A critical analysis of human trafficking for sexual exploitation

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim to critically analyse how the crime of human trafficking for sexual exploitation can be identified in order to develop practical guidelines to be used during the identification of this crime in South Africa. In this study the researcher conducted a review of pertinent literature, both international and national, to gain an understanding of the problem being researched. The explanatory sequential mixed-method design was used with the main purpose to use the qualitative data to help explain in more detail the initial quantitative results obtained. The explanatory sequential mixed-methods design assisted the researcher to follow a procedure whereby the mixed-mode survey design was applied to collect data through questionnaires. These questionnaires were in the form of mailed, self-administered surveys and in-person interviews with human trafficking provincial coordinators, police officials and investigators of human trafficking within the nine provinces country wide during the first quantitative phase of this study. The data were analysed and followed up during the second qualitative phase with interview schedules that were used in semi-structured one-on-one interviews with the following persons: police investigators working at the SAPS organised crime units who dealt with and investigated cases of human trafficking where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation; state prosecutors working at the National Prosecuting Authority who dealt with, identified and prosecuted human trafficking cases where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation in South Africa; NGOs who work in the field of counter-trafficking and victim assistance; and an international police investigator who dealt with, identified and investigated human trafficking cases where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. The researcher is of the opinion that this study (analysing how the crime of human trafficking for sexual exploitation can be identified in order to develop practical guidelines to be used during the identification of this crime in South Africa) presents a significant contribution to the identification of human trafficking for sexual exploitation incidents in South Africa and subsequently presents practical guidelines that can be used during the identification of this phenomenon in South Africa. SUMMARY “Modern slavery – be it bonded labour, involuntary servitude, or sexual slavery – is a crime and cannot be tolerated in any culture, community, or country... [It] is an affront to our values and our commitment to human rights.” (US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report, 2010) This study was conducted with the aim to critically analyse how the crime of human trafficking for sexual exploitation can be identified in order to develop practical guidelines to be used during the identification of this crime in South Africa. In this study the researcher conducted a review of pertinent literature, both international and national, to gain an understanding of the problem being researched. Relevant international legislation which informs South African legislation was accordingly considered in order to explain the current legal framework that forms the foundation to address this problem. A survey was conducted to gain insight into the phenomenon of human trafficking in South Africa. Thereafter interviews were conducted in order to understand the meaning provided by individuals to the problem researched. The researcher also explored how the federal police in Australia address the specific problem relating to the identification and investigation of human trafficking, as they have appointed a leading human trafficking task team focusing on this phenomenon in specific. Links and associations were identified through the knowledge and facts gained in this study, exploring past events and theories developed from former research relating to this topic. This formed the foundation of the study in order to describe and explain future application of findings emanating from this research. The explanatory sequential mixed-method design was used with the main purpose to use the qualitative data to help explain in more detail the initial quantitative results obtained. The explanatory sequential mixed-methods design assisted the researcher to follow a procedure whereby the mixed-mode survey design was applied to collect data through questionnaires. These questionnaires were in the form of mailed, self-administered surveys and in-person interviews with human trafficking provincial coordinators, police officials and investigators of human trafficking within the nine provinces country wide during the first quantitative phase of this study. The data were analysed and followed up during the second qualitative phase with interview schedules that were used in semi-structured one-on-one interviews with the following persons: police investigators working at the SAPS organised crime units who dealt with and investigated cases of human trafficking where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation; state prosecutors working at the National Prosecuting Authority who dealt with, identified and prosecuted human trafficking cases where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation in South Africa; NGOs who work in the field of counter-trafficking and victim assistance; and an international police investigator who dealt with, identified and investigated human trafficking cases where victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. Through a critical analysis of the identification process of the phenomenon of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, the purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon and establish, develop and provide practical guidelines, procedures and recommendations to the South African Police Service to identify these cases more successfully. The specific research objectives and research questions answered in this study to address the research aim were divided into five categories:  Explore and describe the phenomenon of human trafficking.  Determine the nature and extent of the legal arena to criminalise human trafficking, to prevent human trafficking, and to protect trafficking victims upon which South African legislation is based.  Explain how the identification of the phenomenon of human trafficking fits into the policing process.  Explore the current situation regarding the procedures followed to identify the phenomenon of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.  Develop practical guidelines, procedures and recommendations for police officials to identify human trafficking for sexual exploitation incidents more successfully. The trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual purposes lies in the expansion and ever growing sexual entertainment industry, which is most importantly a demand-driven phenomenon. The exploitation of victims for profit through the use of force, fraud or coercion remains the common denominator of this crime and the trade of human beings continues to evolve into new and more multifaceted forms of exploitation, using debt contracts and other means to coerce people for the purpose of profit gain. Women and children are perceived as the most exploitable and controllable and therefore are deemed to be the most in demand to contribute to this expanding and very competitive economic market driven by maximum profit. It is imperative and fundamental to have an understanding of the trafficking of persons as a crime committed against an individual and therefore it is of the utmost importance that police personnel serving in the South African Police Service (one of the key role players within the Criminal Justice System), are conversant with the means of trafficking, what it constitutes and what attributes and features this phenomenon includes. Through the development of practical guidelines, procedures and recommendations for police officials to identify human trafficking for sexual exploitation incidents more successfully, data obtained from both literature and interviews contributed immensely in the identification of incidents of human trafficking in order to prevent and address this crime successfully. The researcher is of the opinion that this study (analysing how the crime of human trafficking for sexual exploitation can be identified in order to develop practical guidelines to be used during the identification of this crime in South Africa) presents a significant contribution to the identification of human trafficking for sexual exploitation incidents in South Africa and subsequently presents practical guidelines that can be used during the identification of this phenomenon in South Africa.