NCJ Number
232977
Journal
Global Crime Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2010 Pages: 436-447
Date Published
November 2010
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined of female offenders and their role in human trafficking.
Abstract
In the context of human trafficking, women are frequently portrayed as victims, whereas men are usually seen as offenders. In this article, the authors demonstrate that women can also fulfill active, even leading, roles in human trafficking networks. Based on data collected from 89 court files in various Dutch courts in 2006-2007, the authors analyzed the role, tasks, and activities of these women. Assessing their independence, their tasks, and the extent of their equality in relationships with male traffickers, the authors divided them into three categories: supporters, partners-in-crime, and madams. The study found that there is a wide variety of possible roles within the framework of human trafficking activities, and that African madams hold key positions in international human trafficking networks. (Published Abstract)