Sex Traffickers’ Views: A Qualitative Study into Their Perceptions of the Victim–Offender Relationship

Authors: Serie, Colinda; Krumeich, Anja; van Dijke, Anke; de Ruiter, Ellen; Terpstra, Linda & de Ruiter, Corine

Abstract: Until now, most of our knowledge regarding sex trafficking comes from studies of victims. Only a limited number of empirical studies have focused on those who conduct the business of sex trafficking. This article examined sex traffickers’ perceptions of the victim–offender relationship. Using a grounded theory approach, verbatim interviews with sex traffickers were analyzed. Four major themes emerged: perceptions of the initiative, the (victim–offender) relationship, their own role and work methods, and on the victims who reported to the police. The results provide a complex picture that shows variations in relationships, roles, and work (control) methods over time within the same victim–trafficker dyad as well as between individual sex traffickers.

Keywords: initiative, sex trafficking, victim–offender relationship, work and control methods