An analysis of South African newspapers' representation of human trafficking

Abstract

News media play a significant role in creating awareness about human trafficking. This study analysed the manner in which South African newspapers represent the issue of human trafficking. It explored and discussed the themes surrounding human trafficking covered, as well as the forms or types of human trafficking addressed in South African newspapers. It has examined the representation of human trafficking in six South African newspapers, namely, City Press, Daily Dispatch, Sowetan, Sunday Times, The Citizen and The Star published between 1 June 2019 and 31 December 2019. The study was guided by the following research questions: Do South African newspapers portray or represent human trafficking as a form of organised crime, as a problem of immigration, as a human rights issue or as a public health concern? Which themes surrounding human trafficking do South African newspapers cover? Which forms or types of trafficking do South African newspapers address? The study used qualitative content analysis to examine the representation of human trafficking in South African newspapers, selected articles were coded in terms of representation of human trafficking, themes covered and forms or types of human trafficking addressed. The findings revealed that South African newspapers represent human trafficking as a form of organised crime, immigration problem, human rights issue, as well as a public health concern. South African newspapers focused more on representing human trafficking as a form of organised crime than as an immigration problem, human rights issue, or public health concern. The results also indicated that South African newspapers focused on causes, solutions or remedies, nature or type, victims as well as perpetrators of human trafficking. They also reflected that the most common type of trafficking addressed in South African newspapers is sex trafficking, followed by trafficking for forced labour, trafficking for crime or other exploitative purposes, child trafficking, or kidnapping, illegal adoptions, forced marriages v and removal of body parts. The study concluded that South African newspapers represent human trafficking as form of organised crime, an immigration problem, human rights issue as well as a public health concern. It also concluded that South African newspapers’ reporting does not focus much on the causes of human trafficking and proposed a few solutions or remedies. The reporting also concentrates on victims and perpetrators of human trafficking. Also, that the most common type of human trafficking addressed is sex trafficking. The study recommends that South African newspapers should not only focus more on reporting human trafficking as a form of organised crime but also on human trafficking as an immigration problem, human rights issue and a public health concern. It also recommended that their reporting should focus more on causes as well as solutions to the problem. The reporting should be more focused on victims human trafficking and continue to report on perpetrators. They also ought to report more on other form of human trafficking other than sex trafficking.