Based on long-term ethnographic research, including documentary research, qualitative interviews and observations made at a Portuguese shelter for “sex trafficked women,” this paper explores the counter-trafficking apparatus questioning who benefits from it. The discussion explores the contrasts between an institutional commitment to constructing this apparatus and the actuality of procedural efforts purporting to support “trafficking victims.” The author argues that the higher goal of building a countertrafficking apparatus — in itself a political objective — limits the rights of “victims,” making processes that claim to be part of their protection de facto neo-liberal anti-political exercises in reenforcing bureaucratic state power.
Modern slavery in all of its guises – such as human trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation and organ trafficking – is endemic in many countries. It often preys on society’s most vulnerable people, stripping them of their rights to fre...Read More
Investigations by Equidem between September 2020 and October 2022 documented significant labour and human rights violations at all eight FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums—Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Al Janoub Stad...Read More
Inequality is rampant across the global economy, and the agro-food sector is no exception. At the top, big supermarkets and other corporate food giants dominate global food markets, allowing them to squeeze value from vast supply chains that span the...Read More
Rapid change in the legal landscape for business with regards to human rights has profound implications for how businesses across the globe approach human rights issues. Multinational companies are having to navigate increasingly complex human right...Read More
2025 © Copyright, RESPECT International. All Rights Reserved. Website Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
