After a successful session on human trafficking at ESC (European Society of Criminology) in September (2022) and in discussion with several of the attendees, a few issues started to emerge from several conversations among the presenters that gave rise to the idea of a special issue (SI) on the gaps in current research/intervention on human trafficking for the Journal of Human Trafficking (JHT).
This Special Issue (SI) seeks to collect the most current knowledge on gaps in the research realm or intervention development. For example, until recently, the primary focus of intervention and prevention efforts has focused on the supply side of the equation. There needs to be more quality research on the demand side of the equation. Similarly, there are ongoing issues of reliable data (i.e., measurement) and how best to collect it; the issue of under-counting and possible system failure issues; navigating the existing “system” and its barriers; the challenges of prosecutions and convictions; and “siloing” of NGOs, among a host of other themes and issues.
The SI’s focus is broad, and we do not want to prejudice the process by assuming that all the (primary) challenges are adequately understood and addressed in our efforts to combat human trafficking. Instead, as acknowledged by experts in the field, we invited a group of experienced researchers and practitioners to contribute to this collective effort. More importantly, we sought voices from the global south for inclusion in this volume, e.g., India, Cambodia, and South Africa.
To assure adequate coverage and balance against the traditional preference for academic-type research papers, we included two broad types of articles in this volume: shorter articles (around 2,500 words) from several front-line organizations and services that speak directly (from their experience) to the challenges of meeting their objectives and mandates and full-length empirically based articles to point out or address some of the gaps in “human trafficking” (HT) research.