Measuring labor trafficking: a research note

This paper reviews major challenges in the conceptual clarification and empirical inquiry of labor trafficking. Much of current literature on human trafficking in the U.S. has focused on the sexual exploitation of women and children. As a result, government funding has mostly gone to law enforcement agencies and rescue agencies home and abroad to find these victims. International organizations believe labor trafficking is perhaps far more prevalent than sex trafficking. But empirical research on labor trafficking remains rare. Wild claims have instead taken place of rigorous empirical research in advocacy activities and policy making. This paper calls for greater efforts on primary data collection that measures the incidence and prevalence of labor trafficking activities in the U.S. Campaigns against human trafficking cannot be sustained or even remain credible without sound empirical research.