32nd Annual Student Research Conference
International Indicators of Sex Trafficking
Abigail F. Songer
Dr. John Quinn and Dr. Bridget Thomas, Faculty Mentors
Sex trafficking has been a large scale problem for centuries, just recently gaining the media’s attention and creating a “moral panic” in many parts of the world. This has sparked arguments among social scientists in regard to how many people are actually being trafficked a year and what factors may be increasing those numbers. Even though sex trafficking is an alarming issue, little empirical research has been done to date. While knowing the true number of sex trafficking victims and buyers is impossible (because it is an illegal business), determining the variables that may facilitate trafficking is within reach. This study compared numerous countries using data from reputable sources, such as the World Bank, Correlates of War, and United Nations Reports to see what variables in a country would lead to higher levels of sex trafficking.
Keywords: sex trafficking, migration, poverty, education, prostitution, unemployment, women's rights, violent conflict
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 302-5
Location: BH 114
Time: 2:30