Why do people migrate?
Factors that effect trafficking outcomes and vulnerability
VulnerableCommunity
Person seekinga better life
Based on a variety of needs and motivations, people make
choices related to a possible migration
SafeMigration
If the potential migrant is well- informed and is
lucky enough to be associated with
people who have no intension of
exploiting him/her, the outcome can be very positive
TraffickingOutcome:Slavery
However, if the potential migrant is
ill-informed or being influenced
by criminals who’s intent is to exploit, the outcome can be devastating.
It is important to note that in
addition to these end points, there are many people who migrate and fall somewhere in between these two
extremes.
For example, a person might be exploited, but not
enough to be considered trafficked.
Not all exploitation is trafficking…..
To better understand how the migratory process can be directly associated with a
trafficking outcome, there are pre-departure factors that need to be taken into consideration.
They include…
Community vulnerability…
Personal motivations and needs…
and the influence stakeholders, family members and others have on influencing the potential migrant’s decisions.
Each community has a variety of different factors that makes it either more vulnerable
or less vulnerable to recruiters/traffickers
For example…..
The relative alignment of these factors can help predict a community’s vulnerability.
Community Vulnerability
CONSUMERISM
STRONG WEAK
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING (COMMUNITY)
PESSIMISTIC OPTIMISTIC
ECONOMIC SECURITY
NO ECONOMIC SECURITY ECONOMIC SECURITY
STABILITY OF COMMUNITY (NO CONFLICTS/DISASTERS)
UNSTABLE STABLE
HUMAN SECURITY
NO HUMAN SECURITY HUMAN SECURITY PRESENT
UNDERSTANDING OF TRAFFICKING RISK
NO UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING
GEOGRAPHICAL PROXIMITY
TRAFFICKING PRESENT TRAFFICKING NOT PRESENT
COMMUNITY VULNERABILTY?
This table identifies seven elements
that can be used to measure community
vulnerability
When a community’sindicators fall on this end
of the spectrum, it is considered more
vulnerable
Likewise, when a community’s
indicators fall on this endof the spectrum, it is
considered less vulnerable
Understanding thesefactors helps to predict
which communitiesneed more preventive
support than others.
Within each community, there are individuals who are predisposed
to migrate.
A person’s unique individual needs and motivations must also
be taken into consideration….
While the previous table can give us some indication of which communities are more vulnerable than others, ….
For example….
Personal Needs and Motivations
Motivations and needs to migrate are varied and not
always based on negative factors
Emotionalstability
Increaseeconomicstability
Escapestigma Desire to
increasestatus
Poverty
Adventure
Educationabroad
Lack ofhumansecurity
Potentialmigrant
Note the many reasons why a person might
chose to migrate..
It is not simply poverty.
Decision Influencers
Family membersNeighbors
Past MigrantsTraffickers
Community leaders
Those who influence the decision to
migrate include a variety of people..
Understanding the relationship between motivations and those who
influence the decisions is essential for understanding how to prevent
trafficking from happening
Why are these factors important?
Because to develop effective prevention programs, we MUST
understand what motivates a person to migrate.
Assuming that poverty is the main motivating factor is too simplistic and will result in assumptions that will not help to reduce trafficking vulnerability.
An analysis of community vulnerability, personal needs and motivations, along
with an understanding of who influences a potential migrant, will help
to develop the right messages and interventions.