Long-term (re)integration of persons trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation
| Date | 01 September 2021 |
| Published date | 01 September 2021 |
| DOI | 10.1177/02697580211011445 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Long-term (re)integration
of persons trafficked
for the purpose of sexual
exploitation
Biljana Meshkovska
Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Arjan E.R. Bos
Open University of the Netherlands, The Netherlands
Melissa Siegel
Maastricht University/UNU-MERIT, The Netherlands
Abstract
This paper focuses on the recovery and (re)integration processes of women victims of trafficking
for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe. It looks at their life not just following a trafficking
experience, but for several years afterwards, answering the questions: Are some factors more
important than others, in the short and long run? What are the overall dynamics of the (re)in-
tegration process? How do the relevant influencing factors interact? What factors are crucial for a
positive (re)integration immediately after the experience and how do they differ from what
becomes important as the years go by? And what is crucial in order to ensure sustainable
(re)integration? Fifty-two semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with service
providers, trafficked persons, and family members of trafficked persons. A variety of factors
influencing the (re)integration process were identified, such as: (a) the background of the indi-
vidual; (b) trafficking experience – who the trafficker was and its severity; (c) the role of institu-
tions, NGOs, and service providers; (d) economic factors; (e) the personal characteristics,
challenges, motivations, and coping mechanisms of the victim; and finally (f) social support.
However, what was identified as particularly important for the sustainability of the (re)integration
process was relationships built with service providers, relationships rebuilt with existing family
Corresponding author:
Biljana Meshkovska, Maastricht Graduate School of Governance| UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, Boschstraat 24,
6211 AX Maastricht, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht.
Email: b.meshkovska@maastrichtuniversity.nl
International Review of Victimology
2021, Vol. 27(3) 245–271
ªThe Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/02697580211011445
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members, or relationships built with new families that were established after the trafficking
experience.
Keywords
Trafficking, sexual exploitation, (re)integration, women
Introduction
The focus of this paper is the recovery and (re)integration process of women trafficked for the
purpose of sexual exploitation. Current assistance programmes monitor the (re)integration prog-
ress of their beneficiaries, most often for up to three years after their identification as a victim of
trafficking (Surtees, 2010). Thus, it is this initial three-year period, which in the context of this
article will be considered as the short run, that is academically most familiar. Nonetheless, some
questions remain, not only in regard to this initial (re)integration period, but also in regard to
(re)integration efforts in the long run. Are some factors more important than others, in the short run
and long run? What are the overall dynamics of the (re)integration process and how do the relevant
influencing factors interact? What factors are crucial for a positive (re)integration immediately
after the experience, and how do they differ from what becomes important as the years go by?
What is crucial in order to ensure sustainable (re)integration? These are the questions that this
article addresses.
In the context of this research, the definition of human trafficking, as outlined in the United
Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and
Children, is used:
The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of
force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a
position of vulnerability or of giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of
a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation includes, at a
minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced
labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs (Protocol
to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons to the UN Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime, 2003: 2)
The respondents in this research were service providers and victims who came from both origin
and destination countries in Europe. This research is relevant, as it focuses on the issues trafficking
survivors face in the short term and long term. In addition to identifying the factors that influence
the (re)integration process, it will also discuss its dynamics, and distinguish those that are more
from those that are less important. In turn, this could inform policymaking and practitioners in the
field and orient them toward adequately addressing the needs of trafficked persons immediately
after, but also many years following the trafficking experience.
The article begins with an overview of literature that will be an important reference considering
the research questions. Thereafter the methodology of this article will be discussed. The main
results will be presented in the following sections, reflecting the influencing factors of the (re)in-
tegration process, namely (a) background of trafficked person, (b) trafficking experience, (c) role
of institutions, NGOs and service providers, (d) economic factors, (e) personal characteristics, and
246 International Review of Victimology 27(3)
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