Methodological and Ethical Challenges to Conducting Human Trafficking Studies: A Case Study of Korean Trafficking and Smuggling for Sexual Exploitation to the United States

• NCJ Number: 230969
• Journal: Women & Criminal Justice Volume: 20 Issue: 1-2 Dated: January-June 2010 Pages: 167-185
• Author(s): Kyungseok Choo; Joon Oh Jang; Kyungshick Choi
• Date Published: January 2010
• Length: 19 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Korean Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research); Case Study
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined human trafficking and smuggling from Korea to the United States.

Abstract

The objective of this article is to review a range of serious methodological and ethical challenges to studying human trafficking. In particular, the article focuses on lessons learned from a field research study of Korean sex trafficking and smuggling to the United States. The article first introduces the general background of the field study as well as its findings. Then it discusses the ethnographic approach and its implementation. Finally, it discusses the various methodological challenges and ethical issues related to studying active Korean traffickers and smugglers as well as Korean victims in the U.S. sex industry. References and appendixes (Published Abstract)