Guiding Social Work Research on Trafficking in Persons: Systematic Review Findings Concerned with Health and Well-Being

Background: Trafficking in persons (TIP) is a human rights violation, a social justice issue and an important topic for social work research. Potentially millions of people are trafficked globally, exacting an extensive human toll and levying tremendous criminal justice, health, and social costs worldwide. Unfortunately, TIP is a lucrative business for criminals and is unlikely to be easily prevented and ended. Thus, TIP research is needed to develop evidence-based practices and policies. Investigating TIP and its sequelae rigorously is challenging due to TIP’s clandestine nature, variations in TIP definitions, and the need to use methods that ensure studies are feasible and ethical.

Methods: To provide a foundation on which researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can build to ameliorate TIP, this study systematically located, synthesized, and analyzed peer-reviewed literature regarding TIP and its consequences for individuals’ health. Specifically, we undertook a systematic review of 70 studies published since the Palermo Protocol in 2000 to: (a) identify TIP research methods used to investigate trafficked persons’ health; (b) determine what we can learn about TIP from these varied methodologies; and (c) determine the gaps that exist in TIP research. Rigorous literature review methods were used including investigation of multiple databases to gather relevant articles, precise article inclusion criteria, multiple reviewers, and standardized article review procedures.

Results: Results revealed that a variety of methods and approaches were used in TIP research. About half of the studies (n=39) were quantitative cross-sectional; two were quantitative longitudinal; 23 were qualitative; and six collected both quantitative and qualitative data. Overall, there was a reliance on purposive sampling for structured interviews and record reviews at social service organizations. Findings showed that varying TIP definitions, limited participant recruitment strategies, inconsistent ethical standards, and a dearth of outcome measures were all serious research shortcomings. Results also indicated an urgent need for representative and non-purposive recruitment strategies, as well as research on risk and protective factors related to TIP, intervention effectiveness, long-term health outcomes, as well as research on trafficked people beyond women trafficked for sex. Only four studies focused on labor trafficking. Further, little is known about men and boys or transgender persons who are trafficked.

Conclusions/implications: To our knowledge, this is among the first efforts to compile, synthesize, and analyze all peer-reviewed research on TIP and its consequences for individuals’ health and wellbeing. From these results, we offer strategies to address evidence gaps concerning TIP, including the lack of intervention research and the limited research on TIP prevention. We also offer recommendations regarding how TIP research can be conducted ethically and rigorously. Social workers are especially well suited to conduct TIP research because of their commitment to social justice and their capacities to engage with vulnerable populations. Thus, with guidance from this systematic review, we will encourage social workers to promote the wellbeing of trafficked persons and to prevent TIP’s devastating effects.