ABSTRACT

The phenomenon of the illegal trafficking of humans is not new. What is new is the global sophistication, complexity, and consolidation of trafficking networks, as well as the increasing numbers of men, women, and children who are trafficked each year (Blank, 2003, 2007; Raymond et al., 2002; Troshynski & Blank, 2006). Typically defined, human trafficking includes the use of force, fraud, and/or coercion to transport persons either within countries or across international borders for the purpose of labor and/or sexual exploitation. Indeed, a recent study by the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that the criminal profits of human trafficking exceed $31 billion, making it the largest source of illegal income worldwide after drug trafficking (Belser, 2005). It is for these reasons and others that human trafficking is widely considered to be one of the fastest growing areas of criminal activity.