Twitter and human trafficking: Purposes, actors and topics in the Spanish-speaking scene

 Alba Sierra-Rodríguez, University of Granada (Spain)

 Wenceslao Arroyo-Machado, University of Granada (Spain)

 Domingo Barroso-Hurtado, University of Extremadura (Spain)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C71-2022-06

Keywords

Trafficking, sexual exploitation, Twitter, social media, social media analysis, prostitution

Abstract

Human trafficking is a phenomenon linked to several forms of exploitation, such as sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced marriage, begging, forced criminal activity, or organ removal. There are different debates about a potential overrepresentation of some of these exploitation purposes, such as the sexual one, in the discourses underlying international regulations, news or institutional campaigns. This may have consequences on the identification of some of the population affected by this phenomenon and the assistance provided to them. The aim of this paper is to analyse the temporal evolution of the purposes of exploitation, actors and topics most represented in the activity on human trafficking and exploitation on Twitter during the 2011-2020 period. The results show that sexual exploitation is the purpose most represented in Twitter activity and the fact that international organisations and the criminal prosecution of the crime of human trafficking have progressively become more relevant. Furthermore, the networks of topics suggest that sexual exploitation seems to be linked to the notion of prostitution. This may have consequences for the displacement of other purposes of exploitation or the approaches centred on the promotion of human rights to less relevant positions, as well as for the construction of certain images of victims of human trafficking.

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Fundref

This study received financial support under the project ‘InfluCiencia - Científic@s socialmente influyentes: un modelo para medir la transferencia del conocimiento en la sociedad digital’ (PID2019-109127RB-I00 / AEI / 10.13039/501100011033), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation; the Department of Teaching Studies of the University of Granada; and the research group ‘Educación Transformadora para una Sociedad Global y Digital’ (EduTransforma-T) of the University of Extremadura (SEJ054). Wenceslao Arroyo-Machado is the holder of an FPU grant (FPU18/05835) from the Spanish Ministry of Universities.

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Technical information

Received: 06-09-2021

Revised: 17-11-2021

Accepted: 03-12-2021

OnlineFirst: 01-02-2022

Publication date: 01-04-2022

Article revision time: 72 days | Average time revision issue 71: 45 days

Article acceptance time: 88 days | Average time of acceptance issue 71: 70 days

Preprint editing time: 162 days | Average editing time preprint issue 71: 144 days

Article editing time: 207 days | Average editing time issue 71: 189 days

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