| Published date | 01 May 2023 |
| Date | 01 May 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580231151247
International Review of Victimology
2023, Vol. 29(2) 155 –169
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/02697580231151247
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How (re) integration success
and (re) integration failure
is conceptualised in different
contexts for women trafficked
for the purpose of sexual
exploitation
Biljana Meshkovska
Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Arjan ER Bos
Open University of the Netherlands, The Netherlands
Melissa Siegel
Maastricht University/UNU-MERIT, The Netherlands
Abstract
In order to adequately meet the (re) integration needs of trafficked persons, it is important
to first determine how success and failure of the (re) integration process is conceptualised in
post-trafficking situations. We answer this question by looking at the feedback given by service
providers (N = 40) when asked what they consider to be successful (re) integration, and what
they consider to be a failed (re) integration process, based on their experiences with women
trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe. This paper first provides an overview
of the different dimensions of the (re) integration process: economic, institutional and social. It
also situates the concept of recovery as applied in the context of post-trafficking situations within
the overall framework of (re) integration. It concludes with a discussion of particular cases of
successes and failures of the (re) integration process of trafficked persons. We find that rather
than speaking of definitive success of the (re) integration process, it is much closer to what
happens in practice to speak of the continuum of success along different dimensions. Finally, a
failure of the process is found to be when a woman returns to a situation of exploitation, or when
regression or re-trafficking occurs.
Corresponding author:
Biljana Meshkovska, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1046, Blindern, 0316
Oslo, Norway.
Email: biljana.meshkovska@medisin.uio.no
1151247IRV0010.1177/02697580231151247International Review of VictimologyMeshkovska et al.
research-article2023
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