People Trafficking and Slavery
Definition: The transportation or transfer of people by using force or threat. Also, the use of power
over vulnerable people.
Smith and Smith (2011) – There are 3 elements of people trafficking and slavery:
The act = Recruitment or transport of people
The means = Deception or coercion
The purpose = Exploitation
Exploitation: Treating people unfairly to benefit someone else or themselves.
Majority of those that are convicted of trafficking are males.
Data (2007 to 2010): 79% in Africa and Middle East. 58% America. However, females are 77% in east
Europe and central Asia.
However: Reported convictions are very low, meaning we can’t rely on this data.
Theory = Psychological Coercion in Human Trafficking. An application of Biderman’s Framework.
Aim = Examined coercive conditions experienced by people who were trafficked in the context of
Biderman’s coercion.
Biderman (1957) = The understanding of psychological coercion in the context of confinement. The
American soldiers were held as prisoners during the Korean War. He wanted to investigate how
interrogators could manipulate the behaviours of prisoners without using physical force.
There are eight methods of coercion:
Isolation
Monopolization of perception
Induced debility or exhaustion.
Threats
Occasional indulgences
Demonstration of omnipotence
Degradation
Enforcing trivial demands
Method of the study: 12 trafficking survivors were safe in Los Angeles. Participants were recruited
and provided with services that included shelter, case management and legal assistance. Interviews
lasted for a year (2007 to 2008). They were semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions.
They were asked about their health problems they had experienced. The findings show that
participants experienced many nonphysical coercive tactics.
Limitations of the study: Doesn’t specifically consider the role of physical or sexual violence versus
the threat of violence.
Theory = Chung (2009) – Multi-Level Model of Psychotherapy, Social Justice, and Human Rights.
There are 5 levels.
Mental Health Education – Client and psychologist explore what happens in therapy.
Psychotherapy and Counselling – Innovative and culturally responsive forms of
psychotherapy.
Cultural Empowerment – Psychologist educates clients about their rights and help them to
acquire skills to manage geographical and psychological changes.
Indigenous Healing Methods – Collaboration with traditional healers.
Social Justice and Human Rights – Psychologists need to be ready to take leadership to
clients.
Definition: The transportation or transfer of people by using force or threat. Also, the use of power
over vulnerable people.
Smith and Smith (2011) – There are 3 elements of people trafficking and slavery:
The act = Recruitment or transport of people
The means = Deception or coercion
The purpose = Exploitation
Exploitation: Treating people unfairly to benefit someone else or themselves.
Majority of those that are convicted of trafficking are males.
Data (2007 to 2010): 79% in Africa and Middle East. 58% America. However, females are 77% in east
Europe and central Asia.
However: Reported convictions are very low, meaning we can’t rely on this data.
Theory = Psychological Coercion in Human Trafficking. An application of Biderman’s Framework.
Aim = Examined coercive conditions experienced by people who were trafficked in the context of
Biderman’s coercion.
Biderman (1957) = The understanding of psychological coercion in the context of confinement. The
American soldiers were held as prisoners during the Korean War. He wanted to investigate how
interrogators could manipulate the behaviours of prisoners without using physical force.
There are eight methods of coercion:
Isolation
Monopolization of perception
Induced debility or exhaustion.
Threats
Occasional indulgences
Demonstration of omnipotence
Degradation
Enforcing trivial demands
Method of the study: 12 trafficking survivors were safe in Los Angeles. Participants were recruited
and provided with services that included shelter, case management and legal assistance. Interviews
lasted for a year (2007 to 2008). They were semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions.
They were asked about their health problems they had experienced. The findings show that
participants experienced many nonphysical coercive tactics.
Limitations of the study: Doesn’t specifically consider the role of physical or sexual violence versus
the threat of violence.
Theory = Chung (2009) – Multi-Level Model of Psychotherapy, Social Justice, and Human Rights.
There are 5 levels.
Mental Health Education – Client and psychologist explore what happens in therapy.
Psychotherapy and Counselling – Innovative and culturally responsive forms of
psychotherapy.
Cultural Empowerment – Psychologist educates clients about their rights and help them to
acquire skills to manage geographical and psychological changes.
Indigenous Healing Methods – Collaboration with traditional healers.
Social Justice and Human Rights – Psychologists need to be ready to take leadership to
clients.
