(De)Constructing Stereotypes: Media Representations, Social Perceptions, and Legal Responses to Human Trafficking

Abstract

[Abstract]: The way the media portray human trafficking has a significant influence onthe construction of social perceptions and, consequently, on the develop-ment of a legal framework to fight this crime. Stereotypical ideas, based onthe existence of an“ideal victim,”which oversimplify the complexities ofhuman trafficking and leave potential victims unprotected, have alwaysbeen present in anti-trafficking laws. From the first conventions for thesuppression of the so-called“white slave trade”to the most recent legisla-tive changes, the treatment of trafficking has focused exclusively on pros-titution, migration, and organized crime. Only recently has this focus shiftedslightly toward a more comprehensive approach, centered on the protec-tion of victims. Through a critical analysis of the historical evolution ofinternational and European law, this article will illustrate the close interrela-tion between media, social awareness, and legal responses to humantrafficking.