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From Awareness to Blame : Public Responses to Control in Sex Trafficking
Hakala, P.M. (2025) From Awareness to Blame : Public Responses to Control in Sex Trafficking.
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| Abstract: | Public perceptions of human trafficking often focus on overt violence and captivity, overlooking the subtle and varied tactics used to control victims. This study explored public awareness of these methods, and how different control methods influence perceptions of victim blame. One hundred sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to read a vignette describing a trafficking scenario characterized by one of five control strategies. Participants then rated victim blame, perceived seriousness, and plausibility of the scenario. Moreover, participants answered an open-ended question about their prior knowledge of control methods. Findings showed that participants most commonly recognized psychological and physical control methods, while economic, legal, and relational control were rarely mentioned or less articulated. This suggests that public understanding is skewed towards more visible forms of coercion. Victim blaming attitudes did not significantly differ based on control methods alone. However, exploratory analyses revealed higher blame in response to economic and relational control scenarios compared to legal, physical, and psychological methods when accounting for individual differences such as gender, trafficking knowledge, and attitudes towards victims’ ability to leave. These findings underscore the complexity of victim blame, suggesting that public perceptions are influenced by both the nature of control and personal factors. The results highlight the need for improved public education on the diverse and often invisible mechanisms of trafficking control. Increasing awareness of non physical coercion may reduce harmful misconceptions, enhance victim identification, and foster more compassionate and supportive responses to survivors. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/107805 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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