Trafficker Profile According to US Federal Prosecutions

Abstract

This article presents data on defendants in US federal human trafficking prosecutions between 2000 and 2020. Through an exhaustive analysis of court documents, press releases, and news articles, it shows who is implicated in trafficking crimes, how they are connected to their victims, and at what point they become traffickers. It concludes that, while there is no universal trafficker profile, traffickers often exploit a position of trust with their victims, either by taking advantage of a child’s age or by employing coercive tactics. Cycles of such exploitation can even lead victims to begin abusing other victims.