Human trafficking: some research challenges for South Africa

Abstract

Human trafficking has become a significant component of the illicit global economy and is internationally acknowledged to be a growing problem. While there have been various attempts to provide estimates of the scale of global trafficking, the real extent of the problem remains unknown. Despite widespread calls for more accurate estimates of the problem, statistics of any value remain elusive. There are numerous challenges involved in researching trafficking, in general, and obtaining sound estimates of human trafficking, in particular. South Africa’s response to trafficking is still in its infancy and the current law regarding trafficking in South Africa is fragmented. At present, the greatest impediment to the collection of quantitative data on trafficking (with particular reference to the number of victims in the identified trafficking streams) is the lack of a comprehensive stand-alone national law on human trafficking. Once promulgated, such a law would allow for a human-trafficking database or human-trafficking information management or reporting system which would allow various stakeholders working collaboratively to enter information about cases of trafficking.