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Last Updated: Wednesday, 27 May 2026 14:39

Published: Tuesday, 26 November 2019 19:47

Written by Angela O'Connor

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Alexis A. Aronowitz  Human Trafficking, Human Misery: The Global Trade in Human Beings (2013). Scarecrow Press: Plymouth, UK. 219pp. €51.77 [h/b], €39.95 [p/b. 

Alexis Aronowitz’ analysis on the global trade in human beings, is a phenomenal piece of literature that gives the reader a broad and informed outlook on the actions and crimes that are carried out in the process of this hideous crime. From the outset, this book gives the reader a thorough understanding of the egregious crime of human trafficking and the many different violations that are associated with this trade such as, but not limited to, slavery, sexual exploitation and child labour. It brings to the forefront a crime that is slowly but surely, garnering public attention, in addition to countless initiatives being set up by NGO’s and government departments (e.g. UN.GIFT –  the Global Initiative to Fighting Human Trafficking and the annual Trafficking in Persons Report that has been composed by the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking in Persons).

Taking information from her own research and experiences, Aronowitz gives us real life examples of cases of human trafficking that she was directly involved in or that she had learned about during her international research work. These cases give us a real life understanding and insight into the harm that is caused by the process of human trafficking. 

Human trafficking affects all countries globally, be it a destination, source, transit or a country with a combination of these. There has been a major focus in today's literature on the concept of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, but it is becoming apparent that human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation (e.g. fisheries, agriculture and construction), is slowly coming to the forefront within contemporary research, specifically in research for reports such as the Trafficking in Persons Report, published annually by the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. In addition to this, the research of internal trafficking as well as human trafficking for the purpose of supplying child soldiers, mail-order brides and organ trafficking, is also garnering attention in today's literature and is also covered in the latter chapters of Aronowitz’ analysis.

Aronowitz begins the book with vital definitions that make up the very dynamics of what constitutes the crime of human trafficking. She defines human trafficking as a whole, defines the differences between human trafficking and the smuggling of human beings and examines issues integral to the crime of human trafficking such as violence and fraud, push-pull factors and the issue of consent. The topics covered in these early chapters, I believe, are extremely important for the whole understanding of human trafficking and set the stage for the context and insight in the chapters that follow.

The book continues with an in-depth description of how there is a huge disparity between the estimated numbers of victims of human trafficking and the actual numbers. This is explained by the underground, furtive and criminal nature of human trafficking, which in turn causes inadequate recording by law agencies. The confusion and scarce knowledge of the problem among the public leads to a lack in reporting of this crime, as Aronowitz argues (pp. 15-22).  She follows this by describing the contrasting perspectives on human trafficking, with regard to globalisation, supply and demand, migration, law enforcement and human rights. Issues such as internal and external migration, and undocumented migrants being most at risk of human trafficking are discussed, as well as an analysis of the argument about whether demand for a service creates the supply for the victims of human trafficking or, is it the other way around, does the supply of services create the demand?

What I found interesting was Aronowitz's mention of the multi-country study carried out by Anderson and O’Connel Davidson in 2002, that came to the conclusion that the demand for sexual services and domestic labour was heavily influenced by a country's history, culture and societal morals, and that supply generates demand so the availability of these services creates and influences the demand for them, not the more popular market ideology supposing that demand influences the supply (pp. 23-31).

The book continues to analyse the different categories of victims of trafficking. For example, the categories of women and children and their susceptibility to human trafficking and the category of men experiencing human trafficking, in conjunction with the demand for cheap labour. To give a closer look at these categories, Aronowitz goes into great detail about many different real-life cases that she encountered in her research throughout this chapter. One such case she describes is the hardship of a young Burmese woman who was forced to work in a prison camp that was surrounded by a 15ft steel wall, and where the inmates lived in run-down huts with very little to eat (pp. 31-48). I believe the description of the real-life cases throughout the book gives the reader a personal connection to the victims and to the harm that possible victims can and do endure. It gives the reader a greater understanding and realisation of how prevalent and horrific human trafficking is. 

Aronowitz importantly brings to our attention, traffickers’ methods of operation and the structure of their organisations. The differences in methods of operations is illustrated as they differ as much as “the victims and the markets in which they are exploited” (pp. 51-77). The myth that human traffickers are creepy men offering women jobs in foreign countries is not the case. Human trafficking organizations are made up of hierarchical and core groups; they are business-like organizations that use violence as a means of carrying out their work and that can be linked to other similar crimes such as the trafficking of drugs and illicit goods.  In addition to this, Aronowitz notably informs the reader on how to identify recruiters and how recruiters operate. Methods such as recruiting victims through advertisements, the internet, and through family and friends, under false pretences, are extremely popular. These advertisements are done under the guise of offering well-paid work and a better way of life. Other methods Aronowitz mentions involve the false promise of marriage or under the guise of a relationship, for example, the ‘Romantic or Lover Boy approach’ (Hueber 2017). This approach entails the sex trafficker gaining the trust of the victim through the lavishing of expensive gifts and affection (pp. 51-77). Slowly over time, the sex trafficker becomes increasingly controlling and isolates the victim from her friends and family, in turn forcing the victim to be totally dependent on the trafficker and this is when the trafficker forces the victim into sexual exploitation (Hueber 2017).

Aronowitz goes on to cover regional trafficking patterns, hidden forms of human trafficking and new opportunities for human trafficking. She gives an in-depth synopsis of human trafficking and trafficking patterns within each region of the world. This, she pairs with real life cases within the regions to give the reader a greater understanding to what has occurred. These real-life cases involve men, women and children and describe cases of sexual exploitation and forced labour. For instance, Aronowitz brings to our attention that from 2006 to 2007, Dominican women were being trafficked to Montenegro for the purpose of sexual exploitation, whereas Russian women were being trafficked to the USA for labour exploitation. Additionally, Zambian women were being trafficked to Ireland and Kenyan women were trafficked to Mexico, also for the purpose of sexual exploitation (pp. 77-101). She goes on to explain that studies in the UK have come to the conclusion that trafficking patterns alter when there is a need to establish new routes and due to the demand for labour in the destination countries and the availability of potential human trafficking victims within a source country.

Chapter 8 covers the important and growing topic of the new opportunities associated with human trafficking. One main subject that Aronowitz covers is the use of the internet within the trade of human beings. With the internet being an integral part of life today, it is only natural that its global reach and ease of access would be taken advantage of by the human trafficking trade. For instance, online advertising for escorts, mail order brides and dating reaches a much broader audience than advertisements in a newspaper and is also a cheaper means of advertisement. This ease of advertisement has in turn transferred to human traffickers using it for the purpose of recruitment of victims. Mail-order bride, dating and escort services sites, although they can offer legitimate services, take advantage of women that are looking for a more stable economic future (pp.129-43). Aronowitz describes that women in Russia have been recruited by marriage agencies and subsequently trafficked into the sex trade. Additionally, escort services that have been made to come across as legitimate businesses, have been used to promote the sale of victims of trafficking.

Aronowitz rounds off this enlightening book by ending with a chapter committed to giving solutions to ending human trafficking. She brings to the forefront methods of prevention, methods of raising awareness and methods to lead to more permanent preventions of human trafficking. The types of methods she mentions range from international initiatives such as Stop the Traffik, which has 1000-member organisations within 50 different countries that participate in raising awareness and educating people on the topic of human trafficking, especially in particular communities in countries that are main source and destination countries (pp. 145-61), to initiating income-generating activities such as education programmes, job training and perhaps micro-credit loans, so that previous victims of trafficking and people at risk can be given the opportunity to start their own business’ that will allow them to make money for themselves, which in turn will allow them to stay within their village (pp. 145-61)  She mentions unlikely allies in the fight against human trafficking, such as the private sector, religious institutions and also mentions solutions and improvements that can be carried out within law enforcement, prosecution and victim assistance or protection services. I believe Aronowitz brings the whole book together in the final chapter and amplifies the significant point of how the combatting of human trafficking is not down to a single organisation but is down to the much-needed efforts of governments, NGOs, law enforcement and the public as a whole, to name but a few.

Overall, I believe that this book should be a teaching aid for students that are studying the crime of human trafficking as Aronowitz has so eloquently brought the crime of human trafficking to attention, in such a way that gives the reader an in-depth understanding of this egregious crime. She so smartly and orderly began the book with the basic definitions and understanding needed to comprehend the detailed chapters to come. Throughout this book, Aronowitz has given us an analytical look at the crime in the trade of human beings but, has also accompanied this analysis with real-life cases to give the reader a deeper and more empathetic understanding of what the victims of human trafficking go through. I believe that this piece of literature is extremely important in the modern age where human trafficking is as prevalent as ever.

References

Hueber, B., 2017. The Mechanisms of Sex Trafficking and What you can do about it. Virginia: Liberty University.

Reviewer

Angela O'Connor graduated with a BA Criminology from University College Cork in 2019.  

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