Abstract
Media shapes public perceptions about sex trafficking; how and under what circumstances sex trafficking occurs and by who and to whom are framed by news reports. This study examines a four-year span of U.S. news reports of law enforcement and judicial actions against sex traffickers (2017-2021). Articles were coded to determine the frames presented to readers. The results confirm that journalists continue to reduce trafficking to a crime problem, over-represent certain kinds of victims and perpetrators, and fail to educate readers about the definition of, causes of, and remedies for sex trafficking. Such reporting needs to improve the way it educates audiences about causes, solutions, perpetrators, and survivors. This is vital to better prepare the public—and law enforcement—to participate in combatting sex trafficking through reporting, funding services, and shaping effective public policy.
TopIntroduction
Beat news reports, also called hard news, crime-beat reporting, and event-driven coverage, are a key source of information about sex trafficking for the public. These factual reports, however, are not neutral; choices about reporting can present a view of sex trafficking that creates misconceptions by simplifying complex problems and perpetuating stereotypes (Gulati, 2011). Sex trafficking in the media is very often framed as a crime problem perpetuated against “innocent white female victims needing to be rescued from nefarious traffickers” (Austin & Farrell, 2017, p. 1). Framing sex trafficking as a crime problem puts the blame on deviant individuals and ignores the larger factors which drive trafficking, including globalization, immigration, gender inequality, human rights, and poverty, which are more difficult to remedy. Definitions of trafficking can be inaccurate, or missing, from beat news reports. The public cannot support appropriate and effective policies for the detection and prevention of trafficking when incomplete or misleading frames are a major input to decision-making.
Online and print news reporting about criminal justice actions against sex traffickers continue to be a key source of information for the public. People still look to the press for information to help them interpret events; previous research suggests that public perceptions of problems often incorporate definitions, terminology, and examples from news reports (Huang et al., 2021). With respect to crime, the mass media is particularly influential; “since most people have little, if any, personal experience with crime, it is not entirely surprising that media coverage shapes the public's attitudes and perceptions about crime problems and the most appropriate solutions to criminal problems” (Farrell & Fahy, 2009, p. 618). Two common misperceptions are minors can engage in prostitution (Searls & Joy, 2020) and sex trafficking is the same as commercial sex (National Human Trafficking Hotline, n.d.). Bouché et al. (2016) report that many people believe that human trafficking is a synonym for smuggling, always requires threats and/or physical violence, involves mostly illegal immigrants, and requires a person to be moved across state/national borders. These misconceptions are important because:
Without presenting the public with an in-depth discourse on human trafficking (that captures more than just ‘shocking’ stories surrounding sexual exploitation) the public’s understanding of the extent and nature of the problem relating to the human trafficking is likely to be inaccurate, and may as a consequence have little impact on the fight to combat human trafficking. (Muraszkiewicz & Constantinou, 2015, p. 5)
This study focusses on how beat reporting shapes perceptions of sex trafficking. As investigative journalism declines, these short reports become the primary source of information about sex trafficking. As most beat reports are sourced from institutionally-provided data, it also speaks to the agenda of law enforcement and even state government. The study examines recent articles (2017-2020) in a large sample of U.S. newspapers, focuses on crime incidents, and examines more content factors than earlier news studies to address the following research questions:
- 1.
How do newspaper reports define sex trafficking?
- 2.
How do newspaper reports frame sex trafficking from a social and legal perspective?
- 3.
What do newspaper reports about sex trafficking tell readers about sex traffickers?
- 4.
What do newspaper reports about sex trafficking tell readers about sex trafficking victims?
Key Terms in this Chapter
Framing Theory: Posits that the media influence how people process information and give it meaning through the way the information is presented. In other words, it tells the public how to think about a topic.
Beat News Reporting: A genre of event-driven journalism where a reporter focuses on a particular issue, sector, organization, or institution over time. For example, typical beats include police, courts, government, business, and schools.
Agenda-Setting Theory: Posits that the media influence the salience of topics for the public. In other words, it tells the public what topics to think about.
Crime Problem: A social issue that is seen as caused by criminal (illegal) behavior and solved by capturing and prosecuting the offenders.
Law Enforcement: Government agencies and employees responsible for enforcing laws, public order, and public safety, through investigation, apprehension, detention, and punishment of suspected criminals. Includes police, courts, and corrections.
Child Sex Trafficking: A severe form of child sexual abuse that is illegal in all 50 states; recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or solicitation of a person under the age of 18 for the purposes of a commercial sex act. Proof of force, fraud, or coercion is not required, and the youth does not have to have an identified trafficker to be a victim.
Prostitution: The practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity for payment.