Introduction to Special Issue: Human Trafficking
| Author | John Winterdyk,Philip Reichel |
| Date | 01 January 2010 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1477370809347894 |
| Published date | 01 January 2010 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
European Journal of Criminology
Introduction to Special Issue
7(1) 5–10
© The Author(s) 2010
Human Trafficking: Issues and
Reprints and permission: http://www.
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Perspectives
DOI: 10.1177/1477370809347894
http://euc.sagepub.com
John Winterdyk
Mount Royal University, Canada
Philip Reichel
University of Northern Colorado, United States
Abstract
This special issue focuses on a crime that has been classified by the United Nations as the third
most profitable crime in the world – human trafficking (Fichtelberg 2008).1 The international
contributions in this issue cover a range of key social, economic, political and legal issues as they
relate to human trafficking. The genesis for this collection evolved out of a major project led by
Philip Reichel which was completed in 2007. Reichel and an international team examined Canadian
and US practices of combating human trafficking. In addition, the project explored a range of
initiatives used in Europe and proposed by the United Nations.2 Before presenting an overview
of the articles, we thought it instructive to provide a synopsis of some of the fundamental issues
involved in human trafficking. Our thinking was that a brief discussion of these more general,
descriptive, theoretical and practical issues would provide some context for readers unfamiliar
with the subject of human trafficking.
Keywords
Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation,Transit Countries, Victims of Human Trafficking.
Overview of human trafficking
It is generally acknowledged that human trafficking is a heinous crime and a gross abuse
of fundamental human rights (see Fichtelberg 2008). According to the United Nations,
human trafficking involves ‘an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or
receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of
exploiting them’ (UNODC 2009a). Human traffickers tend to victimize the most vulner-
able of the global community – young women and children. They are typically forced into
Corresponding author:
John Winterdyk, Department of Justice Studies, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, T3E 6K6, Canada
Email: jwinterdyk@mtroyal.ca
6
European Journal of Criminology 7(1)
the sex trade industry or illegal labour markets such as sweatshops, farm work and domes-
tic work and even as child soldiers (see Fichtelberg 2008). In 2001, Interpol estimated
that human trafficking was a US$19+ billion enterprise and still growing (Gemmell
2009). Why? With globalization and competing economic markets and the population
boom, the environment is unfortunately ripe for human exploitation whether it consists of
slave trade, sex tourism, organ trafficking or labour slaves.
As has been well documented (see UNODC 2009a), no country is immune from
human trafficking, even though citizens in such countries as Canada, the United Kingdom
and New Zealand may find it hard to imagine human trafficking occurring in their own
country. One of the primary reasons virtually every country is implicated in the network
of human trafficking is that a country can serve as a country of origin – that is, countries
people are trafficked out of; a country of destination – that is, countries where trafficked
persons end up; or a country of transit – that is, countries through which trafficked per-
sons are moved en route to their final destination.3 In fact, some of us might assume that
human trafficking is something that happens only in impoverished countries where civil
and human rights may be less valued. However, an incident in the United States involv-
ing two US judges charged with engaging in human trafficking4 illustrates that this is not
the case. As a recent US government report has observed, victims are routinely ‘tricked’
with false promises of employment, educational opportunities, marriage and a better life
(US Department of State 2008).
Human trafficking is a difficult crime to...
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