Don’t shout too loud: Reflections on the outrage against human and child trafficking

Abstract

Human and child trafficking is regarded as an international crime and serious human rights violation. However, the clandestine and transnational nature of trafficking makes it extremely difficult to apprehend or prosecute offenders, or to verify information about the scope and nature of the problem. Yet, despite the lack of quantifiable data, extensive global attention has been focused on the phenomenon of trafficking. This article highlights some concerns regarding conceptual and definitional problems, as well as the seeming international preoccupation with trafficking, in an attempt to position the issue within the larger context of other global human rights abuses.