Predictors of Anti-Trafficking Initiatives: A Cross-National, Time-Series Analysis of The Trafficking In Persons Report
Open Access
Author:
Wooditch, Alese C.
Graduate Program:
Criminal Justice
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
April 06, 2009
Committee Members:
Barbara A Sims, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Donald Charles Hummer Ii, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
Human Trafficking; Anti-Trafficking Initiatives; P
Abstract:
At the apex of the slave trade, an estimated 20,000 lives were uprooted yearly from Africa. While the African slave trade has ended, involuntary servitude has not. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that, while mainly hidden from the public eye, numerically rivals antebellum slavery. Anti-trafficking efforts have been adopted globally to curb this growing phenomenon, yet many international communities have failed to put these initiatives into practice. To this end, the U.S. Department of State implemented the Trafficking in Persons Report to monitor and increase anti-trafficking efforts worldwide. The current study employs an interrupted time-series design to determine the efficacy of this policy initiative. The research also identifies predictors of anti-trafficking initiatives and U.S. targeted grants to foster an evidence-based approach to fund efforts that reduce the trafficking in persons. Limitations and policy implications are discussed.
