Human trafficking is a deeply troubling phenomenon that continues to plague societies worldwide, particularly impacting vulnerable populations, especially women and girls. This article critically examines the gendered nature of human trafficking, contrasting it with human smuggling, and explores the complexities surrounding the agency of trafficked individuals. Through case studies and analysis, the article challenges prevailing narratives that portray trafficked women as helpless victims, emphasizing the underlying power dynamics and agency involved in their choices for survival. The narrative underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of trafficking, advocating for a reevaluation of terminology and perceptions to empower individuals affected by this pervasive issue.

Abstract

There was a proclivity to view forced migration from the perspective of law, legal and official discourses. In the last two decades, a group of social scientists from the global south has challenged the major theoretical assumptions of the field of forced migration as set by the global north. One of the new methodologies that was added in researching forced migration was feminist methodology with its own objectives and mode of study. Feminist objectives include some of the following characteristics: it presupposes gender as a central category of analysis; it questions what is recognized as “normal”; it serves as a corrective to andro-centric notions by generating new knowledge; it accepts women’s own interpretation of their identities and experiences. Feminists over the last two decades have not only feminized the discourse of forced migration, it created an alternative discourse with raising different questions, generated a value system that recognizes women’s agency which loosely can be termed as a feminist methodology.